So, you’ve decided you want to harness the power of data to improve your business… but where do you begin? Getting started with data science can be quite an overwhelming process. Nowadays, organisations often collect more data than they know what to do with. Without the necessary skills and knowledge, the potential within all of that information remains unrealised. Here are our three top tips to ensure your introduction to data science runs smoothly and generates real value.
1. Learn the fundamentals first
We’re living in an age where there’s an incredible amount of data science tools and technology available to us, which continuously evolve to ensure there’s always something new to learn. It’s natural to get caught up in the latest tech as we all want to stay ahead of the curve and ensure our practices are as innovative as possible. However, this excitement can tempt us to skip the most fundamental steps and head straight for the high-level tools. Although it may not be what makes the headlines, without knowing the basics, you’ll struggle to see any pay-off from even the smartest of technologies.
2. Start with a business aim
We’ve established, then, that you have to start at the beginning, but you may not know what the beginning looks like for you. There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to data - every business will have an end goal that’s specific to them. This means:
- the data needed,
- the format it should be presented in,
- how it needs to be manipulated to make it ready for processing and,
- the tools or technology that will help to achieve that goal,
will look different for each organisation. So, the first step in every data science journey should be a business aim.
3. Don’t be led by the tech, let your objective decide the tool
It’s important to stress that until you know more about your objective and what needs to be done to your data to meet it, you won’t be able to identify which tool or technology is up to the task. This means that you shouldn’t go into your project with a specific piece of tech in mind. Yes, you may have mastered the basics enough to use it effectively and may be really excited to try it out, but not all tools are fit for all purposes. Plus, being guided by what works best rather than by what’s trending is a great way to broaden your data science and AI knowledge, allowing you to remain open to valuable opportunities you may not have considered yet!
At our Data Innovation Showcase, we asked members of our team and some of the experts who spoke at the event what advice they’d give to someone new to data science tools and technology. Here’s what they had to say:
The National Innovation Centre for Data can work with your business to upskill your team in data science and AI. We can help you to identify what your aim is and introduce you to the tools that would work best for your goal and the value you want to bring to your organisation. Contact us to get started.
Our Technical Director, Richie Ramsden, has been working on a new method for deciding how to find the right data to solve your problems – the Data Needs Assessment (DNA) - which you may find useful. You can read his article on the method here.
Register your interest
Planning for our 2024 Data Innovation Showcase is well underway, and it's shaping up to be our most exciting and innovative event yet! Register your interest and be the first to find out about our exciting lineup of speakers, masterclasses and workshops. If you're interested in innovation and data science, this is the ultimate event that's not to be missed!
In the meantime, you can check out the jam-packed programme full of speakers, masterclasses and workshops from 2023's Data Innovation Showcase here for a sneak preview of what to expect on 25 and 26 September 2024.
