Including in forensic engineering in\u00a0big and helpful ways – but, we must know and\u00a0keep in mind what the computer is doing.<\/p>\n
One of the mistakes experts make is not understanding the computer programs they use to analyse data and what the programs are\u00a0based on (Ref. 1).\u00a0 This would include the accuracy of the mathematical models relevant to the problem they’re investigating.<\/p>\n
We’ve heard about the discrepancies in the predictions of different\u00a0climate-change models.\u00a0 I also noted in a recent posting (Ref. 2) that\u00a0big-data\u00a0is giving us correlations<\/em> not causes<\/em> – and it’s the latter that’s of paramount importance in forensic engineering.<\/p>\n Big-data\u00a0refers to\u00a0the ability of society to harness\u00a0huge\u00a0amounts of data in\u00a0novel ways with today\u2019s computers, and\u00a0analyse the data\u00a0to\u00a0produce useful insights on people, or goods and services\u00a0of significant value.\u00a0(Ref. 3)\u00a0 This is the “big-data” revolution.<\/p>\n But Big-Data is really all about Big-Computer power.<\/p>\n I was reminded of this on reading an item in the Globe and Mail recently on how our lives are being “datafied” in both good and\u00a0not-so-good ways (Ref. 4).\u00a0 (The item is a good read if you’re interested in staying up to date on what’s happening with big-data)\u00a0 I also reflected on\u00a0this after doing\u00a0a preliminary literature\u00a0search for a case on-line last week in a few hours that would have taken a few days a decade or\u00a0more ago.<\/p>\n The computer\u00a0is the common denominator in what\u00a0was reported in the Globe and\u00a0Mail and my literature search.\u00a0 The computer is generating\u00a0a lot\u00a0of the data that is subsequently being gathered together and analysed – also by the computer.<\/p>\n For me, I was able to quickly get a handle on existing and past standards, codes of practice, and guidelines in\u00a0North America and Europe\u00a0via Google.\u00a0 I was also able to review the science relevant to my problem at Wikipedia.\u00a0 Both using computer power.<\/p>\n But, at the end of the day, I’ve got to check the sources and citations supporting this\u00a0information lest I make the mistake experts sometimes do of not knowing the accuracy of their\u00a0sources.\u00a0 I’ve started on this and\u00a0did a little by e-mailing and in due course conferring on the telephone with\u00a0a consultant in Texas.<\/p>\n It was “big-computer” power that took me across the continent and overseas not “big-data”.\u00a0 The data was there – in a computer database; the computer went to it, and scooped\u00a0it up for me.<\/p>\n References<\/strong><\/p>\n Including in forensic engineering in\u00a0big and helpful ways – but, we must know and\u00a0keep in mind what the computer is doing. One of the mistakes experts make is not understanding the computer programs they use to analyse data and what … Continue reading \n