Data value in a digital universe

摘要

We are living and working in a new frontier known as "The Digital Universe." From e-mails, texts, and videos to the billions of sensors embedded in everything from shipping containers to shoes, our increasingly digital lives are generating nearly inconceivable amounts of data. This is just the beginning. In a recent study, International Data Corporation (IDC) forecasts the digital universe is doubling in size every two years, growing to 44 trillion gigabytes by 2020. Interestingly, while the amount of information is growing by leaps and bounds, a surprisingly small percentage is actually being extracted, analyzed, and compiled by businesses into something actionable. As plant managers and other executives struggle to understand how to operate in this new environment, one thing is clear: manufacturing organizations must have the right tools, technologies, and knowledge in place if they are to extract nuggets of meaningful information from this data-intensive world.