“Big Data”…A Print & Mail Perspective

I am already painfully tired of the buzzword “big data” and vendors’ over reaching efforts to confuse clients into spending money for ambiguous “big data” solutions.  More data exists for us to use than ever before.  That is a good thing.  But inducing confusion or unrealistic expectations is not.

No one doubts that we are in a data driven economy.  Data is intelligence waiting to be learned.  A reality of today’s technology, however, too much data is clutter which hides this intelligence from its meaningful use.  The responsibility is on vendors to help clients sort through this information to effectively utilize the most valuable pieces. 

I do realize that the presence of more data creates other challenges such as privacy considerations and implementing archival strategies.  Although these can’t be ignored, the majority of our “big data” efforts should be focused with an eye on how this abundance of data can improve our client’s core business. 

It is the availability, usability and meaningfulness of the data which is paramount. To over simplify (which I am brilliant at), find the data which allows clients to run their business better.

Data needs to be meaningful- What are the significant pieces of information that will allow customers’ business to run better or allow them to capture new business? What are the 1-2 biggest challenges for the client’s business that if they addressed today would impact their performance?  What are the pieces of information which will allow them to address these 1 or 2 business aspects?

Data must be accessible- Data must be available when and where the client needs it without contacting a vendor or manually manipulating information within an information management system.

Data must be useable- It must be in a format which is easy to understand and easy to share

From a print/mail operations perspective, the important data is that which helps answers questions such as:

How do I increase productivity with given resources? 

How do I reduce operating costs (i.e. where am I not optimizing operations)? 

How do I compare my plant productivity metrics with my estimates and schedules to optimize performance? 

How do I easily measure my profitability on a job (or product) compared to projections? 

For print & mail operations, the information that answers these questions is “big data”!  If vendors’ “big data” efforts are not focused on these core aspects, then I advise caution about what their real intentions may be.

The availability of data within today’s print & mail operations is a tremendous opportunity.  Our job as vendors is to collaborate with clients to identify and help them use the data which will most impact their performance which measurable results.

By Pat Hoskins, Ironsides Technology, pat.hoskins@ironsidestech.com, PH 585.953.3013