Intelligent data analytics is here to change engineering management

A great deal of scientific research in the world aims at discovering the facts about the world so that we understand it better and find solutions to problems. Data enabling technology plays an important role in modern scientific discovery and technologic advancement. The importance of good information was long recognized by prominent leaders such as Sun Tzu and Napoleon. Factual data enables managers to measure, to understand their businesses, and to directly translate that knowledge into improved decision making and performance. This position paper argues that data analytics is ready to change engineering management in the following areas: 1) by making relevant historical data available to the manager at the time when it's needed; 2) by filtering out actionable intelligence from the ocean of data; and 3) by integrating useful data from multiple sources to support quantitative decision-making. Considering the unique need for engineering management, the paper proposes researchable topics in the two broad areas of data acquisition and data analytics. The purpose of the paper is to provoke discussion from peers and to encourage research activity.