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Introduction to Big Data: Aligning Strategy, Analytics, and Operations

Learn how to build and scale big data solutions to deliver value to your organisation with Nottingham Business School.

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Introduction to Big Data: Aligning Strategy, Analytics, and Operations

  • 3 weeks

  • 2 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Introductory level

Find out more about how to join this course

Use big data solutions to gain a competitive advantage

Many firms that implement big data solutions fail to realise the full value from their investments and how to use it for a true competitive advantage.

This three-week course from Nottingham Business School is designed to provide you with a playbook to help you set up or improve your organisation’s big data solutions.

You’ll be guided through the steps of creating a big data strategy, looking at how to establish an analytics capability that can scale as the business needs to change. You’ll also address any organisational impacts of introducing big data solutions.

Unpack big data concepts

You’ll start by delving into the fundamental concepts of big data to gain a thorough understanding.

Through interactive activities and engaging materials, you’ll discover the five Vs of big data and the challenges and opportunities they present for organisations.

Explore big data analytics

Next, you’ll delve deeper into big data analytics. You’ll examine real-world examples of how big data adds value across various industries, from business and finance to healthcare and science.

This exploration will arm you with the tools and techniques to develop strategic frameworks for leveraging big data effectively. You’ll also understand the best practices for building a data-driven organisation.

Learn how to measure organisational performance

Finally, you’ll explore the organisational impacts of introducing big data solutions, including information governance, data quality, and security considerations.

You’ll learn how to measure organisational performance and address ethical, privacy, and security issues associated with big data.

By the end of the course, you’ll have the knowledge and skills to build and scale big data solutions effectively, driving value and innovation within your organisation.

Syllabus

  • Week 1

    Big Data and its Benefits

    • 1. Welcome

      In your first activity, we welcome you to the course and give you an opportunity to introduce yourself to us. We also tell you what will be covered in the course and how you might get the best from it.

    • 2. Overview of Big Data Concepts

      In this activity, we will explore some important terms used when thinking about big data. We will look at how big data is being used in different industries to give organisations competitive advantage.

    • 3. Where Big Data Can Add Value to Organisations (1): Examples

      In this activity, we discuss the application of big data in various industries and help you to consider opportunities for its use within your organisation.

    • 4. Where Big Data Can Add Value to Organisations (2): Strategy

      In the final activity for Week 1, we will look at some of the important planning steps you might need to consider to help you ensure you can align your peak data strategy, analytics and operations functions.

  • Week 2

    Creating a Big Data Strategy

    • 1. Tools and Techniques for Developing a Big Data Strategy (1)

      In this activity, we will start to look at some theoretical models that you can use to help you develop your big data strategy and solution.

    • 2. Tools and Techniques for Developing a Big Data Strategy (2)

      In this activity, we will look at the organisational impacts of introducing big data. You will be introduced to new roles that will need to be created and filled within your organisation as you develop and start to use big data.

    • 3. Setting up a Big Data Analytics Capacity (1)

      In this activity, we will look at the steps involved in a big data analytics lifecycle. We will use the model that Erl et. al. developed to describe the nine stages in a data analytics lifecycle.

    • 4. Setting up a Big Data Analytics Capacity (2)

      In the final activity for this week, we will look at a summary of the different theory models that we've discussed.

  • Week 3

    Operationalising Big Data Solutions

    • 1. Organisational Impacts of Introducing Big Data Solutions (1)

      In this activity, we will turn our attention to governance and why this is necessary when using big data.

    • 2. Organisational Impacts of Introducing Big Data Solutions (2)

      In this activity, we will look at some of the challenges of using big data, to ensure value is being delivered to your organisation.

    • 3. Governance - Ethics, Privacy and Security Issues Associated with Big Data (1)

      In this activity, we will turn our attention back to governance and look at the important topics of data quality data security, data privacy and data bias.

    • 4. Governance - Ethics, Privacy and Security Issues Associated with Big Data (2)

      In this activity, we will look briefly at our final three topics and then everything we have looked at this week.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Explain the basics of Big Data
  • Evaluate where Big Data could benefit your organisation
  • Investigate how to develop a Big Data strategy
  • Explore the necessary attributes to develop a long-term analytics capability
  • Develop confidence in how to operationalise Big Data solutions
  • Reflect on the consequences of using Big Data

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for middle or senior managers looking to develop big data solutions.

Who will you learn with?

Stuart is a Senior Lecturer in the Strategy, Analytics and Operations Department at Nottingham Business School and the Co-Course Leader for the Global Executive MBA Programme.

Who developed the course?

Nottingham Business School

Nottingham Business School’s (NBS) purpose is to provide research and education that combines academic excellence with positive impact on people, business and society.

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Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$349.99 for one year

Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$109/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 19 May 2024

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

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