A data source is a system, observation, activity, or other origin from which data is obtained. A single source, such as location data, can reveal patterns in where people go and what they do. section 2.4.6
The value of data sources grows when organizations combine them. Multifaceted data can support analysis, modeling, prediction, prescription, simulation, and optimization of people, behaviors, situations, and markets. section 2.4.6 section 6.1
Sources may include:
- Facts customers provide directly to companies. section 2.5
- Macroeconomic and public-interest data, including crime, housing, unemployment, social assistance, food banks, charities, sales, and offers. section 2.5
- Market and location data, such as traffic, population, demographics, competing facilities, pricing, and employment. section 6.1
Choosing a facility location
A site-selection decision for an urgent care clinic or electric-vehicle charging station can combine traffic, population, demographics, competitors, pricing, and employment. Earlier approaches relied mainly on traffic and population density; broader sources create a richer picture of potential locations. section 6.1
Multiple sources also create power imbalances. Companies can model situations involving individuals and their networks, then target offers toward company goals, which may conflict with a person's immediate needs. section 2.5
