Targeted Data Strategy for SMBs

This unit teaches students how to define, source, and prioritize the specific data a small business needs to support data-driven decisions. Students will learn targeted collection practices, compare internal and external data sources (e.g., US Census, EU Open Data, telematics, sensors, images), and make cost-benefit and architecture choices that prepare them for implementing analytics and deployment in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze business problems to identify and prioritize internal and external data sources (including public portals, sensors, telematics, and images) that address specific small business questions
• Apply principles of minimal and targeted data collection to design a documented data collection plan that specifies required fields, frequency, and privacy considerations for a defined business area
• Evaluate cloud-based and Big Data-as-a-Service options by conducting a cost-benefit comparison and recommending business model or operational changes based on expected value and constraints
• Demonstrate the ability to map data to operational needs by outlining a four-layer big data architecture, describing the roles of different data professionals, and specifying how insights will be delivered to machines and decision-makers