We have two interesting presentations slated that will explore different/new approaches to standard data analysis. The first will be an introduction to structured analytical methodologies. Too often in data analysis we find the conclusion we were looking for due to predispositions and biases, so how might we avoid such pitfalls? Structured analytical methodologies try to address such issues. If we can avoid fooling ourselves then we still might be faced with mountains of data to analyze! Traditional relational databases have been the workhorses that allowed us to mine mountains of data. However, these tools sometimes no longer suffice. The amount of data has mushroomed, more questions are being asked and 'as soon as the query finishes' is no longer an acceptable answer. Enter NoSQL technologies such as MongoDB which provide a cure to our long running queries.
A speaker from a federal law enforcement agency will discuss how structured analytic techniques are used to inform decision-making at all levels of an organization. There are three categories of structured analytic techniques – diagnostic, imaginative and contrarian – which are detailed in Structured Analytic Techniques for Intelligence Analysis, Heuer; The Thinker’s Toolkit, Jones; Psychology of Intelligence Analysis, Heuer; Predictable Surprises, Bazerman; and many other resources. While primarily used by the law enforcement and intelligence communities these techniques are directly applicable to the private sector and informing the decision making process.
Bob Wakefield will provide the group with an introduction to NoSQL with MongoDB. He'll be discussing the NoSQL storage paradigm, how to transition your thought process from structured to modeling unstructured data, and how to store schema-less data in MongoDB. Bob is an IT mercenary with over two decades in industry doing everything from crawling in dark dirty parts of buildings running CAT 5 to helping craft data strategy.