Thursday, November 14, 2013

Facebook's Ken Rudin on Analytics

If you are interested in how business analytics impact your BI program, carve out forty-five minutes of time to watch Ken Rudin's recent TDWI keynote: "Big Data, Bigger Impact." The video is embedded below.

Rudin is the director of analytics at Facebook. In his presentation, he discusses several topics that are of interest to readers of this blog. Among them:
  • Big data technology should be used to extend your traditional BI solution, not replace it. Facebook has realized this, and is working to bring in relational technology to answer traditional business questions.
  • Successful analytics programs bring together centrally managed core data metrics with a variety of data that is not centrally managed. Rudin shares different ways he has been able to make this happen.
  • A similar balance can be attained with your organizational structure. Use of "embedded analysts" provides the business benefits of decentralization, while maintaining the efficiencies and scale advantages of a centralized program.
These are just a few of the points made during his talk. If you don't have the time to watch it now, bookmark this page for later.

You'll also want to check out Wayne Eckerson's latest book, Secrets of Analytical Leaders. (Details below.)

Big Data, Bigger Impact
Ken Rudin
TDWI World Conference, Chicago 5/6/2013




Recommended Reading

Wayne Eckerson's excellent book, Secrets of Analytical Leaders,features more insights from Ken Rudin and others.

I highly recommend this book if you are interested in analytics.

Get it from Amazon.com in paperback or Kindle editions.