This document discusses big data and provides motivation for why companies need to learn how to manage large amounts of data. It defines big data as data that exceeds the processing capacity of traditional databases due to its large volume, velocity, or variety. The document outlines the characteristics of big data using the "5 Vs" - volume, velocity, variety, viability and value. It then provides an overview of how big data works by presenting the big data supply chain. The key points are that big data enables new insights but also poses challenges for storage, analysis and use due to its scale and complexity.