A practical guide to making good decisions in a world of missing
data
In the era of big data, it is easy to imagine that we have all the
information we need to make good decisions. But in fact the data we have
are never complete, and may be only the tip of the iceberg. Just as much
of the universe is composed of dark matter, invisible to us but
nonetheless present, the universe of information is full of dark data
that we overlook at our peril. In Dark Data, data expert David Hand
takes us on a fascinating and enlightening journey into the world of the
data we don't see.
Dark Data explores the many ways in which we can be blind to missing
data and how that can lead us to conclusions and actions that are
mistaken, dangerous, or even disastrous. Examining a wealth of real-life
examples, from the Challenger shuttle explosion to complex financial
frauds, Hand gives us a practical taxonomy of the types of dark data
that exist and the situations in which they can arise, so that we can
learn to recognize and control for them. In doing so, he teaches us not
only to be alert to the problems presented by the things we don't know,
but also shows how dark data can be used to our advantage, leading to
greater understanding and better decisions.
Today, we all make decisions using data. Dark Data shows us all how to
reduce the risk of making bad ones.
