--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Where big data is all about seeking…" description: "\"Where big data is all about seeking correlations - and thus to make incremental changes - small data is all about causations - seeking to understand th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/martin-lindstrom-4111_bigs_where-big-data-is-all-about-seeking-corr_2953973.png" --- # Where big data is all about seeking correlations - and… ![“Where big data is all about seeking correlations - and thus to make incremental changes - small data is all about causations - seeking to understand the reasons why.” quote by Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/martin-lindstrom-4111_bigs_where-big-data-is-all-about-seeking-corr_2953973.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/martin-lindstrom-4111_bigs_where-big-data-is-all-about-seeking-corr_2953973.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/martin-lindstrom-4111_bigs_where-big-data-is-all-about-seeking-corr_2953973.png) > “Where big data is all about seeking correlations - and thus to make incremental changes - small data is all about causations - seeking to understand the reasons why.” [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Big data finds patterns; small data seeks causal reasons, enabling deeper understanding and targeted change. **In simple terms:** Small data uncovers causes. Key Takeaway Focus on causation. Themes data analysis causality business strategy insight Mood analytical strategic Type business philosophical When to use this quote - marketing - product design - research Key Concepts small data methodology behavioral economics Questions to Reflect On - How to balance big and small data? - What causal insights drive change? A Different Perspective Small data may lack scale for generalization. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Causation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causation/) [Data](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/data/) [Incremental change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incremental-change/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) ## Related quotes > [Big data is great when you want to verify and quantify small data - as big data is all about seeking a correlation -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/big-data-is-great-when-you-want-to-verify-and-quantify-small-data-as/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [Small Data defines this space, identifies the imbalances we all have and thus the gap these imbalances represents for your new innovation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/small-data-defines-this-space-identifies-the-imbalances-we-all-have/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [Small Data is not about testing concepts - it is more to create the foundation for innovative brand thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/small-data-is-not-about-testing-concepts-it-is-more-to-create-the/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [I like to say I've been working on big data for so long, it used to be small data when I started working on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oren-etzioni/i-like-to-say-i-ve-been-working-on-big-data-for-so-long-it-used-to-be/) [Oren Etzioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oren-etzioni/) > [Getting healthy means listening to my body - and no longer comparing myself with other people at the gym. Getting healthy means being satisfied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suleika-jaouad/getting-healthy-means-listening-to-my-body-and-no-longer-comparing/) [Suleika Jaouad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suleika-jaouad/) > [No matter who the prime minister is, incremental changes take place. The economy moves on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kapil-sibal/no-matter-who-the-prime-minister-is-incremental-changes-take-place/) [Kapil Sibal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kapil-sibal/) > [I hear music that comes out of need, out of grief, sorrow, suffering and out of overcoming these things, as well. That journey to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-battle/i-hear-music-that-comes-out-of-need-out-of-grief-sorrow-suffering-and/) [Kathleen Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-battle/) > [Like the battleships of old, omnibus programs present too tempting a target, too easily destroyed by a single attack, to make it through a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/like-the-battleships-of-old-omnibus-programs-present-too-tempting-a/) [Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/) > [In an increasingly non-linear economy, incremental change is not enough-you have to build a capacity for strategy innovation, one that increases your ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/in-an-increasingly-non-linear-economy-incremental-change-is-not/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [I am fascinated by tiny, incremental changes, almost imperceptible shifts in how people orient themselves in the world, because those are in some ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leni-zumas/i-am-fascinated-by-tiny-incremental-changes-almost-imperceptible/) [Leni Zumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leni-zumas/) > [Change is incremental. Change is small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/change-is-incremental-change-is-small/) [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) > [“Over time I’ve learned, surprisingly, that it’s tremendously hard to get teams to be super ambitious. It turns out most people haven’t been educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/over-time-i-ve-learned-surprisingly-that-it-s-tremendously-hard-to/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [“I have heard it said that if you tell a lie often enough, loudly enough, and long enough, the myth will become accepted as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/i-have-heard-it-said-that-if-you-tell-a-lie-often-enough-loudly/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [I believe strongly that social change isn't just about demonstrations in the street against the wrongs in society. There is also the path of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-mclaughlin/i-believe-strongly-that-social-change-isn-t-just-about-demonstrations/) [Corinne McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-mclaughlin/) > [“Incrementalism never allows innovation to flourish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-ratna/incrementalism-never-allows-innovation-to-flourish/) [Abhishek Ratna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-ratna/) ## More by Martin Lindstrom > [“Americans’ reputation for friendliness is the absence of physicality. In the United States, no one ever touches anyone else and if they do so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/americans-reputation-for-friendliness-is-the-absence-of-physicality/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [“French and Italian hospitality industries, food service employees take pleasure in being the best at what they do. They may be the finest oyster…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/french-and-italian-hospitality-industries-food-service-employees-take/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [“Most remember Hitchcock as a skilled storyteller, but what few know is that the director shot his movies using two separate scripts. The first,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/most-remember-hitchcock-as-a-skilled-storyteller-but-what-few-know-is/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [I did however realize that only 4% of the world's population turns creative when in contact with water and thus we dialed this dimension…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/i-did-however-realize-that-only-4-of-the-world-s-population-turns/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [“If a living place can be likened to a city, the art on the wall, or the lack of art, is the first sign”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/if-a-living-place-can-be-likened-to-a-city-the-art-on-the-wall-or-the/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [We're all obsessed with our smartphones and thus really don't see anything around us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/we-re-all-obsessed-with-our-smartphones-and-thus-really-don-t-see/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [“Russia’s biggest downside, for me at least, is its lack of color. Being in Russia is like breathing different oxygen, and I can feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/russia-s-biggest-downside-for-me-at-least-is-its-lack-of-color-being/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [Here in particular the idea of contextual communication - i.e. communicating the right message, at the right time to the right audience - seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/here-in-particular-the-idea-of-contextual-communication-i-e/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [A brand is an emotional construct. It helps you to project an image to the world which you'd like to own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/a-brand-is-an-emotional-construct-it-helps-you-to-project-an-image-to/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [“the Apple logo hangs from an unseen thread in many Apple Stores like a Bethlehem star?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/the-apple-logo-hangs-from-an-unseen-thread-in-many-apple-stores-like/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [“In some instances, I’ve found that executives don’t even use their own products.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/in-some-instances-i-ve-found-that-executives-don-t-even-use-their-own/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [“In an analysis of over one billion pieces of emoji data across the globe, across numerous categories, it wasn’t surprising to find that UK…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/in-an-analysis-of-over-one-billion-pieces-of-emoji-data-across-the/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [Visit your local supermarket or retail chain. You'll experience a lot of visual stimulus, but it's unlikely that your other senses will encounter any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/visit-your-local-supermarket-or-retail-chain-you-ll-experience-a-lot/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [Today's evangelism is just as likely to take place via chat rooms and viral videos as it is in a personal conversation or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/today-s-evangelism-is-just-as-likely-to-take-place-via-chat-rooms-and/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [“The Italian-owned Benetton label, for example, manufactures its entire clothing line in white. 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Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Where big data is all about seeking correlations - and thus to make incremental changes - small data is all about causations - seeking to understand the reasons why.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Lindstrom" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/where-big-data-is-all-about-seeking-correlations-and-thus-to-make/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bigs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/where-big-data-is-all-about-seeking-correlations-and-thus-to-make/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/martin-lindstrom-4111_bigs_where-big-data-is-all-about-seeking-corr_2953973.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/martin-lindstrom-4111_bigs_where-big-data-is-all-about-seeking-corr_2953973.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/martin-lindstrom-4111_bigs_where-big-data-is-all-about-seeking-corr_2953973.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Where big data is all about seeking correlations - and thus to make incremental changes - small data is all…” — Martin Lindstrom", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Martin Lindstrom", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Where big data is all about...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/where-big-data-is-all-about-seeking-correlations-and-thus-to-make/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/where-big-data-is-all-about-seeking-correlations-and-thus-to-make/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```