IBM has unveiled a new cloud-based data and analytics platform it says can integrate all types of data and provide decision making with artificial intelligence.
Dubbed “Project DataWorks,” the new platform is powered by IBM Watson and designed to make collecting, organizing and securing data a simple process for organizations and data professionals.
“We are at an inflection point with data and analytics,” said Bob Picciano, senior vice president, IBM Analytics. “We know that clients spend up to 80 percent of their time on data preparation, no matter the task, even when they are preparing to take advantage of today’s advanced AI and machine learning approaches. Project DataWorks helps transform this challenge by tapping into cognitive capabilities to integrate all data sources on one common platform, enabling individuals to get the data ready for insight and action, faster than ever before.”
Project DataWorks selling points
The company stated that Project DataWorks will allow companies to automate tasks they may have had to do manually before, such as iteration of data models. It also allows a group of data professionals to work together on one platform, sharing datasets and models in a secure way that ensures governance.
The Project DataWorks platform is available on Bluemix, IBM’s cloud platform, and is integrated with Apache Spark, IBM Watson Analytics and the IBM Data Science Experience. IBM said the platform allows organizations to collect and analyze data from 50 Gbps – hundreds of Gbps, with access to all data endpoints including weather data, social media, IoT and enterprise databases.
Deployment can be automated using Apache Spark and machine learning, and the platform provides an open ecosystem of partners and technologies including Confluent, Continuum Analytics, Galvanize, Alation, NumFOCUS and more.
IBM also announced the DataFirst Method. It’s a methodology that helps organizations asses the skills and roadmap needed for digital transformation, and the company said it will help companies identify use cases to begin leveraging data with “the greatest return and least risk.”
The amount of data produced by organizations doubles annually, the company said, and this leads to struggles to get the most value from it. The DataFirst method starts with a workshop with IBM experts, and focuses on efficiency, modernization, democratization, and monetization. Tracks include data foundations, data lakes, data science, and data in action. The method gives companies proven practices and methods to enable them to improve their data discovery and analytics processes, IBM said.
