Data Analytics: Practical Guide to Leveraging the Power of Algorithms, Data Science, Data Mining, Statistics, Big Data, and Predictive Analysis to Improve Business, Work, and Life

partners to work together at the design stage instead of later on.
Can testing decisions change the way that companies compete?
Gaining the ability to really test decisions would cut down on costs and
improve a company’s competitiveness.  These automotive companies would
be able to test and experiment with the different components.  By going
through this process, they’ll be able to gain results and data that will guide
their decisions about operational changes and investments.  Really,
experimentation will allow companies and their managers to really see the
difference between correlation and causation while also boosting financial
performance and producing more effective products.
The experiments that companies will use to collect data can take several
forms.  Some online companies are always testing and running
experiments.  In particular cases, there will be a set of their web page views
that they are using to test the factors that drive sales and higher usage. 
Companies with physical products will use tests to help make decisions,
however, big data can make these experiments go even further.

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McDonald’s put devices in some of their stores that track customer
interaction, traffic, and ordering patterns.  The data gained through these
devices can help them make decisions about their menus, the design of their
restaurants, as well as many other things.
Companies that can’t use controlled experiments may turn to natural
experiments to figure out which variables are in play.  A government sector
collected data on different groups of employees that were working in
various places but doing similar jobs.  This data was made available and the
workers that were lagging were pushed to improve their performance.
What effect will big data have on business if it is used for real-time
customization?
Companies that deal with the public have been dividing and targeting
specific customers for quite a while now.  Big data is taking that further
than it ever by making it possible for real-time personalization to become