The Visual Organization: Data Visualization, Big Data, and the Quest for Better Decisions (Wiley and SAS Business Series) - Hardcover

Simon, Phil

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1118794389 ISBN 13: 9781118794388

Publisher: Wiley, 2014

Synopsis

The era of Big Data as arrived, and most organizations are woefully unprepared. Slowly, many are discovering that stalwarts like Excel spreadsheets, KPIs, standard reports, and even traditional business intelligence tools aren't sufficient. These old standbys can't begin to handle today's increasing streams, volumes, and types of data.

Amidst all of the chaos, though, a new type of organization is emerging.

In The Visual Organization, award-winning author and technology expert Phil Simon looks at how an increasingly number of organizations are embracing new dataviz tools and, more important, a new mind-set based upon data discovery and exploration. Simon adroitly shows how Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, Twitter, and other tech heavyweights use powerful data visualization tools to garner fascinating insights into their businesses. But make no mistake: these companies are hardly alone. Organizations of all types, industries, sizes are representing their data in new and amazing ways. As a result, they are asking better questions and making better business decisions.

Rife with real-world examples and case studies, The Visual Organization is a full-color tour-de-force.

About this title

About the Author

Phil Simon is a frequent keynote speaker and recognized technology expert. He is the awardwinning author of six management books He consults with organizations on matters related to strategy, data, and technology His contributions have been featured on The Harvard Business Review, CNN, NBC, CNBC, Inc. Magazine, BusinessWeek, The Huffington Post, Fast Company, The New York Times, ReadWriteWeb, and many other sites.

#visualorg
www.philsimon.com
@philsimon

From the Back Cover

Praise for The Visual Organization

“The sheer amount of data coming at us these days is overwhelming companies both small and large. It’s no wonder that so many miss out on the opportunities right in front of them. The Visual Organization manifests how a wide range of companies is leveraging new and powerful visual tools. Read it and turn your company into a more efficient, data-driven, decision-making machine.”
Frank Gruber, CEO & Co-Founder, Tech Cocktail; Author of Startup Mixology

“There is data everywhere, but how many of us actually use it to drive our work? People learn in different ways, and for many a visual approach is most powerful. Unfortunately, most organizations have overlooked the opportunity in the visual presentation of data. With The Visual Organization, no longer is there an excuse for doing so. Simon offers a nuanced and refreshing view on contemporary data visualization through compelling storytelling, and yes, great visuals.”
Terri L. Griffith, Chair, Management Department, Santa Clara University; Author of The Plugged-In Manager

“There’s good news in this dazzling book. Yes, Big Data is overwhelming, but progressive organizations have found a way to identify the signal in its noise. Through a mix of analysis and synthesis, Simon demonstrates how it’s possible to see not only the forest, but the trees.”
Brad Feld, Co-founder and Managing Director, Foundry Group; Co-author of Startup Life

“As we’ve come to expect from him, Phil doesn’t just write about a topic. Instead, he explores it deeply, connecting it to the business, technology, and societal world around us. Somehow he has the uncanny knack to offer sage advice for both IT and business professionals–this time about visual data expression–and bedeck it in a fantastic narrative.”
Douglas Laney, Research Vice President, Information Innovation, Gartner

“It’s now critical to display data in ways that leverage our human visual capabilities and empower us to discover predictive insights from data To that end, The Visual Organization is essential reading.”
Eric Siegel, Founder, Predictive Analytics World; Author of Predictive Analytics

“It’s clear that Big Data is transforming business. Less clear until now, however, is how companies can fully leverage its power to generate breakthrough insights Phil Simon’s deft exploration of data visualization will change the way you see the world.”
Dorie Clark, Author of Reinventing You; Adjunct Professor, Duke University Fuqua School of Business

From the Inside Flap

The VISUAL ORGANIZATION

Data Visualization, Big Data, and the Quest for Better Decisions

Thoreau once said, “It’s not what you look at that matters; it’s what you see.”

In today’s business world, it’s not exactly easy to see what’s going on. Most people are overwhelmed by data.

Amidst all of the hype and confusion surrounding Big Data, a new type of enterprise is emerging: The Visual Organization. An increasing number of organizations have realized that today’s volume, variety, and velocity of data require new applications. More than technology, though, they have adopted a different mind-set―one based upon data discovery and exploration, not conventional enterprise “reporting.” These companies understand that interactive heat maps and tree maps lend themselves to data discovery more than Microsoft Excel, static graphs, pie charts, and dashboards.

For example, most people have heard of Netflix. Still, relatively few realize that behind the scenes, Netflix does some remarkable things to make the magic happen. Netflix uses fascinating dataviz tools to discover trends, diagnose technical issues, and unearth extraordinarily valuable insights about its customers.

Employees at Autodesk use a remarkable and interactive tool that visualizes current and historical employee movement. From this, they can identify potential management issues and see what a corporate reorg really looks like.

And then there’s eBay. Powerful data-discovery tools allow the company’s employees to effectively “see” what ebay.com would look like....as a brick-and-mortar store.

It’s time to get visual.

The Visual Organization is the sixth book by award-winning author, keynote speaker, and recognized technology expert Phil Simon. Simon demonstrates how a new breed of progressive enterprises has turned traditional data visualization on its head In their place, they are embracing new, interactive, and more robust tools. And these tools help separate the signals from the noise that is Big Data. As a result, they are asking better questions and making better business decisions.

Rife with real-world examples and practical advice, The Visual Organization is a full-color tour de force. Simon deftly explains how organizations can do more than just survive the data deluge; they can thrive in it. It is required reading for executives, professionals, and students interested in unleashing the power of data.

Start to see your business differently.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1118794389
• ISBN 13: 9781118794388
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240