Don't Use a Sledgehammer to Crack a Nut: When Is Data Science an Appropriate Path to Take?

There is much hype (and expectation) around data science, but it can be easy to get lost in the buzz of it all. It can be both difficult to define it and to distinguish when to use it. You will find that you do not necessarily need data science to solve every business problem you encounter.  

In this discussion, we will guide you on how to not oversize or overthink a project out of the gate, help you understand when to choose data science solutions to solve a business problem and what impact it will have in solving it (vs. using other techniques). 

Speaker:

Kevin Croxall, Ph.D. Director of Data Science, Expeed Software

 After spending a decade as a research scientist, Dr. Kevin Croxall transitioned to life as a Data Scientist in the consulting industry. He has subsequently worked on numerous projects as a team member and leader to solve complex quandaries in the government and commercial sectors. He is also actively involved with the Erdös Institute to help graduate students better navigate a career transition out of academics. Dr. Croxall has worked with diverse types of data to tackle problems from automated image analysis to the development of algorithms to optimize workflows and predict maintenance on multibillion-dollar programs. He has worked with both highly structured data, such as time-series, and complex unstructured data, such as medical dictations. In addition to working with diverse data sets, Dr. Croxall is adept at understanding the problems laid out by business leaders and how to design systems that provide solutions. While the design and implementation are key parts of a solution, so too is communication. Having spent years in a field where presentations were made to and questions could come from both university professors and grade-school kids, Dr. Croxall is highly effective at communicating the story of the data and explaining the solution to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Interested in sponsoring this meeting? Contact marketing@technologyfirst.org