📺 Stream EntrepreneurTV for Free 📺

How to Tame the Big Data Beast It is one of those topics we can't escape -- and with good reason.

By Bernard Marr

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

LinkedIn Influencer, Bernard Marr, published this post originally on LinkedIn.

'Big Data' is one of those topics we can't escape - and with good reason. With the increasing amount of data available to us today, understanding and leveraging big data has become more important than ever.

Among all the hype it is sometimes useful to step back and reflect on what exactly is Big Data, and how do we leverage it so that we can glean insights about business and society?

I have picked three slide decks that anyone interested in big data should read to make sense of it all.

Big Data 101

Get your bearings with this great introduction to big data. It's a nice selection of visual slides that help to put big data into context, and highlight the importance of big data for business and society. It starts by defining big data and then illustrating how "big' big data really is.

Related: Big Data For Small Business - Why It Matters! (LinkedIn)

Turning Data Into Value

In this deck, I break big data down into its simplest terms. I give examples of the different types of data we can now collect and analyse, and then provide practical real world examples of how big data is being used by companies today to turn data into value. For example, you can better understand your customers, optimize your business processes or even improve sports performance and national security.

The Future of Big Data

Big data is not just about data - it's about opportunities. SAP's Timo Elliott looks at big data trends in this deck, and covers the opportunities of data for business, including empowering employees and leveraging business networks.

Related: One Simple Trick To Have Successful Conversations (LinkedIn)

Bernard Marr

Author, Keynote Speaker and Consultant in Strategy, Performance Management, Analytics and Big Data

Bernard Marr is a best-selling author, keynote speaker and consultant in strategy, performance management, analytics, key performance indicators (KPIs) and big data.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Employee Experience & Recruiting

Feed Your Company Spirit with This $200 Restaurant.com eGift Card That's Only $35

Use it at thousands of restaurants around the U.S.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Living

Show Mom You Love Her with Two Dozen Roses for $25

Rose Farmers is offering a limited-time deal on delivered roses for Mother's Day.

Data & Recovery

Get 500GB of Lifetime Cloud Storage for a One-Time $120 Payment

Boost your bottom line by getting an enormous amount of cloud storage for life without recurring fees.

Green Entrepreneur®

A Deer Invasion in Hawaii Has Turned Into an Environmental Crisis—And a Sustainable Business Opportunity

How Maui Nui Venison built a for-profit harvesting business that protects the land and helps the local community.

Money & Finance

12 Books That Self-Made Millionaires Swear By

The bookshelves of millionaires can inspire you to build your wealth. Here are 12 must-reads they recommend.