The science behind data driven transformation
Tue 19 Sep 2017 | Garrett Teoh Hor Keong
Providing strategies for businesses’ successful big data initiatives, Renotalk’s chief data and operations officer, Garrett Teoh Hor Keong speaks to John Bensalhia
The evolution of business has taken many giant leaps in the past half-decade. Communication in decades such as the 1960s and 1970s would involve a ring-dial telephone, and instead of emails, a typewritten document would be ferried by motorbike or car.
But as time went on, emails and the internet made life much easier for businesses, and that progressive journey continues with the dawn of big data. Sharing some of the secrets of how to introduce efficient big data strategies will be Renotalk’s chief data and operations officer, Garrett Teoh Hor Keong. Garrett will be speaking at Cloud Expo Asia Singapore 2017’s Big Data World.
“For my upcoming session at the event, I will be sharing strategies for implementing successful big data initiatives and walking through the entire journey on how to digitize and transform businesses to embrace data science, by illustrating a few use cases and study examples of such initiatives.”
Business efficiency
Garrett says that by going through digital transformation, companies are able to move much faster with enhanced operating efficiency and streamlined processes, capture and store much more digital data. “These stored digitized data are the main source of fuel to keep Artificial Intelligence (AI) machines making robust, smart and accurate decisions, which helps companies to remain strategically competitive according to market trends.”
By using a proper data architecture coupled with a robust analytical engine, customer services competency and efficiency are enhanced significantly
Garrett’s background is a hybrid between biological science, computing and statistical analysis. “I was in the biomedical research industry for almost a decade, elucidating human cancers and infectious diseases with a focus to innovate personalized medicine, thus improving vitality and longevity in human kind.”
The fruits of Garrett’s labour have flourished into numerous co-authorship and publications on top journals before he made the move to migrate his statistical knowledge and data analytical skills to the commercial businesses sectors. “I am now a data science and analytics professional who provides consultancy advice, digital transformation strategies, and delivering big data projects to a broad spectrum of companies covering government agencies, financial services, telecommunications, and online businesses.”
One major problem faced by small to medium businesses is the lack of automation and collection of data to make timely decisions at critical times. “At Renotalk, there are many opportunities where they can automate their business processes and make swift decisions owing to the fact that they are standing on top of a huge mountain of data.
“These are enriched data comprising of user-generated content accumulated for more than a decade. By using a proper data architecture coupled with a robust analytical engine, their customer services competency and efficiency are enhanced significantly.”
Following the industry standard protocol and approaches can help to mitigate risks and gain pristine clear requirements of big data initiatives
Garrett says that the most notable paradigm shift in his perception of data science in the past is to anchor the focus on the business itself rather than being a ‘plumber’ in this sector. “Data science initiatives have to be aligned with business processes, strategies, and directions for them to be successful, otherwise the project is most likely to be derailed and not addressing the business needs.”
Benefits of big data
Before embarking on any digital transformation or data science journey, it is of paramount importance to review and determine if the main points of the business can be resolved by big data projects, as Garrett explains. “Following the industry standard protocol and approaches can help to mitigate risks and gain pristine, clear requirements of big data initiatives that will help companies to reap a significant amount of tangible benefits.”
Garrett concludes that whilst there might be no silver bullet for organisations looking to embrace digital transformation, there are four areas to consider: people, processes, systems, and data.
“People are those who possess diverse data science skills to implement and deliver projects. Process flows need to be aligned with the new data initiative to work in synergies. Systems are the right tools that will support the development of the project and data (touted as the ‘new oil’ of the twentieth century) to fuel the analytical engine.”
Garrett Teoh Hor Keong will be speaking at the forthcoming Big Data World Singapore, 11th and 12th October 2017 at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre. To hear from Garrett and other Big Data experts from around the world, register today for your FREE ticket.
