Why service providers matter for the future of big data

Table of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. Introduction
  3. Snapshot: What’s happening now?
  4. Is disruption ahead for data specialists?
  5. Analytics-as-a-Service offerings
  6. Advanced analytics as COTS software
  7. About Derrick Harris

1. Summary

A recent report from the McKinsey Global Institute and the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the U.S. workforce will be between 140,000 and 190,000 short on what are popularly called “data scientists” and 1.5 million people short for more-traditional data analyst positions by 2018.

One major solution to the big data skills shortage has been the advent of consulting and outsourcing firms specializing in deploying big data systems and developing the algorithms and applications companies need in order to actually derive value from their information. If McKinsey’s predictions hold true, these companies will continue to play a vital role in helping the greater corporate world make sense of the mountains of data they are collecting.

However, if the current wave of democratizing big data lives up to its ultimate potential, today’s consultants and outsourcers will have to find a way to keep a few steps ahead of the game in order to remain relevant.

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