As a tech leader, it isn’t uncommon to carry much of the risk when choosing to implement a big data solution. The risk of making a poor choice involves more than wasted time as there is also a significant financial investment required for the project. And it also means that you might not get the results you need to move the business forward.

But finding the best solution available is a challenge. Many IT professionals working in your organization will have limited experience in the areas of big data and analytics. This is even more true for those who have been with your company for a significant period of time, as their primary tech exposure is based on the work they are doing for you now. Even employees who stay on top of technological developments, they may not have enough education and training to work in the specialty.

A method for lowering the risk associated with choosing a big data and analytics solution is to mirror the choices of similar businesses operating within your industry. That way, you can make recommendations based on known prior successes experienced by others.

However, as a tech leader, you do need to locate the information you need to make a recommendation. To help make the decision less daunting, consider this information about how to navigate the big data market of today.

Find Your Consultant

The first step in the decision-making process is determining if you have suitable internal employees to function as consultants on the project, or if you are better off looking outside of your organization. If you happen to have employees with the right skills, then you can use their expertise to guide efforts. For example, if you are considering some of the leading products on the market that have some longevity, like Cognos and SAS, you may have employees with experience even if you aren’t initially aware of their expertise.

However, if you don’t have a current employee available, it is often simpler to look for external options than to train an employee with no experience. You can choose to hire a consultant without specific associations with a particular product or work directly with leading vendors that have a track record with businesses such as yours.

Understand Your Resources

Ultimately, you have the choice of selecting a solution that requires the use of internal resources, such as your data center, or a cloud-based solution. Much of this decision is made based simply on the resources you have and whether they can support a big data analytics solution.

Some vendors offer solutions based on using internal infrastructure as well as those using cloud services, so you may be able to choose from some of the same solutions regardless of your preference. One such example is IBM’s Watson, which comes in a format designed to install in internal data centers while also offering a cloud-based version.

But not every vendor has flexible options like these, so you need to understand which format will work best for your business operations.

You Benefit From Prior Development

A company jumping on the big data and analytics wave today gets benefits based on the experience of others. Information about previous successes and failures is available and can help guide your decision-making process. Use the information and knowledge to your benefit, and you can save yourself a significant amount of time and hassle.

If you are beginning your journey with big data and need a new employee or consultant to serve as your guide, ITStaff Technical Resources can help you find your ideal match. Contact us to speak with a skilled recruitment professional today.