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Realizing the Promise of Big Data: Implementing Big Data Projects was published today by the IBM Center for the Business of Government.

Big data is a new frontier for the public sector. It has captured the attention of public managers across the globe. Agencies realize that their datasets represent critical resources that need to be managed and leveraged. Public sector use of big data and big data analytics is wide-ranging; some organizations have no experience with big data, while others have taken on small to moderate-sized projects. Drawing on interviews with chief information officers (CIOs) from every level of government (federal, state, and local), this report presents implementation steps grouped by the phases of a big data project:

• Planning
• Execution
• Implementation

In the next few years, nearly all public agencies will grapple with how to integrate their disparate data sources, build analytical capacities, and move toward a data-driven decision-making environment. Big data is increasing in importance for public agencies, and big data programs are expected to become more prominent in the near future. Through the use of big data, analytics now holds great promise for increasing the efficiency of operations, mitigating risks, and increasing citizen engagement and public value.

This is my second report published by the IBM Center for the Business of Government. To read my previous report on Challenge.Gov: Using Competitions and Awards to Spur Innovation, please click here.