information architecture

Big Data, Analytics & Data Science are taking off as regional economic development catalysts – and outcomes – around the world, and particularly so here (DC/MD/Northern Virginia) in what some call the “Big Data Capital” of the US (given the proximity and engagement of so many commercial, federal/state government, nonprofit and startup organizations in this field).  A proliferation of local “Meetup” group attests to this, as do the events taking place in the area – with full support and sponsorship by big and small companies.  

Two quick examples:

1) The Northern Virginia Technology Council’s “Big Data & Analytics” Committee – is sponsoring an upcoming meeting about “How Walmart and local Virginia companies use Big Data & Analytics for Business Growth, Increased Revenues”.  Find out more and register here – and while you’re there, check out all the Northern Virginia Big Data Committee events and information (Oracle is a member).

The program will begin with keynote remarks from the Senior Director of Walmart Technology, who will discuss Walmart’s recent expansion in Northern Virginia, how Walmart Technology uses Big Data to support the company and its goals, and what he sees as the future of Big Data in our region. The program will continue with a panel discussion featuring four local Virginia companies (Logi Analytics, CustomInk, Zoomph and Neustar) discussing what they see as the opportunities and challenges in using #bigdata and #analytics to grow their businesses. Sponsors range from large companies to startups, as well as local economic development agencies and universities.

2) Oracle and the George Mason University Volgenau School of Engineering recently held a “Big Data Symposium”, this January, presenting a day filled with speakers, students and data scientists sharing their knowledge, their research, and their perspectives regarding “Breakthroughs in Big Data Analytics in the Public Sector”.   Follow this link to the video presentations.

Solving the Polyglot Persistence Puzzle
– Using the Oracle Information Characteristics Architecture Method

Polyglot – Knowing or using several languages.
Persistence – A coding technique or technology used to store information.
Polyglot Persistence – Storing information in multiple information management technologies to meet a business requirement.

The Polyglot Persistence Puzzle – Combining multiple information management technologies into comprehensive information architectures to meet business requirements.

Today an information architect has a wide array of information management technologies available to solve business problems.  451 Research published a Data Platform Map in June 2015 that identified 277 information management products in 18 categories.  

Three forces have contributed the explosion of information management technologies: 

1. The enormous amount and types of information generated on the internet and by connected devices,
2. The reduction in the cost of compute and storage platforms per a unit of processing capability and,
3. The explosion of open source products for specific information management use cases.

Together, these forces have provided the opportunity for information architects to collect data onto low-cost platforms that only a few years ago would have been deemed too high-volume, too low-value and too expensive to capture.  Hence we are now in the era of Big Data – high-volume, low-value data that can be cost effectively researched, explored and mined.  But experience has shown that the value of Big Data is multiplied many times over of it can be combined with high-value information in existing systems to enhance the quality of decisions made throughout the organization, i.e. solving the Polyglot Persistence Puzzle. This daunting task falls to the Information Architects.  It is the Information Architects that must lead the era of Big Data into the era of Polyglot Persistence for organizations to take full advantage new types of information and information management technologies.

But with this new era comes the need for new ways and methodologies to solve the inevitable Polyglot Persistence Puzzle.

In this series of blog articles, we will introduce and explain such a new methodology – Oracle Information Characteristics Architecture Method (ICAM).  ICAM measures 16 information characteristics and 8 usage patterns to evaluate and value information to assist Information Architects in making the best information management technologies decisions, i.e. the right tools for the right job.  ICAM has been developed with input from many Oracle information management thought leaders from around the world.  We have also worked with a handful of beta customers to implement and refine ICAM with very positive feedback and results.  My colleague, Bill Wimsatt, and I will post several blog articles explaining and walking through the process of implementing ICAM and showing the value of using this methodology.

The next ICAM blog article ‘Why solving the Polyglot Persistence Puzzle is so important today – The Information Value Lifecycle’.

Bill Wimsatt is a Senior Business Technology Professional with a broad background combining business and IT strategy, execution, and program management.  He has over 25 years experience in business and IT strategy and business optimization.

Ron Mayfield is the Senior Enterprise Architect specializing in database and information architectures at Oracle.  Ron has been a professional in the IT industry for 30 years and an employee of Oracle for the last 26 years.

Bill and Ron will be presenting ICAM at the Open Group Towards Boundaryless Information Flow™ in San Fransisco on Wednesday, January 27, 2016, at 9:00 – 9:45pm.  Their presentation is titled ‘Developing Information Architectures via Business Capabilities and Information Characteristics’.

‘Boundaryless Information Flow’ is a trademark of The Open Group.