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Numbers
need
words.
By Barton Poulson
Founder, datalab.cc
Intermountain Big Data Conference
Salt Lake City, UT
21 November 2015
Or, how narrative
takes your analysis
from irrelevant to
irreplaceable.
You’ve
got
data mojo!
Numbers need words: How narrative takes your analysis from irrelevant to irreplaceable
调产耻迟…皑
Data mojo
≠
value.
Data mojo
× story =
value.
That’s
multiplicative,
not additive.
{mojo} × 0 = 0
No story?
No value.
What
clients
want.
The
meaning.
The
value.
The
plan.
The
problems.
Egocentrism.
Jean Piaget.
Perspective test.
False consensus.
“Everybody drinks.”
Even in 1640.
Anchoring.
Broncos FTW!
Seahawks 43-8.
Probability.
叠补测别蝉’罢丑别辞谤别尘.
Client
!=
you.
Can’t crawl in.
What
to
do?
1.Answer the questions.
2.Know the context.
3.Give the next steps.
4.Make it look good.
Answer
the
questions.
-State the question.
-Give your answer.
-Qualify as needed.
-Go in order.
Should you
explain process?
Analysis is
always about
simplification.
Numbers need words: How narrative takes your analysis from irrelevant to irreplaceable
– Ludwig Mies van der Rohe,
after Robert Browning
Less is more.
Numbers need words: How narrative takes your analysis from irrelevant to irreplaceable
– Albert Einstein
If you can’t explain it simply,
you don’t understand it
well enough.
Know
the
context.
Code Stats
Domain
Data
Science
Code Stats
Domain
Data
Science
Social
Numbers need words: How narrative takes your analysis from irrelevant to irreplaceable
– Yogi Berra
We’re lost,
but we’re making
good time.
-Unstated constraints?
-Contradictory goals?
-Client’s ability?
-Social e?ects?
You have correlation.
They want causation.
Give the
next
steps.
Numbers need words: How narrative takes your analysis from irrelevant to irreplaceable
– William James
My thinking is first and last
and always for the sake
of my doing.
-Recommend actions.
-Goal oriented.
-Be specific.
Numbers need words: How narrative takes your analysis from irrelevant to irreplaceable
-Baby steps.
-Doable by client.
-Build on each step.
Make it
look
good.
Numbers need words: How narrative takes your analysis from irrelevant to irreplaceable
Numbers need words: How narrative takes your analysis from irrelevant to irreplaceable
Numbers need words: How narrative takes your analysis from irrelevant to irreplaceable
-Medium.com
-PLOS.org
-Royal Society
Open Science
E
^
> <
Numbers need words: How narrative takes your analysis from irrelevant to irreplaceable
Sorry, Mitt.
Make it flow.
Make it
make sense.
Robert Sternberg.
Well-presented good ideas
are better than
well-presented bad ideas.
Poorly-presented good ideas
are indistiguishable from
poorly-presented bad ideas.
Be creative.
Be original.
Even in data science.
Especially then.
Superstar
graphics
are nice.
Myst.
Portal.
But so are
simple
ones.
Asteroids.
Dwarf Fortress.
Canabalt.
Minecraft.
A
tiny
example.
Was
Berkeley
biased?
The first
impression.
Numbers need words: How narrative takes your analysis from irrelevant to irreplaceable
Looks like bias.
But wait…
break it down.
Numbers need words: How narrative takes your analysis from irrelevant to irreplaceable
But data isn’t
enough.
Look at context.
Why do programs
vary in class size?
Why do
acceptance rates
di?er?
Why do men and
women apply to
di?erent programs?
Possible next
steps?
-Identify departments.
-Check admissions criteria.
-Check prior education.
-Check funding.
-Adjust or raise funds?
Fire it up!
linkedin.com/company/datalab.cc
facebook.com/datalab.cc
@datalabcc
bartonpoulson.com
linkedin.com/in/bartonpoulson
Numbers need words: How narrative takes your analysis from irrelevant to irreplaceable

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Numbers need words: How narrative takes your analysis from irrelevant to irreplaceable