Five aspects of data that just won't change in 2015

EARLY in the year, it's quite the tradition for industry pundits to write about the x new things to look out for in the months ahead. Major advances, new technologies, emerging companies - we all want to know what will change our work, our careers and our lives in 2015.

Let's do something different, and practical; let's look at what will not change. By the time 2016 comes around, we'll still be dealing with these issues. And none of the pundits' predictions will change much.

But I don't want to put a damper on your seasonal enthusiasm. These problems will remain, but they can be tackled. If you are the one to tackle them, 2015 could indeed be full of fun and success.

Most businesses will be talking about Big Data, not doing it. There are real opportunities for businesses to take advantage of it. But, mostly, IT departments don't yet have the skills or the time to implement new infrastructures while struggling to maintain their existing workload. Meanwhile, most business leaders have a fairly shallow understanding of what Big Data might do for them. What they do understand nearly always includes "leveraging s…