Actionable Intelligence: A Guide to Delivering Business Results with Big Data Fast!

Praise for Actionable Intelligence: A Guide to Delivering Business Results with Big Data Fast!

As with most new terms, a true definition should be provided to set the readers understanding in the right place. I believe BIG DATA is, to Keith s point, moving from just numbers to actionable facts that can drive major business impacts. People are hungry for how to get this done and how much data/info is good enough to go forward and use. Plus how one can get better over time. Keith provides the way forward.
Jacquelyn M. Howard, Vice President, Supply Chain, MCDonald s China/Hong Kong

Actionable Intelligence has the critical insights business leaders need to leverage Big Data to win in the emerging digital marketplace! Well done, Keith!
Ed Hunter, Vice President, Product Supply–Asia, Procter & Gamble Europe SA – Singapore

Keith Carter s Actionable Intelligence discusses Keith s use of data personally and professionally. He understands that the answer is not just more data, but data that you need and can use to make decisions. In an era when some authors simply extoll the massive size of available data, Actionable Intelligence helps the reader to think through how to utilize the right data, including big data if necessary, at the right time, to yield results.
&#8212Dr. L. Joseph Thomas, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Professor of Operations Management, Dean Emeritus, S.C. Johnson Business School, Cornell University

If you ve ever thought to yourself that there just has to be a better way, well, you re right. Actionable intelligence is not easy. In this book Keith, Donald, and Cliff provide a framework and a roadmap for how to deliver on the often–elusive promise. I m requiring my whole Business Intelligence (BI) team to read this book!
&#8212Robert Hewardt, Current Head of Marketing Operations at Red Hat and former IT Vice President, Computer Associates (CA) Technologies

Actionable intelligence is key to any decision maker s success. Whether it is on the battlefield or in the boardroom, good information means good decisions; good decisions mean better outcomes. However, many assume this level of intelligence is only for governments and big multinationals. Not anymore. Access to technology and Big Data is the new equalizer. This book makes that case. It is a must read.
&#8212John Ritchie, Head of Security for a major US financial institution in Asia, and former Operations Officer for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

Keith Carter understands the need for speed and accuracy of decision making in business. Actionable Intelligence supports business leaders need to have fact–based decision making. Actionable Intelligence: A Guide to Delivering Business Results with Big Data Fast! is a must read for all business leaders that require quick and fact–based decision making to support profitable business growth.
&#8212Bill Kunz, President, Kunz Consulting Services, with over 25 years of supply chain and procurement experience within the beauty industry

Preface xi

Acknowledgments xvii

Introduction 1

Chapter 1: Vision of Actionable Intelligence 5

The Challenge at Hand 7

The Big Data Lie 13

Actionable Intelligence: The Road and the Destination 14

Stages of Actionable Intelligence: Getting Ready for the Journey by Knowing Where You Are and Where to Go 22

Are You Ready to Take the First Step? 26

Summary and Considerations 29

Notes 29

Chapter 2: Discovery of the Business Situation (Business Discovery) 31

Government Intelligence 34

Ask the Questions 37

Answer the Questions: Business Discovery 38

Visual Consistency and the First Tool 42

Off to the Races 45

Summary and Considerations 45

Notes 45

Chapter 3: Creating a Foundation of Data 47

Building the Foundation 48

Benefi ts of Having the Right Data 49

The Data Challenge 50

Acquire Data in Four Consistent Steps 51

The Byproduct: Master Data Management 61

Data Management Issues in the Spotlight 63

The Data Supply Chain 65

Build the House 65

Summary and Considerations 67

Notes 68

Chapter 4: Visualization 69

Complete Circle 70

So Now, How Can You Do It? 74

The Way Ahead 77

Example of Iterative Visualization to Solve the Question "How Do I Get There Quickly, Safely, Effi ciently:" Leveraging Global Positioning System Data 77

Effective Visualizations: Tell a Story to Your Mind 80

Noticing Visualization Pitfalls 80

Summary and Considerations 83

Notes 83

Chapter 5: The Initial Answers 85

Attempting to Regularly Capture Benefits, False Starts, and a Rhythm 87

The Results of Actionable Intelligence Delivered 87

The Power of Quotes 89

Possibilities with Actionable Intelligence 89

Almost Done? 98

Summary and Considerations 99

Note 99

Chapter 6: Time for Change 101

Collaborative Business Planning 103

Linking Collaboration to Actionable Intelligence 106

Summary and Considerations 110

Chapter 7: Governance: Funding Intelligence, Protecting the Results 111

An Actionable Intelligence Governance Methodology 112

Intelligence Budgeting 121

Remember the Key Points of the UPS Story 122

Governing the Use of Actionable Intelligence and Establishing Data Security 125

Summary and Considerations 133

Notes 133

Chapter 8: Sustaining Delivery of Actionable Intelligence 135

Leading Intelligence 136

Quick Wins to Build Trust 140

Hiring Done Right for Big Data with Big Data 145

Training 148

Business Cultural Change 149

Communication 155

Knowledge Lock?]In 157

What′s Next? 159

Summary and Considerations 161

Notes 161

Chapter 9: Tying It All Together 163

Clifford Siegel s Journey at Lifetime Brands 163

Starting the Right Way 165

Finding the Right Pitch 166

Developing a Mission and Strategy for Intelligence Capabilities 167

TIE: The Intelligent Enterprise at STATS ChipPAC with Elizabeth Lim 170

The Recipe to Greatness 174

Summary and Considerations 179

Notes 180

Chapter 10: Next Frontiers 181

A Healthier Lifestyle with Actionable Intelligence 183

The Street?]Smart Cabbies 184

The Amplifi ed Customer Experience 186

Selling Better 187

Serve Me Better . . . But Don t Intrude on My Private Life 188

Getting Started 189

The Starbucks Experience 190

Summary and Considerations 191

Notes 191

Chapter 11: Epilogue 193

Four Steps of Actionable Intelligence 195

About the Author 197

About the Contributors 199

Index 201

KEITH B. CARTER enjoys making the lives of others easier with technology and is an avid sportsman, private pilot, fencer, and family man. Born in Long Island, he spent most of his life in New York until moving to Singapore in 2012, where he currently resides. Always interested in both corporate and academic roles, Keith is working as Visiting Senior Fellow of Decision Sciences at the prestigious National University of Singapore Business School as well as principal advisor to KPMG, board member of Mentorica Technology Pte. Ltd. (a retail sales, mobile, big data solution provider), and board member of 1st Call Consulting, a competitive intelligence firm specializing in finance and supply chain. He previously worked at Estée Lauder in supply chain and Accenture in financial services and government. As an inventor, he recently received a patent on a financial intelligence tool design. Keith has a Master s in Business Administration from Cornell University and a Bachelor s in Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.