What is Variability

Big data is presently considered integral to the management and strategies for digital enterprise transformation. Beyond being ‘a lot of data', big data can be characterized in terms of seven Vs: volume, velocity, variety, variability, veracity, visualization, and value. Already being applied in private businesses, big data has immense potential for the digital transformation of public services in advancing the e-governance agenda. This chapter explores the nature of big data in public service and discusses its application in areas such as tax administration, transportation, energy, public health, and disaster management. Challenges and concerns are noted in terms of data quality, infrastructure cost, availability of suitable human resources, privacy, and security. Possible solutions such as shared services, cloud computing, open source software, open data framework, and regulatory compliance are noted. The chapter ends by noting future research directions to realize the full potential of Big data application in digital transformation of public services.