Interview with Alessandra Montini, professor at FEA/USP and
FIA Big Data MBA coordinator
According to study Brazilian Software Market – Overview and Trends 2014, produced by ABES and IDC, the Big Data/Analytics will continue to expand its space and investments in the area will reach US$ 426 million in 2014 in Brazil. However, this market faces some challenges, including the shortage of skilled labor. As a result, investment in personnel training is essential.
With an eye on this gap in the IT sector in the country, the FIA (Fundação Instituto de Administração) has opened enrollment for the MBA Analytics in Big Data. The objective of the new course is to make participants specialists in techniques for capturing, storing, processing and analyzing information in databases. Taking advantage of this initiative, Portal ABES interviewed Alessandra Montini, professor at FEA/USP and coordinator of this new MBA, about the perspectives of Big Data in Brazil.
– What are the similarities and differences between data mining and big data?
They are different technologies. O data mining applies traditional statistical models to evaluate measurable and sampled data. Big data is a technology that allows analyzing numbers, texts, videos and images to evaluate people's behavior in order to help in real-time decision-making, processing and analyzing large unstructured databases.
– How do you evaluate the job market prospects for professionals who have knowledge in big data?
They are very large, as we have a repressed demand for qualified professionals. But, the person who is interested in qualifying and working in this market needs to like the logic of programming, mathematics and computing.
– What are the main big data technological tools currently available in the Brazilian market?
The costs are increasingly accessible and this reduction contributes to the expansion of the big data. Among the main players I can mention Amazon, Microsoft and SAS. It is worth noting that the boom in this market is connected to the development of the Internet of Things and Cloud Computing.
– What is the profile of companies that benefit from a big data strategy in their business?
Ultimately, all companies can benefit, as the future is the internet. We have everything from data generated by barcodes to the growth in the use of sensors with the Internet of Things, which will exponentially expand the amount of information available. Nowadays, we have e-commerce and traditional retail companies that already use big data solutions in their business. However, to apply Big Data, I suggest that the entrepreneur understand the 5 Vs of this technology: endless volume, variety of sources, veracity of data, unparalleled speed and the value of information. The manager also needs to have a well-trained person or team that knows what they are doing in obtaining and analyzing information.
– Could you mention some cases of big data in improving a service or product?
We have a great case at Netflix, which manages to be assertive and offer movies to its users based on age and habits. Other examples are Fastshop and Booking.
With an eye on this gap in the IT sector in the country, the FIA (Fundação Instituto de Administração) has opened enrollment for the MBA Analytics in Big Data. The objective of the new course is to make participants specialists in techniques for capturing, storing, processing and analyzing information in databases. Taking advantage of this initiative, Portal ABES interviewed Alessandra Montini, professor at FEA/USP and coordinator of this new MBA, about the perspectives of Big Data in Brazil.
– What are the similarities and differences between data mining and big data?
They are different technologies. O data mining applies traditional statistical models to evaluate measurable and sampled data. Big data is a technology that allows analyzing numbers, texts, videos and images to evaluate people's behavior in order to help in real-time decision-making, processing and analyzing large unstructured databases.
– How do you evaluate the job market prospects for professionals who have knowledge in big data?
They are very large, as we have a repressed demand for qualified professionals. But, the person who is interested in qualifying and working in this market needs to like the logic of programming, mathematics and computing.
– What are the main big data technological tools currently available in the Brazilian market?
The costs are increasingly accessible and this reduction contributes to the expansion of the big data. Among the main players I can mention Amazon, Microsoft and SAS. It is worth noting that the boom in this market is connected to the development of the Internet of Things and Cloud Computing.
– What is the profile of companies that benefit from a big data strategy in their business?
Ultimately, all companies can benefit, as the future is the internet. We have everything from data generated by barcodes to the growth in the use of sensors with the Internet of Things, which will exponentially expand the amount of information available. Nowadays, we have e-commerce and traditional retail companies that already use big data solutions in their business. However, to apply Big Data, I suggest that the entrepreneur understand the 5 Vs of this technology: endless volume, variety of sources, veracity of data, unparalleled speed and the value of information. The manager also needs to have a well-trained person or team that knows what they are doing in obtaining and analyzing information.
– Could you mention some cases of big data in improving a service or product?
We have a great case at Netflix, which manages to be assertive and offer movies to its users based on age and habits. Other examples are Fastshop and Booking.
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