Bottom-up and Top-down

No ..... not that sort .....

Validation and verification related of course!

The Question:
You have a brave new view of the future for you operations - big data related to big assets and all that new stuff is banging on your door. Why aren't you using this to improve efficiencies in the business? Everyone else is - just read about what you can do.

Issue:
You have an operation that currently runs not that badly, is very complex, and has lots of fragmented data. How can you start to introduce a new big-data type system into what you do?

The Solution:
You need to start by gathering requirements for the new system, have a look through these and then see which can be implemented and on what timescales - of course - simples!

Well that's all very good from the 10,000 ft management helicopter view of the problem. The next step in this world is a bit of Start Trek Management (STM),

'Make It So'  number one.

and off we go.

Meanwhile in a universe near you, requirements gathering has started, as the make it so at this level doesn't involve much thinking, just a bit of organising of meetings. This usually goes well, everyone wants to get their 'issues' out on the table, "and a want a yellow button in the top corner of the screen" type stuff along with "we would like to manage risk at an enterprise level". Result - one big bucket full of requirements! Yes, yes I can hear you requirements management types - structured approach, attributes blah, blah... Unfortunately, here in the real world the Captain wants progress, and NOW! So things happen, and the feedback is good, everyone is venting, carry on number one! More workshops - they work. Bucket gets fuller and fuller - big data gone mad. We need a management tool for all this, role out some requirements software to manage it all. Phew thank goodness that existed now we can relax can't we? But no - its just a fancy bucket - we shall have to engage (STM) brain to figure out what to do with all this data (sorry - poor STM jokes).

Number one, "where are we" - "we have a bucket full sir"

So, the problem with the bottom-up set of activities is that you end up in a position where you can't see the wood from the tree's. While the STM top-down view of the world ends up launching a raft of projects but you are never sure if they will connect with the real world. The conclusion so far is that, unless you do both BU and TD then you will never figure out if your big data related initiatives will be viable and add value to the business.

Not thought further than this yet ..... sits down and puts fist on chin .....