Predicting human behavior based on Big Data is a goldmine

Las Vegas, USA, 3/1/2013

 VINT, the trend lab of technology services provider Sogeti, today announced its second Big Data research report. Entitled “Big Social,” it aims to answer the question how organizations can predict human behavior using Big Data. By making smart and quick use of huge amounts of data, organizations are gaining ever more insight into what consumers, and citizens in general, do or don’t. This insight has become so sophisticated that predictions about where individuals will be in 24 hours’ time are within reach. The predictive power of Big Data can be employed in many areas, from fraud detection to identifying where the next burglary will take place to predicting the most intimate events in consumers’ lives which will influence their buying behavior. According to the “Big Social” researchers our society is on the threshold of developing billions worth of efficiencies across the economy. By launching the Big Data research reports and a corresponding digital platform, VINT has also started an active dialog to promote the sharing of Big Data expertise and experience.

Beginning of the Big Data era
The second Big Data report by VINT outlines a world where businesses and organizations are able to predict their relations’ behavior by tapping the “Big Five” data sources. The report describes these sources, which generate entirely new insights. In addition to the traditional enterprise applications as sources of data there are now at least four other data categories feeding the emerging Big Data practices of social analytics in the broadest sense of the word “social.” These categories include mobile and app data, search engine data, sensor data and semantic data (such as smart metering) and of course social media data.

“We see the beginning of a trend that will be further promoted by the deployment of new technologies, from facial recognition and anonymous analytics to brain activity scanning and “thought reading.” We are looking at billions in profits and efficiencies. Organizations are now exploring the effective deployment of Big Data and the rules surrounding data use,” said VINT Director Menno van Doorn.

Predicting behavior
In the US a number of successes have been achieved with Big Data. San Francisco Police, for example, introduced preventive patrolling in certain neighborhoods. Officers are being deployed on the basis of 14 day forecasts of criminal activities in those neighborhoods. Data researchers employed by the Target retailing company can predict which customers are pregnant based on their buying behavior. According to this large chain of supermarkets their insight has led to a steep increase in sales.

Explosive data volume growth
Globally, the amount of available data has increased exponentially since 2006. More data has been generated since that year than humanity produced in its entire history up to then. The reason is that all human activities now produce so-called digital exhaust. Menno van Doorn explained: “Society can profit by making effective and responsible use of this digital exhaust. Big Data is now seen as the driving force of the information era. You may compare it with the start of the Industrial Revolution.”

VINT’s Big Data platform
This second research report by VINT is a follow-up to their first report, “Creating clarity with Big Data,” launched at the VINT Symposium in June 2012. At that time, VINT also launched a worldwide interactive platform to initiate an active dialog among organizations at www.sogeti.com/vint/bigdata/questions. The launch of the second report marks the second stage of this dialog aimed at social business analytics, which is the main theme of the second Big Data research report.

VINT’s “Big Social” report was drafted by researchers Erik van Ommeren, Jaap Bloem, Sander Duivestein, Menno van Doorn and Thomas van Manen.

The research blog blog.vint.sogeti.com contains daily reports on Big Data trends and developments.

4 Big Data research reports
With its series of research reports VINT intends to create clarity regarding the usefulness of Big Data. Each report presents seven questions which the reader is invited to respond to. The information gathered at the digital platform and in numerous face to face conversations contributes towards the completion of all Big Data research reports. The series is to include four reports:

Report 1 – Creating clarity with Big Data This report defines the concept of Big Data and explains the differences with other data classifications. It also examines possible applications of Big Data. The full report is available here.

Report 2 – Big Social This second research report answers the question how organizations predict human behavior using Big Data and social analytics. The full report is available here.

Report 3 – Big Data & Privacy This report offers guidelines regarding privacy regulations surrounding the use of Big Data. To be published in January 2013.

Report 4 – Big Data Business Roadmap This final report will focus on practical applications of Big Data. Its publication is expected in Q2, 2013.

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About Sogeti
Sogeti is a leading provider of professional technology services, specializing in Application Management, Infrastructure Management, High-Tech Engineering and Testing. Working closely with its clients, Sogeti enables them to leverage technological innovation and achieve maximum results. Sogeti brings together more than 20,000 professionals in 15 countries and is present in over 100 locations in Europe, the US and India. Sogeti is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cap Gemini S.A., listed on the Paris Stock Exchange. For more information please visit www.sogeti.com.

About VINT
VINT (Vision – Inspiration – Navigation – Trends), the global trend lab of technology services provider Sogeti, studies major technological developments on an annual basis. In recent years VINT did research into Open Source Innovation and Crowd Sourcing (2006), Social Media (2008), Crisis and Paradigm Shift (2010) and The App Effect (2012). VINT was set up in 1994 and to date has published more than 10 books and a large number of video productions. For more information please visit www.sogeti.com/vint.