{"id":4912,"date":"2015-07-30T15:04:43","date_gmt":"2015-07-30T09:34:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.officechai.com\/?p=4912"},"modified":"2016-06-21T15:00:29","modified_gmt":"2016-06-21T09:30:29","slug":"data-science-overview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/officechai.com\/learn\/data-science-overview\/","title":{"rendered":"Data Scientist: The Sexiest Job of 21st Century"},"content":{"rendered":"

An increasing number of companies, both large and small, are now using enormous\u00a0amount of data for analysis to gain information to better support their company and\u00a0serve their customers. The scale and magnitude of data confronting companies is\u00a0difficult to imagine.\u00a0Take this. A study has estimated that by 2024, the world’s\u00a0enterprise servers will annually process the digital equivalent of a stack of books\u00a0extending more than 4.37 light-years to Alpha Centauri, our closest star system in\u00a0the Milky Way Galaxy. That’s a lot of data to gather and\u00a0analyze!<\/span><\/p>\n

Business or data analysts have been around for a while. However, during the last\u00a0decade, data scientists have had the spotlight turned on them. In an article in the October 2012\u00a0issue of Harvard Business Review, the data scientist\u2019s job was termed as the sexiest\u00a0job of the 21st century!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Data-science\"
Source: rudebaguette.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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First, what does a data scientist do?<\/span><\/p>\n

A data scientist represents an evolution from the business or data analyst role. The\u00a0formal training is similar, with courses in computer science and applications,\u00a0modelling, statistics, analytics and math. However, it is to be supplemented with a\u00a0strong business acumen and ability to communicate findings to business leaders in a\u00a0way that can influence how an organization approaches a business challenge. It is\u00a0said that good data scientists do not just address problems; they pick the problems\u00a0that have most value to the organization.<\/span><\/p>\n

While a data analyst may look only at data from a single source, a data scientist will\u00a0explore and examine data from multiple disparate sources. The data scientist will sift\u00a0through all incoming data with the goal of discovering a previously hidden insight,\u00a0which in turn can provide a competitive advantage or address a pressing business\u00a0problem. A data scientist does not simply collect and report on data, but also looks at\u00a0it from many angles, determines what it means, then recommends ways to apply the\u00a0data.<\/span><\/p>\n

Data scientists are inquisitive: exploring, asking questions, doing \u201cwhat if\u201d analyses, and\u00a0questioning existing assumptions and processes. Armed with data and analytical\u00a0results, a top-tier data scientist will then communicate informed conclusions and\u00a0recommendations across an organization\u2019s leadership structure.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here’s a great video of a data scientist talking about his work<\/span><\/p>\n