This document discusses using AWS cloud for rapid prototyping of big data minimum viable products (MVPs). Key benefits of cloud computing include no upfront costs, ability to scale quickly, and pay only for resources used. Typical big data use cases involve retrospective analysis, real-time processing, and machine learning. The document demonstrates building a basic Hadoop cluster on AWS in 15 minutes for word count analysis. It recommends measuring MVP outcomes and considering ongoing cloud use based on needs for 24/7 access, internal resources, and security requirements.