Organizations usually direct their data analysis efforts on transactional data i.e. the information generated when a customer purchases a product or service. In the process of collecting transactional data, large amounts of additional information are also generated commonly referred to as dark data. Dark data when approached in a correct way can reveal all kinds of patterns and insights that would have been otherwise missed. The key to unlocking dark data lies in the ability to understand the relation between unrelated pieces of information. With several databases offering completely new ways of reading traditional datasets, discovering the business value of dark data is becoming straightforward. Monetizing dark data requires analyzing it to discover hidden patterns, developing hypotheses and then putting the insights to use. Read more at: http://channels.theinnovationenterprise.com/articles/7407-tapping-into-dark-data