As businesses churn out more and more data every day, the emergence of a new set of best practices has been helping to improve the coordination between the analysis of this data and the general operation of a business. These best practices are known as DataOps – and they’ve become essential for any business looking to compete in the world of real-time BI.

What is DataOps?

So what exactly is DataOps? It’s essentially a method of managing data, with greater focus on communication and integration. It also promotes automation, as well as collaboration between all of those who will come into contact with the data: the engineers and the data scientists. DataOps bridges the gap between those who collate the data, those who analyse the data and those who will put the findings from that analysis to good use.

Why do we need DataOps?

The first reason we need DataOps – a streamlined, effective process – is because time is of the essence in the world of business. There’s a reason that so much emphasis has been placed on real-time data gathering and analysis – because things move fast, and a new opportunity could arrive and have disappeared within the blink of an eye.
We also have new expectations about how fast we should be able to access information. We live in an age where information is at our fingertips, with just a few swipes or taps needed to bring up whatever we want to know. If we can get answers online in seconds, surely we should be able to access our own business intelligence data in a similar timeframe.

Big data is also incredibly diverse, and it’s always changing – so businesses need a reactionary, adaptable system that can keep up. One day you might be focused on machine learning and predictive analytics, the next moment you’re processing transactions or analysing mobile data. By linking all of your teams with a coherent DataOps system, you can keep on top of everything that’s happening.

Lastly, DataOps is all about extracting value from your data. By creating groups that work together, you’re creating a futureproof system and a streamlined process that will help you get the very best from your data. As you discover new ways to leverage your data, your DataOps setup will put you ahead of the competition and ensure you’re best placed to take advantage.