1. The first step for businesses in data analytics is to identify clear objectives in order to effectively plan the data science process. Performance indicators are also needed to measure progress and identify issues early. 2. Data gathering must be done with full clarity on the objective and relevance of the data collected. Bad or irrelevant data can negatively impact decision making. 3. The properties of big data - volume, variety, and velocity - must be understood. Volume refers to the amount of data, variety to the different types of data, and velocity to the speed at which the data processes. Proper data preparation, including cleaning and organizing, is critical to derive value from the data.