Success starts with simple.

As the utilization of big data grows, stories proliferate about new data that turn out to have an impact on a seemingly unconnected area. This can lead to the assumption that mining big data is like collecting marbles in a bucket and then spilling them on the floor, hoping that previously unknown patterns will be revealed. While this *can* happen – and with new visualization tools and techniques, may happen more frequently – success is much more likely to arise from first understanding what questions you want to answer.

You’re much more likely to learn what data are necessary if you brainstorm about what you want to know and create the right questions. Once you have the questions, you can break down the likely data sources for the answers and start figuring out where it is and how to get it.

I know, it sounds simple but it’s amazing how many businesses have not yet reached this conclusion. Find the questions and then you can find the answers.