Big Data, Analytics, and the Human in the Middle

Abstract: Big data and the analysis of that data is being marketed as the next big opportunity for “innovation, competition, and productivity” according to McKinsey and Company. The primary focus of the Big Data opportunity has been on the value of Big Data to businesses that can is achieved through augmenting businesses and government’s ability to better understand their customers and the product and services “needs” of those customers. This understanding provides the opportunity to springboard the development of new products and to deliver focused advertising to specific groups of consumers and businesses. The analysis of Big Data is seen as the mechanism that is the catalyst in the development of new, robust customer behavioral models and the discovery of as yet hidden behavioral trends. This paper, however, will focus on the issues related to the human factor in this new data frontier specifically providing a review of the psychological and legal challenges created as a function of the consolidation and analysis of what have historically been disparate data sets. Data storage, data processing, data security, and privacy will be discussed in the context of their impact on corporate and government policy making and the present and future impacts on the human who is both the marketing focus and owner and creator of the resources vital to Big Data. Finally the role that service science can play in shaping the services that are and will be created by Big Data.

Keywords: Big Data, User Experience, Service Science, Security, Privacy

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe100286

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