“Analysis” literally means a detailed examination of the elements or structure of something. In a nutshell, Data Analytics is the process of analysing data from the past in order to make appropriate decisions in the future by utilising valuable insights. Data Analysis, on the other hand, aids in understanding the data and provides necessary insights from the past to comprehend what has occurred so far. So, Data Analysis is an umbrella term that encompasses Data Analytics in its subset.
In this article, you will gain information about Real-time Data Analysis. You will also gain a holistic understanding of Real-Time Data Analysis, its importance, comparative study of Real-Time Data Analysis and Near-Real-Time Data Analysis, working & examples of Real-Time Data Analysis and limitations of Real-Time Data Analysis. Read along to find out in-depth information about Real-Time Data Analysis.
What is Real-Time Data Analysis?
The ability for users to see, analyse, and evaluate data as soon as it appears in a system is defined as Real-Time Data Analysis. Logic, mathematics, and algorithms are used to provide users with insights rather than raw data. The end result is a visually appealing and easy-to-understand dashboard and/or report. It is all about capturing and acting on information as it occurs – or as close to it as possible. This involves streaming data from cameras or sensors, as well as sales transactions, website visitors, GPS, beacons, the machines and devices that run your business, or your social media audience.
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Importance of Real-Time Data Analysis
Real-Time Data Analysis enables your business to thrive and achieve peak productivity. With the help of real-time data, you can reduce risks, cut costs, and learn more about your employees, customers, and the overall financial health of the business.
Some of the key benefits of using Real-Time Data Analysis are as follows:
- Use Machine Learning: As more data enters the system, machine learning improves. Rather than requiring a human to update algorithms and spend time on tedious tasks, the machine improves its efficiency over time.
- Competitive Advantages: When compared to a company that focuses on historical, stale data, your company can gain a competitive advantage by utilizing Real-Time Data Analysis. You can easily understand benchmarks and view trends in order to make the best decisions for your business.
- Data Visualisation: You can get a snapshot of the information displayed in a chart by using historical data. However, with Real-Time data, you can use data visualizations to reflect changes in the business as they happen. This means that dashboards are interactive and up to date at all times. You can also easily share data with relevant stakeholders using custom dashboards, ensuring that decision-making is never stalled.
- Monitor Customer Behaviour: With knowledge and insights about customer behavior, you can delve deep into customer behaviors and track what is and isn’t working to your advantage.
- Testing: You can take calculated risks when you can test how changes will affect your business’s processes in real-time. As you make changes, you’ll be able to see if there are any issues or negative effects, and you’ll be able to revert and try again without causing too much damage.
- Improve Decision Making: Finally, one of the most significant advantages of Real-Time Data Analysis is the ability to move forward on both small and large decisions in a timely and productive manner. With accurate insights, you can strip, update, and introduce new business ideas and processes to your organization with little risk because the analytics provides you with all of the information you need to make sound business decisions.
Real-Time Data Analysis vs Near-Real-Time Data Analysis
Many people get Real-Time Data Analysis and Near-Real-Time Data Analysis mixed up. Data processing and analysis in near-Real-Time are, as the name implies, quick but not instant.
While near-Real-Time processing is certainly fast, many businesses require Real-Time Data Analysis to understand what’s going on across their business units. Information technology, transportation, financial services, advertising, and healthcare are some examples of industries that rely on Real-Time Data Analysis. In these scenarios, data must be understood quickly in order to guide decisions and, in some cases, deliver products or services to customers.
Understanding the Working of Real-Time Data Analysis
Pushing or pulling data into the system is how Real-Time Data Analysis works. There should also be streaming taking place in order to push Big Data into a system. Streaming, on the other hand, can consume a lot of resources and may be impractical for some applications. Instead, you can schedule data to be pulled at regular intervals ranging from seconds to hours.
Given the options, Real-Time Data Analysis outputs can occur in seconds to minutes. Analytics software typically includes the following components in order for Real-Time Data Analysis to function:
1) Aggregator
It gathers Real-Time Data Analytics from multiple sources.
2) Analytics Engine
The Analytics Engine compares data values and streams them together while performing Real-Time Data Analysis.
3) Broker
The broker Creates data availability.
4) Stream Processor
The Stream Processor receives and sends data to execute logic and perform analytics in real-time.
Common Real-Time Data Analysis Examples & Use Cases
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While there are numerous industry use cases where Real-Time Data Analysis are critical, here are some of the more common examples we see on a daily basis.
1) Financial Trading
Financial institutions must make buy and sell decisions in milliseconds or less. With Real-Time Data Analysis, traders can access information from financial databases, news sources, social media, weather reports, and other sources to gain a comprehensive view of the market. This broad picture aids in making sound trading decisions.
2) Financial Operations
Financial teams are undergoing a transformation in which they are not only in charge of back-office procedures, but also add value to the organisation by providing strategic insights. Financial statements must be accurate in order to help businesses make the best decisions. Real-Time Data Analysis aids in the detection of errors and the reduction of operational risks.
3) Marketing
Customer analysis in real-time is critical for improving customer experiences across all marketing touchpoints. It can also ensure that marketers serve the appropriate information to the appropriate customer at the appropriate time. Customers increasingly expect personalised interactions with brands, which is one of the main reasons why many businesses gain new customers and increase revenue as a result of adopting and integrating customer analytics into their operations.
4) Information Security
Companies are turning to Security Information and Event Management Software (SIEM) as they deal with increased data security risks and data compliance regulations such as GDPR. These solutions use real-time data to aggregate and analyse activity from data sources throughout the IT infrastructure.
5) Logistics
The application of real-time insights gathered by logistics providers has resulted in dramatic improvements in the supply chain in recent years. Freight providers use real-time data to better understand shipping trends, reduce costs by eliminating inefficient routes, and provide better customer service.
6) Healthcare
Wearable devices use Real-Time Data Analysis to monitor a person’s health statistics. Real-Time data, for example, provides information such as a person’s heartbeat, and these instant updates can be used to save lives and even predict ailments in advance.
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Limitations of Real-Time Data Analysis
You may face the following challenges when implementing Real-Time Data Analysis in your organisation:
- Definition: Real-Time Data analysis necessitates that everyone on your team and all business stakeholders agree on what “real-time” means in order to integrate a solution that meets expectations.
- System Architecture: Once you’ve defined what “real-time” means, you must choose a tool that can process data at high speeds. The tool should also be able to grow and scale in the same way that data does.
- Implementation: Implementing a Real-time Data Analysis tool may necessitate technical expertise or the involvement of an IT team to ensure that the system works well with existing tools. It can also be used as a ready-to-use, no-code automation solution.
Conclusion
In this article, you have learned about Real-time Data Analysis. This article also provided information on Real-Time Data Analysis, its importance, a comparative study of Real-Time Data Analysis and Near-Real-Time Data Analysis, working & examples of Real-Time Data Analysis and limitations of Real-Time Data Analysis.
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Manisha Jena is a data analyst with over three years of experience in the data industry and is well-versed with advanced data tools such as Snowflake, Looker Studio, and Google BigQuery. She is an alumna of NIT Rourkela and excels in extracting critical insights from complex databases and enhancing data visualization through comprehensive dashboards. Manisha has authored over a hundred articles on diverse topics related to data engineering, and loves breaking down complex topics to help data practitioners solve their doubts related to data engineering.
