Analytics

Personal analytics, I believe is the next arena where big data will have personal impact.

We know the term big data to mean the immeasurable data accumulated from machines communicating with machines. And, humans interfacing with various platforms, making choices, and having that data archived - mined - analyzed - sold, etc.

All of us see it. You Google something, suddenly, the ads for similar products or services float in your periphery each time you're online (which is always); even when you visit an unrelated website.

It happens on Amazon, as the site reads your shopping or viewing history, and offers suggestions.

It happens in Netflix, "if you liked this movie, this one is similar and has four stars too".

Companies are using big data to drive buying decisions of consumers.

I want to use similar collected data to drive personal growth and development. Tools already exist in the space, examples include products like FitBit and RescueTime,

As far as my research shows, no single company, product or service can harness all the personal information, things like your health, finances, insights, decision-maker, intuition, online presence, productivity etc. and present it in a user-friendly interface.

Such insights are the next big realm of data and personal growth and development.

I'm constantly on the look out for this type of information. Jot down your favorites in the comments.

In the meantime check out these articles and websites:

• Stephen Wolfram on Personal Analytics

• Quantified Self: Self Knowledge Through Numbers

• Personal Analytics by Svetlana Sicular Gartner Network blog post

• Personal Informatics (sight seems inactive, but refers to potentially useful tools)

• Quantified Self as a Service (what a concept) - blog post

#personalanalytics #quantifiedself