Data Science : Chapter 2

Wanted the title to be "Data Science: Reloaded" or "Data Science 2.0' but "Chapter 2" gives it a growth-mind-set connotation instead of a dramatic (read cheesy lol) title 

I was introduced to this 6-month Data Science certificate program by my ex-colleague Noman Bhai. It was an instant 'yes' as back of my mind I always wanted to reinforce my past learning about Data Science. I completed my Masters in Management Analytics from Queen's Univ and it has been 5 years since then.

This program uses Python which was another driver in plunging into this certification. I am halfway done (almost end of Module 3) and must say it has been a great journey. Learning a lot from Zoom class sessions, met some dynamic members from cohort from different backgrounds. It has given me lot of exposure to the statistical modeling and make me appreciate it even more with the introduction of Python. 

Young and enthusiast faculty. The passion and desire in explaining Data Science and stats concept is evident. Most of them are pursuing Masters or PhDs; delivering gems in professional and respectful manner.  

Presentations complimented with lab sessions to reinforce the concepts. TA always accessible for any questions. Each module has sporadic quizzes. Every module has written (virtual) and practical (take-away) exam - honestly not my strong forte studying for exams (anymore lol).

Nevertheless, I have something to look forward to on weekends. It is painful to get up early on weekends as weekends are the only 'no alarm' sleeps - but not anymore. Hey - I ain't complaining. I did mention I am enjoying them - learning is fun (sometimes) :)

The biggest 'surprise' (as so may call it) was my introduction to Konain Qurban. In hindsight, embarking on this certification seems like an excuse as destiny wanted me to meet him. Younger than me but an enormous wealth of experience, information and wisdom (had to say that part lol).  He is a trail blazer - he is the founder of this institute - Frontier Institute of Technology. A visionary. If a title exists, he is clearly the front runner for "30 under 30" in Pakistan !

On a lighter side, he also introduced me and family to the best Hyderabadi restaurant in Canada! Will go again when you are back in December !

Almost forgot, we also must do a Capstone Project. I have been assigned a group - looking forward to this sub-journey.

On a serious note, I should start my Assignment for my Module 3. One thing to add,  from work front - it is so damn busy as Covid has shamelessly erased the work-home boundaries, end up working much more and feeling burnt-down as well. I can write more but will hold that thought for later post (plus need to stop procrastinating and get on with the assignment! ) 

 

*Edits. Captured my social media 'fame' lol :

 

Story telling...

A lot has been written and preached about the art of story telling. A simple reason why it is important: Humans get fascinated by stories. It is part of Homo Sapiens nomenclature. It intrigues us, captures our attention and registers a strong impact in our Gray matter.

With Analytics; 'Story telling' is being thrust into the foreground in the decision making process. It brings a 'human touch' in to the world of Big Data and Analytics where 'models' and 'stats' form the bulk of Machine Learning paradigm. 

Yes, you acquire data faster than ever before (Velocity). Yes, you store data than ever before (Volume). Yes, you get data from different channels in different timings (Variety). 

Story telling becomes a need rather than a wish. It serves not only to entertain but to elucidate.

But the main ingredient that will make people trust and appreciate your story is the consistency.

I had my hot water tank break down Monday morning while getting ready to work (I know eh!). A technician came in the morning only to conclude that he has to order some parts and only then can it be fixed.

From the next moment, it was just a waiting game. I was calling them intermittently to check on the status. Amusingly and frustratingly, I was getting different versions of the story every time I called (even if I called again after hanging up). 

"The parts will be couriered to your place" said Caller 1. "The parts will be delivered to the Technician" confirmed Caller 2. "The parts will be mailed to the Material Department and then they will call the Technician" refuted Caller 3.

On the screens, they all see my call history and the notes by the technicians. 

Every caller was quiet confident and made me assured their version of the story is correct. A coherency in the process workflow aka story was clearly lacking.The same data should provide the same story. Always.

At this moment, I am waiting for a technician to come Tuesday morning to rescue me from my misery. 

Stats is Math

In my past academic life I always boasted my Math aptitude. I excelled in Math tests and exams in school and university:
From solving quadratic algebraic equations to proving trigonometric equations; from finding tangent in Geometry to calculating derivative of differential equations in Calculus. I used to be proud of my Mathematical prowess.
I was also humble of my natural talent;  helped peers to grasp the obvious concepts which they found elusive. Alright I was not that humble lol.

Behold! There was another branch of Math which brought me to my knees: Statistics! In my undergrad, I shrugged off this weakness by dismissing Stats not really being pure Maths. When I encountered this subject again in my Masters program I had a different level of appreciation for this important pillar of Mathematics.

Statistics is the backbone of Economics and Maths. Stats interlinks Geeks and Business people. Stats can tell stories about data which would otherwise be nothing but heap of coal i.e. useless. Statistical Analysis harness the data to turn into diamond! 
From predicting forecasting models to finding correlations between customer behavior and store temperature - you need deep Statistics understanding to validate or discover any trends.

With data being the digital gold for corporates, many companies are mining data to run statistical analysis on the data. Companies are making key strategic decisions that are more analytic driven rather than relying on gut feeling.

From 'Minority Report' to 'Money Ball' Stats is the Hero

Ending from a quote by Bernard Shaw:

"It is the mark of a truly intelligent person to be moved by statistics"