UT-Austin Supercomputing Center Scales Big Data

Research Insighter Podcast: Academic Lab Makes Big Data Analytics/Visualization Manageable

By Marc Dresner, IIR

“Everything’s bigger in Texas” ain’t just some old saw; not when it comes to Big Data. No, think chainsaw on steroids.

The Texas Advanced Computing Center at the University of Texas-Austin in its first six months of work on the public-private smart grid cooperative dubbed the “Pecan Street Project” has successfully managed and analyzed energy consumption data from 100 wired homes collected at 15-second intervals—resulting in more than two billion records.

And they’ve got much bigger plans: more HHs, more data streams…no problem.

Someday probably not too far away, Paul Navratil predicts this research will result in energy efficient smart appliances—washing machines that switch on off-peak when juice is cheap, for example.

And true to his job title, the Scalable Visualization Technologies Group Research Associate & Manager also has a 12-megapixel touch display—basically the world’s largest iPad—at his disposal to make visual sense of the mountains of data being analyzed.

In this episode of the Research Insighter podcast interview series, Navratil outlines the ambitious Pecan Street Project and discusses its implications for market researchers trying not to drown in data.

Listen to this episode of the Research Insighter here.

Download a transcript of our interview here.

Editor’s note: The Research Insighter is brought to you by The Market Research Technology Event—a unique forum dedicated to the exploration and promotion of technological innovations in consumer and market research and business intelligence—taking place April 30 thru May 2 in Las Vegas.

For more information or to register, please visit www.iirusa.com/technology

ABOUT THE RESEARCH INSIGHTER
The Research Insighter is a special interview series delivering the insight scoop on the world of consumer and market intelligence from experts and leaders in the field. Each episode explores the trends, technologies and drivers shaping the world of research today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR/INTERVIEWER
Marc Dresner is an IIR USA communication lead specializing in audience engagement. He is the former executive editor of Research Business Report, a confidential newsletter for the market research industry. He may be reached at mdresner@iirusa.com. Follow him @mdrezz.

What draws a person to a brand?

It's clear that many companies aren't properly engaging their market when it comes to new products.  According to a recent article at Forbes, nine out of ten new products fail.  But Buyology is a company looking to understand the minds of consumers more by conducting market research that looks into both the conscious and unconscious mind of the consumer.  What they found was that the most appealing brand to consumers, both men and women, was Southwest.  They pinpointed the fact that the brand lends itself to connecting to the consumer through providing affordable and accessable ways to make memories.  It also connects with the customers on another level by highlighting their employees in their commercials as the actors.

Other brands that struck chords with both men and women were Dove and Google.  Surprisingly, Bed Bath and Beyond ranked high for men as all of the gadgets and the clean layout.  Dove, surprisingly for men, was identified do to the fact that they grew up around the brand.  Now, Dove For Men has resurrected their feelings and further connected with this audience.

At The Market Research Technology Event this April 30-May 2, 2012, Dr. A.K. Pradeep, the CEO of Neurofocus, will be spending an entire day with attendees at the NeuroImmersion Workshop to educate and discuss with attendees that functions of the brain, and share how neuroscience is applied to the world of brand,product and packaging design, shopper experience, market research and advertising. For more information on this full day workshop, download the brochure here. As a reader of this blog, when you register and mention code MRTECH12BLOG, you'll receive an exclusive discount of 15% off the standard rate!

Gen Y's consumer habits & how it's shaping their generation

The Audience Measurement Event's keynote speaker Kit Yarrow, Consumer Psychologist, Golden Gate University & Author of GenBuy recently appeared on Chad Whittle's radio show and discussed many of the topics she'll be covering at that conference. GenY has had an ever-growing influence on retail as they've pushed the digital into this space due to their constant connection to the world via their phones and computers. Other things that are unique to this generation is their constantly promoted self esteem. They've received empowerment from their influencers (parents, teachers, etc) their entire life, and therefore are seeing difficulties matching their strengths to their environmental needs.

Listen to the podcast here:

Would you like to join Kit Yarro this May 21-23, 2012 in Chicago for The Audience Measurement Event? As a reader of this blog, when you register and mention code AM12BLOG and receive a discount of 15% off the standard rate. For more information about Kit's presentation and the rest of the event, download the brochure here.

Do you see the powerful influence of GenY on your brand?  What is one of the most powerful examples of GenY changing audience reach for a brand?

Paul Navratil Talks Data Deluge, Visualization and Analytics at The Market Research Technology Event

"Through our technologies we have access to a tremendous amount of information about how our products are operating. But when it comes to applying that data, the big challenges are building the trust among the parties that need to believe in that data - and finding a way to use it to tell the story. We need to make sure it's visually compelling..." - Digiday, February 2012

Join us at The Market Research Technology Event as Visualization Scientist, Dr. Paul A. Navratil, Ph.D., and Manager of Visualization Software at Texas Advanced Computing Center, talks about data visualization and analysis and how the so-called "data deluge" can overwhelm traditional analysis methods. He will be presenting “Sailing the Data Deluge — Advanced Computing for Information Visualization and Analysis” on Wednesday, May 2.

For more information on his presentation and the rest of the program, download the brochure.

In preparation for the event, TMRTE’s Marc Dresner sat down with Dr. Navratil and discussed some of his recent work and his views on the current trend in big data visualization.

Download the MP3 here.
Download the PDF here.

The Market Research Technology Event is where "change makers" come to share practical lessons, productive debate and inspirational messages for moving forward and driving future innovation. It's where you, your brand and your team need to be to stay on the cutting edge of what's next in market research technology, and more importantly, how these tools and strategies translate into smarter business decisions. It will take place April 30-May 2, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

As a valued reader of The Market Research Event’s Blog, we’d like to offer you an exclusive discount of 15% off the standard rate when you register and mention code MRTECH12BLOG! If you have any questions about the event, feel free to email Jennifer Pereira.

The Audience Measurement Event Session Spotlight: How Mobile is Changing Psychology, Sociology and the Way Consumers Behave

Social, digital and mobile are not merely touch points, they are lifestyles. Understanding consumers’ media and the question over what should be measured – i.e., “new KPIs” are at the top of every agency, brand and career researcher and have never been more important than they are today. Borrowing best practices from The Market Research Event and our Shopper Insights in Action event, The Audience Measurement Event focuses on the business value and actionability of understanding and translating consumer media consumption.  Today's session spotlight is on focuses on exactly this.  If you'd like to join Pat Dermody at The Audience Measurement Event, as a reader of this blog when you register and mention code AM12BLOG, you'll receive a discount of 15% off the standard rate!

Featured Session: How Mobile is Changing Psychology, Sociology and the Way Consumers Behave

Featured Speaker: Pat Dermody, VP, Digital Media and Social Media, SEARS HOLDING

About the session: Mobile is now part of everyday life for Americans. It has fundamentally changed the way we get our news, stay current, shop and engage with others. With this one device, you can now access audio and video files, surf the Internet and connect in the social sphere. This session will examine how mobile has changed the game in how consumers interact with media and their preferences while using the mobile device.

Passport Please! Best Practices in Executing Online Research in Emerging Markets - Complimentary Webinar

In association with EMI, The Institute for International Research invites you to join us for a one hour complimentary Web Seminar.

Passport Please! Best Practices in Executing Online Research in Emerging Markets
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
1:00PM - 2:00PM Eastern Time

Presenters:

• Jason Scott, Senior Vice President, EMI Online Research Solutions

• Aaron Walton, Vice President, Client Services, EMI Online Research


Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://cc.readytalk.com/r/wnn77e60kmf4
Please mention priority code: MWJ0017-BLOG

With the US economy continuing to lag, many companies are banking on growth to come from emerging markets and other global hotspots and are relying on consumer insights teams to help spearhead the charge. Many of these global initiatives are being managed from US teams with little knowledge themselves of how to apply research best practices within markets very different from our own. This webinar reveals specific centers of new online research growth including APAC, Latin America, Russia, Turkey, and the Middle East. While most online research is doable, not all is done well. We take a market by market look at works well and not so well when attempting to execute online research in these ever more popular geographies.


You will walk away from this webinar with the following key learnings:
• Targeting Available
• Panelist Counts
• Cost Expectations
• Cultural Implications
• Best Practices

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

Sponsored by: EMI
EMI is a solutions expert for online market research. In the world of online sample, we work without the bias of having our own panel, and rather aggregate a network of panels with our clients in mind. This bias and advocacy to our client's needs rather than our own panel, ensure that clients get the best and correct sample for any particular study or target without competing interest. Our clients mix from Top 50 market research firms, advertising groups, polling companies, and research branches of end clients. EMI delivers on commitments to its clients with an access and breadth of targeting that is unparallel in the industry.

Customers share their needs before they know it

Many of the conversations surrounding market research technology is how much data we're collecting, but often times, there's a huge opportunity to predict what the consumers want from their products before they even know it. In a recent article at Fast Company, Scott Anthony shares how companies went into the lives of consumers, and by just observing their everyday behavior, they found hidden needs that the consumers didn't even know they had. Proctor and Gamble came up with the concept for Swiffer after they saw how a consumer didn't have an easy way to pick up coffee grounds that feel on the floor while making coffee.  It is through truly understanding the consumer and how they use products that can lead to a successful product that can fill needs of the consumer.  Read the entire Fast Company article here.


So how can companies use this?  At The Market Research Technology Event, Dan Ariely, Duke Professor of Behavioral Economics at Duke and Author, Predictably Irrational will be on hand to present "The Hidden Forces that Shape our DecisionsWho Put the Monkey in the Driver's Seat," which will examine the how consumers everyday behavior affects the decisions they make.  Many of the behaviors researchers observe often have to   For more information on this presentation and the rest of the event, download the brochure here.  If you'd like to join us April 30-May 2, 2012 in Las Vegas for the event, register today and mention code MTECH12BLOG and save 15% off the standard rate!

How important is it to spend time with your consumers to collect data?  Or do you always rely on surveys?

Google, Turner Broadcasting and Facebook to Keynote at The Audience Measurement Event

The Audience Measurement Event is the year's only event to bring together the most visionary thinkers, brand marketers and media powerhouses - all focusing on the business value of understanding your consumers total audience consumption.

Borrowing best practices from The Market Research Event and Shopper Insights in Action, The Audience Measurement Event shares 100% real-world, new perspectives from high level keynotes who will talk strategy and real-world practitioners sharing experience through case study examples.

Keynotes include:

• • Measuring Paid, Earned and Social: From Reach to ROI presented by Sean Bruich, Head of Market Research, Facebook
• • Engaging Your Target Audience throughout the Path to Purchase presented by Catherine Roe, Head of CPG, Google
• • TV Everywhere -- the Research Challenge presented by Jack Wakshlag, Turner Broadcasting

Breakout Track Topics include focus on Measurement & Advanced Analytics, Brand Engagement & Media Integration, Consumer Trends & Future Media Landscape including perspectives from Google, Innerscope Research, Intuit, NBC Universal, National Football League, Time Warner Cable, A+E Networks, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Kraft Foods and more.

Download the conference brochure for full session descriptions.  

The Audience Measurement Event is taking place May 21-23, 2012 in Chicago, IL. If you mention priority code AM12BLOG when you register for the event, you will receive 15% off the standard rate! If you have any questions about the event, please feel free to contact Jennifer Pereira.

Data is coming in troves, what's next?

So many doors are opening with the vast amount of data collected each day.  With the ever increasing amounts of big data, how can companies keep up and use it to their advantage?  In a recent article at Top Coder, they examine how all industries, not just the ones currently using big data, can profit from making sense of the data.

Through visualization, companies will be able to see the data and predict the future outcomes.  The end user will be a huge beneficiary from the data, as they will see more suggested products  and algorithms that will produce more information that is relevant and interesting to them.  

At the 2012 The Market Research Technology Event, Animation Dynamics will be on hand to present "Ethnographic Animation For New Mobile User Experiences," which will examine how to take the big data that is being created and use it as a way to communicate with anyone in the product chain, from the decision makers of the company to the consumers who are buying your products.  For more information, download the brochure.  As a reader of this blog, when you register to join us April 30-May 2, 2012 in Las Vegas and mention code MRTECH12BLOG, you'll receive 15% off the standard rate.

What steps should companies be taking to take advantage of the ever increasing amount of data pouring into our channels?

The New Age of Television: People are Thinking Outside the (Cable) Box

This blog post is co-posted with the Voices of CMB Blog, written by Chadwick Martin Bailey.  They are sponsors of The Audience Measurement Event taking place March 21-23, 2012 in Chicago, IL.  As a reader of this blog, when you register to join us and mention code AM12BLOG to receive 15% off the standard rate!

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When we set out, in our latest CMB Consumer Pulse, to discover how consumers are navigating the unprecedented range of options for accessing TV and movies, we knew some of the things we’d find out—e.g. the number of people who have completely cut the cord is still small, Netflix streaming is very popular, and many people are watching on smartphones and tablets. However, some things surprised us:

Completely cutting the cord may be rare, but that’s not the only, or even the most important thing to worry about
People who have completely “cut the cord” entirely are a very small group (3% of the study’s population). The more compelling finding is the number of people who may be “on deck”— those who have tried Over-the-Top TV (OTT) and/or those who are considering reducing their pay TV service.

• - More than half (54%) of respondents used the Internet to watch TV at least once. (tweet this)
• - Nearly half (43%) of pay TV subscribers said that they were at least somewhat likely to cut back on premium services (like Pay-Per-View or premium channels) in the next year. (tweet this)

This suggests that a big chunk of consumers’ TV-watching dollars could shift, even if their pay TV cords remain intact. And, that awareness and perceived value of OTT have risen to a point where consumers of all kinds are investigating OTT as an option.

The biggest screen does NOT always win, and the definition of “watching TV” is changing
Everyone knows that new devices are impacting consumer behavior. But our research suggests technology is driving fundamental changes in how people define the “TV watching experience.” For example:

• - Among people who watch TV on tablets, 58% say that they watch TV on their tablet when they’re at home. (tweet this)
• - Nearly two-thirds (63%) of those people say they’ve used a tablet even when they could have watched the same show on their TV. (tweet this)

There’s no indication that people will stop using their televisions entirely. But this does suggest that mobile devices have a role in the TV experience that transcends their mobility; and there are more scenarios where people will choose something other than the biggest available screen.

Not all elements of the TV watching experience are created equal
In our survey, consumers completed an exercise that forced them to trade off different attributes of a TV service provider based on what was most important to them. Some of the findings were obvious (e.g. people want to pay less for their TV). But other priorities offered more of a surprise:

• - Streaming Content beats Owning Content: Consumers prefer alternatives that rent/stream video over those where you download and own the content. (tweet this)
• - More Content beats Newest Content: More consumers say having the largest catalog of content was more important than the fastest access to new content. (tweet this)

In short, technology and features matter but complexity is a barrier to switching over completely. Today, people who want an OTT solution have to manipulate a Rubik’s cube of devices, platforms/providers, and payment models. However, that will change as more streamlined solutions come online. In the future, the most successful offerings will be those that provide a simple solution that's built around the things that matter most to consumers.


Check out this short video:











We surveyed nearly 1,500 consumers in the U.S. to get a pulse on their TV and video viewing habits and what it means for the future of OTT. Learn more, download our Consumer Pulse: The New Age of Television.

Posted by Jon Giegengack, Jon is a Director at CMB and leads research for digital entertainment companies in television, music, videogames, and social media. As a veteran cord cutter, he knows the good, the bad and the ugly of today’s TV options.

QuestBack Included in Analyst Firm’s Evaluation of Peer-to-Peer Customer Community Software

In 2015 Firm Expects SaaS in the CRM industry to approach $6.4 billion
in total software revenue

Oslo, Norway – February 15, 2012 – QuestBack, a global leader in enterprise feedback management (EFM), today announced that Gartner, Inc. has included the company in a research report evaluating six global vendors in the peer-to-peer customer community marketplace. QuestBack was also included as a Niche Player in Gartner’s 2011 Magic Quadrant for Social CRM .

Recognized as Europe's foremost supplier of feedback management software, QuestBack is focused on expanding globally and recently opened its North American headquarters. In a move to help clients improve overall business insight through social media channels, QuestBack recently acquired social CRM provider Globalpark and launched QuestBack Social Connect, helping organizations better engage, understand and activate fans and followers.

According to Gartner’s report, “The critical capabilities of peer-to-peer customer communities allow customer service and support to be provided by customers, rather than an organization’s customer service representatives (CSRs). This allows for networking among the customer base, creating communities of experts and advocates to be leveraged for further customer service, marketing, sales and e-commerce initiatives.”

“Over the next year, QuestBack anticipates a dramatic shift in corporate interest around engaging social communities effectively. Building a strong community where customers can engage and share experiences not only with each other, but also directly with brands, is where the true business value in social media lies,” said Ivar Kroghrud, QuestBack CEO. “As social CRM becomes an integral part of how companies interact with customers, we are honored to be included in this research as well as recognized by Gartner as a Niche Player in the social CRM space.”

About the Magic Quadrant

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose

About QuestBack
QuestBack Group is Europe's leading Enterprise Feedback Management and one of the world's Top 5 vendors. QuestBack provides online survey solutions, panel solutions and social CRM solutions - web-based services for relationship development through the collection, analysis, and follow-up of business critical information. QuestBack's clients achieve better financial performance through increasing the satisfaction and loyalty among their customers and employees. QuestBack was founded in 2000 and has achieved double-digit growth ever since. The Company is headquartered in Oslo, Norway with subsidiaries in seven countries and offices in a total of 17 countries, and serves over 5,000 customers across all sectors and industries, including Volvo, Ernst & Young, Coca-Cola, Microsoft and Bosch.


In 2015 Firm Expects SaaS in the CRM industry to approach $6.4 billion
in total software revenue

Oslo, Norway – February 15, 2012 – QuestBack, a global leader in enterprise feedback management (EFM), today announced that Gartner, Inc. has included the company in a research report (1)  evaluating six global vendors in the peer-to-peer customer community marketplace. QuestBack was also included as a Niche Player in Gartner’s 2011 Magic Quadrant for Social CRM (2) .

Recognized as Europe's foremost supplier of feedback management software, QuestBack is focused on expanding globally and recently opened its North American headquarters. In a move to help clients improve overall business insight through social media channels, QuestBack recently acquired social CRM provider Globalpark and launched QuestBack Social Connect, helping organizations better engage, understand and activate fans and followers.

According to Gartner’s report, “The critical capabilities of peer-to-peer customer communities allow customer service and support to be provided by customers, rather than an organization’s customer service representatives (CSRs). This allows for networking among the customer base, creating communities of experts and advocates to be leveraged for further customer service, marketing, sales and e-commerce initiatives.”

“Over the next year, QuestBack anticipates a dramatic shift in corporate interest around engaging social communities effectively. Building a strong community where customers can engage and share experiences not only with each other, but also directly with brands, is where the true business value in social media lies,” said Ivar Kroghrud, QuestBack CEO. “As social CRM becomes an integral part of how companies interact with customers, we are honored to be included in this research as well as recognized by Gartner as a Niche Player in the social CRM space.”

About the Magic Quadrant
Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose


About QuestBack
QuestBack Group is Europe's leading Enterprise Feedback Management and one of the world's Top 5 vendors. QuestBack provides online survey solutions, panel solutions and social CRM solutions - web-based services for relationship development through the collection, analysis, and follow-up of business critical information. QuestBack's clients achieve better financial performance through increasing the satisfaction and loyalty among their customers and employees. QuestBack was founded in 2000 and has achieved double-digit growth ever since. The Company is headquartered in Oslo, Norway with subsidiaries in seven countries and offices in a total of 17 countries, and serves over 5,000 customers across all sectors and industries, including Volvo, Ernst & Young, Coca-Cola, Microsoft and Bosch.


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(1)Gartner Inc. “Critical Capabilities for Peer-to-Peer Customer Community Software,” Jenny Sussin, Michael Maoz, Adam Sarner, 30 January, 2012
(2) Gartner, Inc. “Gartner Magic Quadrant for Social CRM, 2011,” Adam Sarner et al., 25 July, 2011

How is GE using data visualization?

Data comes in streams, often in raw numbers.  In that state, most of the time they are too much for the human brain to comprehend.  GE has been creating data visualizations for years for other companies, but when they turned their technology into their own company, they found an abundant amount of possibilities.  They started off by measuring the power production of the production of their power turbines and their productivity over a two week period.

According to Fast Company, by gathering the data from their machine and then putting it into a 3D info-graphic, they were able to compare and monitor the productivity of their machines. Capabilities like this would allow them to monitor the products long term, possibly even helping them realize when a breakdown was imminent, and being proactive and fixing the machine ahead of time instead of being reactive to a broken machine.

Market research is much the same. So much data is collected with new technology. What's the best way for all of it to be used? One way is visualization, picturing the data collected by respondents to show to pick up on unknown trends that could be emerging in the market place.

This April at The Market Research Technology Event, Paul A. Navrátil, Ph.D.,  the Manager of Visualization Software, Texas Advanced Computing Center will be presenting "Sailing the Data Deluge — Advanced Computing for Information Visualization and Analysis."  In his presentation, he will be looking at how the Texas Advanced Computing Center is doing just what GE is - monitoring the patterns produced by data from epidemics to crop yielding.  For more information on this session and the rest of the event, download the brochure here.  And if you'd like to join us, register today mentioning code MRTECH12BLOG and receive a 15% discount off the standard rate!

What can data visualization do for market research?