What is Data Science?

What is Data Science?

Data science is not about making complicated models. It's not about building pretty visualizations and it's not like that writing code. It is about using data to create as much impact as possible for any company.

Now, the impact may be within the sort of multiple things. It could be in the form of insights of data products or in the form of product recommendations for a company.

To do those things, you need tools like making complicated models for data visualizations or writing code. but essentially as a data scientist your job is to solve real company problems using data and what kind of tools you use that no one cares about.

There is a lot of misconception about data science especially on YouTube and I think the reason for this is because there is a huge misalignment between what's popular to talk about what's needed in the industry.

So because of that, we want to make things clear that companies really emphasize using data to improve their products.

Before data science, we popularized the term data mining in a writing called from data processing to knowledge discovered in databases in 1996 during which it mentioned the general process of discovering useful information from data.

In 2001 William S. Cleveland brings data mining to a different level. He combining computer science and data mining concepts together.

Basically, he turns statistics a lot more technical which expands the possibilities of data mining and produces a powerful force for innovation.

Now you can take the advantage of the compute power of statistics and record this combo data science. 

Launching on now when web 2.0 emerged where websites aren't any longer just a digital pamphlet, but a medium for a shared experience amongst millions and variant users.

These are websites like my space in 2003, Facebook in 2004, and YouTube in 2005. we can now interact with these websites.

The difference is between explaining and predicting.

Data Analyst usually explains what's happening by processing the history of the information. But Data Scientists not only do exploratory analysis to get insights from it but also use various advanced algorithms to spot the occurrence of a specific event within the future.

A Data Scientist will have a look at the info from many angles sometimes angles not known earlier.

So the popular types of analytics followed as:

1. Predictive causal analytics 

2. Prescriptive analytics

3. Machine learning for making predictions 

4. Machine learning for pattern discovery

Predictive causal analytics

Predicting the possibilities of a particular event in the future via model you need to apply predictive causal analytics.

Prescriptive analytics

On-demand a model that has the intelligence of taking its own decisions and the ability to modify it with dynamic parameters, then certainly need prescriptive analytics for it.

Machine learning for creating predictions

If you've got transactional data of a nondepository financial institution and wish to create a model to see the long-run trend, then machine learning algorithms are the simplest bet. This falls under the paradigm of supervised learning. It's called supervised because you got the info already supported which you'll train your machines.

Machine learning for pattern discovery

If you do not have the parameters supported in which you'll make predictions, then you would like to seek out out the hidden patterns within the dataset to be ready to make meaningful predictions.

On an unsupervised model as you do not have any predefined labels for grouping. The common algorithm used for pattern discovery is Clustering.

Let us say you're working for a phone company and you wish to ascertain a network by putting towers in an exceeding region. Then, you'll use the clustering technique to seek out those tower locations which are able to make sure that all the users receive optimum signal strength.

Why Data Science?

Traditionally, the information that we had was mostly structured and tiny in size, which may well be analyzed by using simple BI tools. Dissimilarly data in the regular systems which were mostly structured, But today most of the data is unstructured or semi-structured.

Let us have a glance at the info trends within the image given below which shows that by 2020, over 80 you look after the info are unstructured. This data is generated from different sources. Likely logs, text files, multimedia forms, sensors, and instruments.

Simple BI tools don't seem to be capable of processing this huge volume and sort of data. this is often why we want more complex and advanced analytical tools and algorithms for processing, analyzing, and drawing meaningful insights out of it.

Let us take a unique scenario to know the role of Data Science in deciding.

How does it like to see that your car had the intelligence to drive you home? 

Self-driving cars collect live data from sensors, including radars, cameras, and lasers to make a map of their surroundings. Supported this data, it takes decisions like when to hurry up when to slow down when to overtake, where to require a turn-making use of advanced machine learning algorithms.

Let us see how Data Science may be employed in predictive analytics.

Let us take weather forecasting as an example. To build model ships, aircraft, radars, satellites provided data can be collected and analyzed.

This model not only forecasts the weather but also helps to predict the occurrence of any natural calamities. It'll facilitate you to require appropriate measures before and save many precious lives.

Business Intelligence (BI) vs. Data Science

Business Intelligence (BI) basically analyzes the previous data to detect hindsight and insight into elaborate business trends.

Here BI gives a feature to extract data from external and internal resources and make dashboards to answer questions like quarterly revenue analysis or business problems. 

BI has the ability to evaluate the impact of certain events within the near future.

Data Science may be a more forward-looking approach, an exploratory way with the main target on analyzing the past or current data and predicting the long-run outcomes with the aim of constructing informed decisions. 

Data Science has the ability to “what” and “how” events occur.

A common mistake on the project is rushing into data collection and analysis, without understanding the wants or perhaps framing the business problem appropriately.

Therefore, it's important for you to follow all the phases throughout the lifecycle of information Science to make sure the sleek functioning of the project.

Who can choose?

Data scientists are highly educated 88% to have at least a Masters degree and 46% have PhDs and some are notable exceptions, a very strong educational background is usually needed to develop on depth knowledge necessary to become a data scientist.

"You could earn a Bachelors degree in Computer science, Social sciences, Physical sciences, and Statistics to become a Data Scientist"

The popular fields of studies are Mathematics and Statistics (32%), followed by Computer Science (19%) and Engineering (16%). A degree in any of these sectors will give you the skills to process and analyze big data.

After your study, you are not complete yet. The reality is, most data scientists have a degree or Ph.D., and that they also undertake online training to be told a special skill like a way to use Hadoop or Big Data querying.

Therefore, you'll be able to enroll in a masters program within the field of knowledge Science, Mathematics, Astrophysics, or the other related field. The talents you've got learned during your syllabus will enable you to simply transition to data science.

Apart from classroom learning, you'll be able to practice what you learned within the classroom by building an app, starting a blog, or exploring data analysis to enable you to find out more.

R Programming

In-depth knowledge of a minimum of one in all these analytical tools for data science R is usually preferred. R is specifically designed for data science needs. you'll be able to use R to resolve any problem you encounter in data science.

In fact, 43 percent of information scientists are using R to resolve statistical problems. However, R includes a steep learning curve.

Technical Skills: Computer Science

Python Coding

Hadoop Platform 

SQL Database/Coding

Apache Spark

Machine Learning and AI

Data Visualization

Unstructured data

Non-Technical Skills

Intellectual curiosity 

Business acumen 

Communication skills

Teamwork

If you are ready to grab the topic of data science and data analytics, Dataquest and hr venture can help. Start your journey today.