In Vendor Management on February 13, 2009 by hudgeon Tagged: databases, simple, simplicity, technology, Vendor Management
This is another example of simpler systems taking the place of more complex systems. It takes its place along side the netbook, the ipod and single speed bicycle. If you’re an expert in a particular field, you probably want a high-powered notebook, a lossless music system or a 21 speed bicycle, but if you’re the average punter (as most of us are), simpler will do.
Recently, a lot of new non-relational databases have cropped up both inside and outside the cloud. One key message this sends is, “if you want vast, on-demand scalability, you need a non-relational database”.
If that is true, then is this a sign that the once mighty relational database finally has a chink in its armor? Is this a sign that relational databases have had their day and will decline over time? In this post, we’ll look at the current trend of moving away from relational databases in certain situations and what this means for the future of the relational database.
via Is the Relational Database Doomed? – ReadWriteWeb.
In Risk on February 5, 2009 by hudgeon Tagged: data analysis, infographic, Vendor Management
Thanks to Flowing Data for linking to another great graphic from the New York Times.
This type of graphic falls into the category of tree maps which, along with the bubble chart, are my favourite tools in my data analysts toolkit. The tree map and the bubble chart allow the relationships between multi-dimensional data sets to be grasped at a glance. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a good tree map is a thesis and comic strip rolled into one.
The tree map to the right is of particular interest to procurement professionals because it breaks down consumer spending into categories and sub-categories. If you showed your spend data in this format, your boss would either think you’re a star, or that you have way too much time on your hands!
