Stepping on the Cracks—Transcending the Certainties of Big Data Analytics Peter M. Bednar and Christine Welch Abstract Every aspect of modern life is dominated by decision-making and the availability of data. We constantly access, process and evaluate data as we navigate complex and uncertain problem spaces. Communication and Information Technolo- gies (ICTs) have developed to a point where it is possible for very large data sets, measured in Exabyte, to be stored across many servers and gathered by many dif- ferent people and organizations, for multiple purposes. At the same time, research into Artificial Intelligence has progressed to a point where human decision-making can be supported, or even replaced, by intelligent agents and robotics. We recognize that many routine jobs that were once carried out by people can now be done faster and more flexibly using robotics, and software robotics has now moved beyond the factory and into administrative processes. The possibilities for such systems are enor- mous and can deliver many benefits to business, governments and ordinary citizens. However, there is also a downside to be considered. Is there still a role for human experience and intuition? How can we ensure that the benefits of analytics and AI continue to outweigh threats? How should we approach management of BI and AI on an on-going basis? This paper advocates an open systems approach in which B&AI may be incorporated with tools that support complex methods of inquiry. Keywords Decision support · Big data analytics · Business intelligence AI · Open systems · Dempster-Shafer theory · Complexity P. M. Bednar School of Computing, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK e-mail: peter.bednar@port.ac.uk P. M. Bednar Department of Informatics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden C. Welch (B ) Operations & Systems Management Group, Portsmouth Business School, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK e-mail: christine.welch@port.ac.uk © Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2019 F. Cabitza et al. (eds.), Organizing for the Digital World, Lecture Notes in Information Systems and Organisation 28, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90503-7_12 149