Partnerships with SFU inspiring ‘light-bulb moments’
Data visualization is one of the many tools that organizations partnering with SFU’s Big Data Hub have found helpful for their day-to-day operations. istock.com
The importance of collecting data is widely acknowledged, yet the question of how to extract actionable insights from information often leaves organizations stumped. What’s more, the diversity of challenges companies are trying to address with data often render one-size-fits-all approaches impractical and ineffective.
These common issues serve as inspiration for the value proposition of Simon Fraser University’s (SFU), Big Data Hub, which offers partner-based engagement to unlock the data transformation potential for a wide range of organizations, from big research institutions and government agencies to small and medium-sized private enterprises.
While the process can take many forms, including “customized training, development and delivery, and consulting,” says Jillian Anderson, big data analyst at SFU’s Research Computing Group, one of the usual outcomes is “a light-bulb moment, when people realize what is possible to achieve with their data.
“A lot of companies are really excited about using their data for fresh insights or for research and innovation. They are also looking for an immediate impact rather than returns in the distant future,” she explains. “This can be quite a leap – but it’s absolutely doable.”
“A lot of companies are really excited about using their data for fresh insights or for research and innovation. They are also looking for an immediate impact rather than returns in the distant future. This can be quite a leap – but it’s absolutely doable. ”
Technology and people enabling data strategies
It starts with an exploration of an organization’s current situation and goals, with a central question focusing on “value,” says Fred Popowich, scientific director at SFU’s Big Data Hub. “Data represents another layer of the activities enabled by the internet and technology – yet making the connection between data and how it can help to solve day-to-day challenges can prove difficult.”
That’s why a collaborative engagement is called for, where teams work together to determine “what data is relevant and why,” Dr. Popowich notes. “It’s about working with stakeholders to determine how a data journey can add value.”
The goal is to enable success by leveraging the latest data-driven tools, technologies and trends, yet steps need to be informed by an understanding of organizational needs and business context, he suggests. “Much of this is related to data literacy, to learning which tools are available and how to use them, so it typically goes beyond problem-solving to become an educational experience.”
Workshops at the Big Data Hub are tailored to meet the unique needs of companies and their teams, says Ms. Anderson. “We work with people who are experts in their fields but don’t necessarily have a foundation in computer programming, data analytics or system administration that would allow them to pivot into a digital world. We look at their domain-specific challenges and identify the competencies needed for moving forward.”
To Ms. Anderson, data science represents a toolbox “filled with the tools and approaches needed for working with data.” And tools can be versatile: data visualization, for example, can be helpful for teams in finance, human resources, product development, marketing and more.
Data transformation outcomes
Feedback from partners attests to the value of this comprehensive approach. Babcock Canada, a global marine, aviation, nuclear and land systems company, turned to the Big Data Hub with the goal to use data for providing robust reports that answer key questions and allow for faster evidence-based decision-making.
Robyn Ballantyne, VISSC program support planner at Babcock Canada, explains that the firm sees itself as “a data-driven organization with a focus on supporting critical missions and operations, complex asset management, technology integration and specialist training.
“Each function at Babcock has analysts and data champions who are involved with reporting and generating insights that aid our teams with decision-making,” she says. “However, some of our biggest challenges stem from the large volume of data, [which makes] manually collecting, cleaning, combining and analyzing data tedious at best and extremely challenging at worst.”
Through the partnership with SFU, teams achieved a more efficient, effective and streamlined way of gathering and processing data, Ms. Ballantyne notes. “This required not only learning new techniques and approaches but also a common language among the team members that would facilitate the use of those new techniques.”
Some of the most significant insights related to the visualization of data as well as data bias, she adds. “Visualizations are how data analysts or scientists translate and communicate what the data is telling them. They have a responsibility to be as objective and as free from bias as possible, and that is enabled by following best practices and documenting everything, including assumptions and decisions about what data sources were used, what data was kept or removed, what models were used, and why they were used.”
The benefits of working
with data
Babcock’s engagement process with SFU resulted in “a greater awareness of data analysis techniques and improved reporting, which aids management decision-making,” says Ms. Ballantyne, who believes such achievements could benefit many companies.
“As organizations continue to incorporate technology-based solutions, the volume of data is only going to grow,” she says. “Evidence-based decision-making is critical for various stakeholder groups; and evidence is what you find in data. Being able to effectively analyze, interpret and – most importantly – communicate data is going to become critical for any organization that hopes to succeed.”
It’s also helpful to maintain a focus on key questions, advises Ms. Ballantyne. “Be sure you understand what questions you want to answer. Understand your data, where it’s coming from, how much is there, and what you need to answer your questions,” she says. “If you can’t answer these questions or [encounter challenges] either from a capability standpoint or logistically, it may be time to engage an organization, such as SFU’s Big Data Hub, for expert guidance.”
Partnering for impact
To date, SFU has helped over 100 organizations of different sizes and different levels of data literacy, and Ms. Anderson has seen examples of successful data transformations in fields ranging from agriculture and environmental science to economics, e-commerce and more.
Data solutions can be tailored to help companies with different challenges, she says. “We often think about using data science techniques, including AI and machine learning, to come up with new insights, strategies or features for an organization. However, we can also use them to automate certain tasks to free up staff time for other work.”
With such a rich potential waiting to be tapped, when is the right time to seek help? “If your data is starting to cause you concerns or frustration, the Big Data Hub is a good place to come to,” Ms. Anderson suggests. “I like to think of big data as any amount of data that’s causing problems, and this can look different for different organizations. For some, this could mean their existing processes can’t handle an increasing volume of incoming data. For others, it could mean gaining value from datasets that have previously sat unused on a thumb drive.”
Turning data into valuable insights – and providing educational opportunities along the way – is where the Big Data Hub excels, she adds. “That’s how we get to see lots of these light-bulb moments.”
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To view the full report as it appeared in The Globe's print edition: Data-driven impact