Look Who’s Doing Big Data in Nova Scotia: Bill Cunningham NSCC – IT Campus, Computer Technologies

What kind of data are you working with?

Everything – OLAP, OLTP, etc. Starting to look at Spatial Data.
What kinds of analytics are you using? Descriptive and Predictive analytics, platforms include R, SAP – PA, Cognos, etc.
What are the problems your company/project/group is interested in solving?

Adding heavier load in Data Analytics content in existing diploma programs, developing new courses and curriculum in data analytics.

How did you get involved in your line of work?

Started with B.Comm. in Quantitative Analysis (MUN), specializing in Business Process Analysis for production efficiencies. Moved on to B.Sc. in Data Analysis (UNB), coded first database for money in 1983.

What are you most proud of in your work?

The success of our alumni.

What are the biggest challenges in your line of analytics?

Helping companies understand the amount of effort actually involved with provisioning data that meets their needs. Unfortunately there are many packaged solutions are out there that make convincing claims to be a big data silver bullet.
What’s the best advice you can give someone interested in getting involved in a career in Big Data?

Get a general entry level appreciation of business, read “The Human Face of Big Data”, latch onto an industry-leading ERP, and start solving problems before you ask the computer for the answer.

What’s the best thing about doing Big Data in Nova Scotia that you want to share with the world?

The best thing for me is that suddenly, Nova Scotians are excited. They are happy and excited and appreciative when they see what the data they have been sitting on for so long can tell them. And best of all, they can gain access to this goldmine to make their businesses go faster and better by retaining qualified people from right here at home that know their business, their industry, and their culture.

Listen to Bill Cunningham discuss Big Data here: http://youtu.be/JxSyrn0-fK8