The influence of big data competencies, team structures, and data scientists on project success

The analytical, data, technical, and business competencies required for Big Data (BD) are often described as critical for success yet are a challenge to find. Specifically, the data scientist is described as being an individual possessing all the necessary competencies. However, BD projects usually require a multidisciplinary team. This study empirically investigated the impact on organizational performance of the team composition of business intelligence and BD projects and on having a data scientist in the team. The results suggest that while a data scientist is an important role, having a multidisciplinary team has a higher impact on overall post-project organizational performance. It further confirms that not all competencies prescribed to as needed for BD projects are available in every project.