Big Data Analytics: A Practical Guide for Managers

With this book, managers and decision makers are given the tools to make more informed decisions about big data purchasing initiatives. Big Data Analytics: A Practical Guide for Managers not only supplies descriptions of common tools, but also surveys the various products and vendors that supply the big data market.

Comparing and contrasting the different types of analysis commonly conducted with big data, this accessible reference presents clear-cut explanations of the general workings of big data tools. Instead of spending time on HOW to install specific packages, it focuses on the reasons WHY readers would install a given package.

The book provides authoritative guidance on a range of tools, including open source and proprietary systems. It details the strengths and weaknesses of incorporating big data analysis into decision-making and explains how to leverage the strengths while mitigating the weaknesses.

• Describes the benefits of distributed computing in simple terms
• Includes substantial vendor/tool material, especially for open source decisions
• Covers prominent software packages, including Hadoop and Oracle Endeca
• Examines GIS and machine learning applications
• Considers privacy and surveillance issues

The book further explores basic statistical concepts that, when misapplied, can be the source of errors. Time and again, big data is treated as an oracle that discovers results nobody would have imagined. While big data can serve this valuable function, all too often these results are incorrect, yet are still reported unquestioningly. The probability of having erroneous results increases as a larger number of variables are compared unless preventative measures are taken.

The approach taken by the authors is to explain these concepts so managers can ask better questions of their analysts and vendors as to the appropriateness of the methods used to arrive at a conclusion. Because the world of science and medicine has been grappling with similar issues in the publication of studies, the authors draw on their efforts and apply them to big data.

這本書提供了管理者和決策者在大數據購買計劃方面做出更明智決策的工具。《大數據分析：管理者的實用指南》不僅提供了常見工具的描述，還調查了供應大數據市場的各種產品和供應商。通過比較和對比常用的大數據分析類型，這本易於理解的參考書清晰解釋了大數據工具的一般運作原理。它不僅關注如何安裝特定軟件包，更重要的是解釋讀者為什麼要安裝某個軟件包。本書提供了對一系列工具的權威指導，包括開源和專有系統。它詳細介紹了將大數據分析納入決策過程中的優點和缺點，並解釋了如何利用優點同時減輕缺點。

本書進一步探討了基本統計概念，這些概念在誤用時可能成為錯誤的來源。大數據經常被視為一個能夠發現無人能想像的結果的神諭。儘管大數據可以發揮這一重要功能，但這些結果往往是不正確的，卻仍然被毫無疑問地報告出來。當比較更多變量時，出現錯誤結果的概率增加，除非採取預防措施。

作者的方法是解釋這些概念，以便管理者能夠向分析師和供應商提出更好的問題，詢問所使用的方法是否適當。由於科學和醫學界在研究發表方面一直在努力應對類似問題，作者們借鑒了這些努力並將其應用於大數據領域。

Kim H. Pries has four college degrees: a bachelor of arts in history from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), a bachelor of science in metallurgical engineering from UTEP, a master of science in engineering from UTEP, and a master of science in metallurgical engineering and materials science from Carnegie-Mellon University.

Pries worked as a computer systems manager, a software engineer for an electrical utility, and a scientific programmer under a defense contract for Stoneridge, Incorporated (SRI). He has worked as software manager, engineering services manager, reliability section manager, and product integrity and reliability director.

In addition to his other responsibilities, Pries has provided Six Sigma training for both UTEP and SRI and cost reduction initiatives for SRI. Pries is also a founding faculty member of Practical Project Management. Additionally, in concert with Jon Quigley, Pries was a cofounder and principal with Value Transformation, LLC, a training, testing, cost improvement, and product development consultancy.

He trained for Introduction to Engineering Design and Computer Science and Software Engineering with Project Lead the Way. He currently teaches biotechnology, computer science and software engineering, and introduction to engineering design at the beautiful Parkland High School in the Ysleta Independent School District of El Paso, Texas.
Robert Dunnigan is a manager with Janus Consulting Partners and is based in Dallas, Texas. He holds a bachelor of science in psychology and in sociology with an anthropology emphasis from North Dakota State University. He also holds a master of business administration from INSEAD, the business school for the world, where he attended the Singapore campus.

As a Peace Corps volunteer, Robert served over 3 years in Honduras developing agribusiness opportunities. As a consultant, he later worked on the Afghanistan Small and Medium Enterprise Development project in Afghanistan, where he traveled the country with his Afghan colleagues and friends seeking opportunities to develop a manufacturing sector in the country.

Robert is an American Society for Quality-certified Six Sigma Black Belt and a Scrum Alliance-certified Scrum Master.

Kim H. Pries擁有四個大學學位：德克薩斯大學埃爾帕索分校（UTEP）歷史學士學位、UTEP冶金工程學士學位、UTEP工程學碩士學位以及卡內基梅隆大學冶金工程和材料科學碩士學位。Pries曾擔任過計算機系統經理、電力公司軟體工程師，以及Stoneridge, Incorporated (SRI)國防合同下的科學程式設計師。他曾擔任軟體經理、工程服務經理、可靠性部門經理以及產品完整性和可靠性總監。

除了其他職責外，Pries還為UTEP和SRI提供了六西格瑪培訓和成本降低計劃。Pries還是Practical Project Management的創始教職員之一。此外，Pries與Jon Quigley共同創辦了Value Transformation, LLC，一家培訓、測試、成本改進和產品開發咨詢公司。

他接受了Project Lead the Way的工程設計和計算機科學軟體工程的培訓。他目前在德克薩斯州埃爾帕索市Ysleta獨立學區的美麗Parkland高中教授生物技術、計算機科學和軟體工程以及工程設計入門。

Robert Dunnigan是Janus Consulting Partners的經理，位於德克薩斯州達拉斯市。他擁有北達科他州立大學心理學和社會學雙學士學位，專攻人類學。他還擁有INSEAD的工商管理碩士學位，該學校是全球商學院，他在新加坡校區就讀。

作為和平部隊志願者，Robert在洪都拉斯服務了3年，開發農業商機。作為顧問，他後來參與了阿富汗中小企業發展項目，在該國與阿富汗同事和朋友一起尋找發展製造業的機會。

Robert是美國品質協會認證的六西格瑪黑帶和Scrum Alliance認證的Scrum Master。