????許多公司一直相信大量囤積數據的好處，現在他們正在尋找能利用這些數據造福顧客的方法。大數據給各行各業的企業提供了一個變得更加透明、更值得信任，并在競爭中脫穎而出的機會，而且能讓他們的用戶在產品和服務上獲得更加個性化的體驗。

????大量的數據造成了巨大的復雜性，而設計的力量可以化繁為簡，讓這些數據能被普通人理解，因此設計在大數據上就有了用武之地。它的作用就是把信息變成人們可以使用的、有意義的觀點，賦予冷冰冰的數據以生動的含義，同時把數據與我們居住的這個紛繁復雜的世界聯系起來。那么企業應該如何更好地利用設計，使人們從“怕數據”變成“愛數據”呢？

????我們開始發現，在智能手機和其它聯網設備的影響下，消費者的行為和預期正在發生變化。這些設備帶來了海量的數據點，揭示出人們在任何特定時刻需要哪些信息，以及他們希望從哪里獲得信息。消費者們已經意識到他們的數據是有價值的，因此他們可以期望、甚至是要求對方用某種價值來交換他們的數據。數據已經成了一種新的貨幣，企業也要從這個角度來看待數據。人們愿意拱手送上的信息越多，企業利用這些信息為消費者量身打造某種體驗的潛力就越大。但是人們對于隱私問題的擔憂卻讓這個過程變成了一個復雜的挑戰。

????對于許多企業來說，如何讓用戶覺得自己在用一種很“酷”的方式使用他們的數據，而不是以一種鬼鬼祟祟、令人不自在的方法使用他們的數據，這是一個很難把握的平衡。設計師解決這個挑戰的方法是建立一套貌似能神奇地對某個用戶的習慣做出回應的系統。視頻網站Netflix就是一個很好的例子。Netflix通過謹慎地利用用戶的瀏覽數據，來向用戶推薦他們可能喜歡的其它視頻，讓用戶覺得這些視頻都是為自己量身推薦的。移動社交網站Foursquare則已經轉型成了一個推薦引擎，會根據用戶的地理位置和一天中不同的時間，向用戶推薦有用的信息和當地的優惠服務。只要企業把用戶的數據當成一項服務來妥善使用，隨著用戶提供的信息越多，他們的體驗就會越好，從而逐漸打消消費者對于企業可能泄露用戶個人信息的疑慮。

????Companies that have long believed in the virtues of hoarding data are now looking for ways to use it to the benefit of their customers. Big data presents a massive opportunity for organizations across industries to become more transparent and trustworthy, get a leg up on the competition, and empower their users to have more personalized experiences with their products and services.

????But with great volumes of data comes great amounts of complexity. That's where design's power to simplify and make sense of data for ordinary individuals comes in. It's about turning information into meaningful insights people can use, giving data a human shape and a connection with the messy real world that we live in. So how can companies better use design to turn data dread into data delight?

????We're just beginning to see the extent to which smartphones and other connected objects are influencing a shift in consumer behavior and expectations. These devices are giving rise to a huge range of data points around what information people want at any given time and who they want it from. Consumers have now figured out that they can expect -- indeed demand -- value in exchange for "their" data. It's the new currency, and companies need to start treating it as such. The more information people are willing to give up, the more potential a company has to personalize an experience for them. But privacy concerns make this a complicated challenge.

????For many companies, getting the balance right between using data in ways that are cool rather than creepy can be difficult. Designers approach this challenge by creating intelligent systems that seem to magically respond to a user's habits. Netflix (NFLX) is a good example of this, carefully using viewing data to present recommendations that feel tailor-made. Foursquare has transformed itself into a recommendation engine, providing helpful information and local offers to users customized to their location and time of day. This savvy use of data as a service will likely reduce consumers' skepticism and fears around sharing personal information as the more they provide, the better their experience is.