Civis Analytics's Dan Wagner on Data Solutions to Social Problems - Businessweek

Excerpt from a timely big data reality check

"What is the biggest thing that we’re getting wrong or overlooking in the hype around big data?
The unfortunate thing about the hype is that people are thinking about the process, not about the outcomes. Sometimes the hype is misplaced, in a sense that it feeds this belief in the growth of data as a solution in and of itself. The big question is, what are you going to do with that information that’s actually going to improve people’s lives?
How do you handle information overload in your personal life?
As someone who works at a company that is involved in the Internet, I spend quite a lot of time there. But I try to stay electronically efficient with all my different communication and also try and make sure that I read a lot of books."

Civis Analytics's Dan Wagner on Data Solutions to Social Problems - Businessweek