Author: Thor Olavsrud

Feed: CIO. Author: . Data architecture definition Data architecture describes the structure of an organization's logical and physical data assets and data management resources, according to The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF). It is an offshoot of enterprise architecture that comprises the models, policies, rules, and standards that govern the collection, storage, arrangement, integration, and use of data in organizations. An organization's data architecture is the purview of data architects.Data architecture goalsThe goal of data architecture is to translate business needs into data and system requirements and to manage data and its flow through the enterprise.Data architecture principlesAccording to Joshua Klahr, ... Read More

Feed: CIO. Author: . In 2017, The Economist declared that data, rather than oil, had become the world's most valuable resource. The refrain has been repeated ever since. Organizations across every industry have been and continue to invest heavily in data and analytics. But like oil, data and analytics have their dark side.According to IDG's State of the CIO 2020 report, 37 percent of IT leaders say that data analytics will drive the most IT investment at their organization this year. Insights gained from analytics and actions driven by machine learning algorithms can give organizations a competitive advantage, but mistakes ... Read More

Feed: CIO. Author: . Data architect roleData architects are senior visionaries who translate business requirements into technology requirements and define data standards and principles. The data architect is responsible for visualizing and designing an organization's enterprise data management framework. This framework describes the processes used to plan, specify, enable, create, acquire, maintain, use, archive, retrieve, control, and purge data. The data architect also "provides a standard common business vocabulary, expresses strategic requirements, outlines high-level integrated designs to meet those requirements, and aligns with enterprise strategy and related business architecture," according to DAMA International's Data Management Body of Knowledge.Data architect responsibilitiesAccording ... Read More

Feed: CIO. Author: . When Salesforce completed its $15.7 billion acquisition of Tableau Software in August 2019, IT leaders were left wondering what the largest acquisition in Salesforce history might mean. A bit more than a year later, Tableau has provided some insight into its plans, announcing that Salesforce's Einstein Analytics will be rebranded Tableau CRM and Einstein's advanced analytics capabilities will be integrated with Tableau's other offerings."Earlier this year we brought together the Tableau and Einstein Analytics teams under one roof," Adam Selipsky, president and CEO of Tableau, said in a press conference Monday. "All of those resources all ... Read More

Feed: CIO. Author: . Earlier this year, Microsoft announced it would retire 15 certifications and 44 exams, including MCSA: BI Reporting, which validated data analysts' expertise using Power BI and Excel to visualize data via dashboards and reports. The move is the culmination of the company's 2018 decision to focus on role-based certifications such as data analyst, data engineer, and data scientist.Microsoft recommends individuals who previously would have taken the MCSA: BI Reporting certification instead pursue its new Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate certification. The data analyst role learning path still focuses largely on technical Microsoft Power BI skills.Market intelligence ... Read More

Feed: CIO. Author: . Data and big data analytics are the lifeblood of any successful business. Getting the technology right can be challenging but building the right team with the right skills to undertake big data initiatives can be even harder.Successfully deploying big data initiatives requires more than data scientists and data analysts. It requires data architects who design the "blueprint" for your enterprise data management framework, and it requires data engineers who can build that framework and the data pipelines to bring in, process, and create business value out of data.Data architects typically have years of experience in data design, data management and data ... Read More

Feed: CIO. Author: . Many organizations are struggling to get business value from their analytics. According to Gartner, through 2022, only 20 percent of analytic insights will deliver business outcomes. When it comes to AI, Gartner says 80 percent of projects this year will remain "alchemy, run by wizards whose talents will not scale in the organization."Setting up analytics projects or an analytics organization is one thing but deriving value from analytics is another. And with the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting economies around the globe, companies will likely take a close look at ROI when it comes to analytics and data ... Read More

Feed: CIO. Author: . Data and big data analytics are the lifeblood of any successful business. Getting the technology right can be challenging but building the right team with the right skills to undertake data initiatives can be even harder — a challenge reflected in the rising demand for big data and analytics skills and certifications. If you're looking to get an edge on a data analytics career, certification is a great option. Certifications measure your knowledge and skills against industry- and vendor-specific benchmarks to prove to employers that you have the right skillset. The number of data analytics certs is ... Read More