By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
SmartData Collective
  • Analytics
    AnalyticsShow More
    predictive analytics in dropshipping
    Predictive Analytics Helps New Dropshipping Businesses Thrive
    12 Min Read
    data-driven approach in healthcare
    The Importance of Data-Driven Approaches to Improving Healthcare in Rural Areas
    6 Min Read
    analytics for tax compliance
    Analytics Changes the Calculus of Business Tax Compliance
    8 Min Read
    big data analytics in gaming
    The Role of Big Data Analytics in Gaming
    10 Min Read
    analyst,women,looking,at,kpi,data,on,computer,screen
    Promising Benefits of Predictive Analytics in Asset Management
    11 Min Read
  • Big Data
  • BI
  • Exclusive
  • IT
  • Marketing
  • Software
Search
© 2008-23 SmartData Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: The Keys to Discovery: Curiosity and Simple Tools
Share
Notification Show More
Latest News
ai software development
Key Strategies to Develop AI Software Cost-Effectively
Artificial Intelligence
ai in omnichannel marketing
AI is Driving Huge Changes in Omnichannel Marketing
Artificial Intelligence
ai for small business tax planning
Maximize Tax Deductions as a Business Owner with AI
Artificial Intelligence
ai in marketing with 3D rendering
Marketers Use AI to Take Advantage of 3D Rendering
Artificial Intelligence
How Big Data Is Transforming the Maritime Industry
How Big Data Is Transforming the Maritime Industry
Big Data
Aa
SmartData Collective
Aa
Search
  • About
  • Help
  • Privacy
Follow US
© 2008-23 SmartData Collective. All Rights Reserved.
SmartData Collective > Data Management > Best Practices > The Keys to Discovery: Curiosity and Simple Tools
Best PracticesDecision Management

The Keys to Discovery: Curiosity and Simple Tools

Erica Driver
Last updated: 2012/03/26 at 1:50 PM
Erica Driver
4 Min Read
SHARE

My colleague John Callan recently posted a blog article titled, “Why Discovery Matters.” In it he talked about why discovery is such an important aspect of the decision-making process. He got me thinking about how great discoveries happen.


My colleague John Callan recently posted a blog article titled, “Why Discovery Matters.” In it he talked about why discovery is such an important aspect of the decision-making process. He got me thinking about how great discoveries happen.

More Read

database compliance guide

Four Strategies For Effective Database Compliance

How The Explosive Growth Of Data Access Affects Your Engineer’s Team Efficiency
What Are the Most Serious Privacy Concerns Regarding Big Data?
7 Consequences of a Data Intrusion: Insights From Asiaciti Trust & MGM International
How To Improve Incident Response Time for Data Breaches

One interesting perspective on this comes from Adam Savage, co-host of the TV show Mythbusters. In this March 2012 TED video titled, “How Simple Ideas Lead to Scientific Discoveries,” Savage talked about a few examples of profound scientific discoveries that came from simple, creative methods anyone could have followed. His basic point: you don’t have to be a brain surgeon or rocket scientist. All you need are simple tools and a bit of curiosity.

Examples Savage used in his talk include Eratosthenes‘ calculation of the Earth’s circumference around 200 BC and Hippolyte Fizeau‘s measurement of the speed of light in 1849. Savage’s conclusion: “We are all explorers. The people that made these discoveries just thought a little bit harder about what they were looking at. And they were a little bit more curious. And their curiosity changed the way people thought about the world, and thus it changed the world.”

This little idea is actually a very big idea — an idea so big that it underpins the entirety of Business Discovery. Business Discovery is user-driven business intelligence that helps ordinary people make decisions based on multiple sources of insight: data, people, and place. With Business Discovery software, people can create and share knowledge and analysis in teams groups and across organizations. They can ask and answer stream of questions and follow their own path to insight — by themselves or in formal or informal groups.

Savage made the point that, “For most of human history, we had to discover [these] things using our eyes and our ears and our minds.” But today we have glorious technology at our fingertips. It’s easier than ever before for people to use simple, creative methods to identify unexpected relationships and associations and to draw connections between and comparisons among things that may have seemed unrelated. Savage said in his talk, “The simplest questions [can] carry you out to the edge of human knowledge.”

It’s about simple questions and simple, creative tools. Eratosthenes poked sticks in the ground to discover the earth’s circumference. Hippolyte Fizeau used a mirror, toothed wheel, and light source to discover the speed of light. And ordinary information workers in any industry you can think of, all around the globe, are using Business Discovery apps to make discoveries that help their organizations innovate, compete, and transform. What will you discover?

Erica Driver March 26, 2012
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn
Share

Follow us on Facebook

Latest News

ai software development
Key Strategies to Develop AI Software Cost-Effectively
Artificial Intelligence
ai in omnichannel marketing
AI is Driving Huge Changes in Omnichannel Marketing
Artificial Intelligence
ai for small business tax planning
Maximize Tax Deductions as a Business Owner with AI
Artificial Intelligence
ai in marketing with 3D rendering
Marketers Use AI to Take Advantage of 3D Rendering
Artificial Intelligence

Stay Connected

1.2k Followers Like
33.7k Followers Follow
222 Followers Pin

You Might also Like

database compliance guide
Data Management

Four Strategies For Effective Database Compliance

8 Min Read
data access for engineers
Big Data

How The Explosive Growth Of Data Access Affects Your Engineer’s Team Efficiency

11 Min Read
big data privacy concerns
Privacy

What Are the Most Serious Privacy Concerns Regarding Big Data?

8 Min Read
painful lessons from major data breaches
Security

7 Consequences of a Data Intrusion: Insights From Asiaciti Trust & MGM International

6 Min Read

SmartData Collective is one of the largest & trusted community covering technical content about Big Data, BI, Cloud, Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, IoT & more.

AI and chatbots
Chatbots and SEO: How Can Chatbots Improve Your SEO Ranking?
Artificial Intelligence Chatbots Exclusive
data-driven web design
5 Great Tips for Using Data Analytics for Website UX
Big Data

Quick Link

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Follow US

© 2008-23 SmartData Collective. All Rights Reserved.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Go to mobile version
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?