Exhibit 7.4 lists essential skills for big data project managers. Think of (and list) three to five additional skills that would assist project managers when dealing with big data projects. Explain your rationale for each skill added.

Exhibit 7.4

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Skill Cross-functional team management experience Ability to see the big picture Data-driven thinking Ability to deal with ambiguity Technical skills Process development skills Soft skills Good business judgment Description Project managers must expand their team and skill sets to include a diverse group of professionals, including engineering disciplines, scientists, business analysts, business "super" users, operations, etc. The ability to see the big picture when managing a big data project is critical for project managers to "make sense" of all the diverse and complex data. Project managers must employ data-driven thinking instead of relying on past experiences or instincts. The approach to managing a big data project should be discovery-driven where decisions are reached based on data and analysis and not on the intuition and experience of the project manager. This will be key to fully realize the potential value of the data. In big data projects, managers must embrace (and feel comfortable with) the unknown as they will not always have the right answers. Project managers must commit to uncovering problem solutions via experimentation and evidence-based findings. Project managers must enhance existing technical skills to address big data tasks and challenges. To adapt an organization's existing processes to big data, process development skills, such as utilizing resources efficiently (i.e., time, money, raw materials, and work); improving the quality of products, services, and data; and serving the needs of the markets all become necessary for project managers. New soft skills must be acquired, or existing soft skills be polished, to include collaboration, curiosity, and creativity, which are vital qualities to deliver successful big data projects. Project managers will be required to switch from traditional project management (e.g., planning, identifying, mitigating risks, etc.) to focusing on delivering a quick, effective, and defined technology solution for business problems.