Big Data Demystified

Chapter 12

Launching the ship – successful deployment in the organization

‘This is something I got wrong. I thought it was all about technology. I thought if we hired a couple thousand technology people, if we upgraded our software, things like that, that was it. I was wrong’ —Jeff Immelt, (former) CEO of General Electric.⁷⁰

Successful data initiatives can bring tremendous business and scientific value, but many die on the launch pad because of inadequate preparation, internal resistance or poor programme management. How can you raise the odds that your data initiative will succeed? What principles can help reduce the cost and effort required?

We start by presenting an unfortunate case study of an ambitious big data project, which ...