Big Data, Gartner Hype Cycle, and Generating Revenues
September 21, 2015
I read “Big Data Falls Off the Hype Cycle.” Fascinating. A term without definition has sparked ruminations about why a mid tier consulting firm does not define Big Data as hyperbole.
The write up states:
“Big Data” joins other trends dropped into obscurity this year including: decision management, autonomous vehicles, prediction markets, and in-memory analytics. Why are terms dropped?
The article scoots forward to answer this question. The solution for those of you familiar with a multiple choice test include:
Sometimes because they are too obvious. For example in-memory analytics was dropped because no one was actually pursuing out-of-memory analytics. Autonomous vehicles because “it will not impact even a tiny fraction of the intended audience in its day-to-day jobs”. Some die and are forgotten because they are deemed to have become obsolete before they could grow to maturity. And Big Data, well, per Gartner “data is the key to all of our discussion, regardless of whether we call it “big data” or “smart data.” We know we have to care, so it is moot to make an extra point of it here.”
The write up then offers:
When I first took a stab at making a definition I concluded that Big Data was really more about a new technology in search of a problem to solve. That technology was NoSQL DBs and it could solve problems in all three of those Vs. Maybe we should have just called it NoSQL and let it go at that. Not to worry. I’m sure that calling things “Big Data” will stick around for a long time even if Gartner wants us not to.
I have a different take. My hunch is that the hype cycle is a marketing and lead generation vehicle for a mid tier consulting firm. When the leads no longer flow and the “objective studies” no longer sell, a fresh approach is needed.
Big Data as a concept is no longer hype. That’s reassuring. Perhaps progress is retarded by buzzwords, jargon, and thrashing for revenues?
Stephen E Arnold, September 21, 2015
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