“A picture is worth a thousand words.” This cliche has its roots in psychology. It turns out that the human brain has a very difficult time understanding data without visualizations. Even very simple tasks (such as remembering the three words “dog, bike, and street”) are easier when they’re accompanied with visual representations instead of just […]
Understanding and Building Data Literacy Skills
Literacy is, broadly speaking, the ability to understand others’ ideas and communicate one’s own. When considering specific types of literacy, that same core principle remains. In this way, data literacy can be defined as the ability to understand information presented through data and to meaningfully communicate ideas using that information. In other words, a data […]
Two Challenges Blocking AI From Its Full Potential
Artificial intelligence has long been promising to disrupt industries, revolutionize economies, and (generally speaking) transform the world as we know it. While many people have dismissed these claims as the work of speculative science fiction, advancing technologies bring them closer and closer to reality every day. The promises of AI are real, and smaller versions […]
In a Data World “Prep Cooks” Wanted: How Preparing Data is Crucial for Effective Use
Cooking shows are very popular, and many of them show creative, talented chefs whipping up delicious and innovative dishes with confidence and skill. What fewer of the shows explore is the prep work that is done in advance to allow those talented chefs to move through their tasks with ease and without distracting barriers to […]
The Case for Data Democratization: Data Scientists Can’t Keep Up . . . Nor Should They
One ongoing debate in the world of work is whether it is better to be a specialist or a generalist. This is a question that has gotten more and more relevant as technological capabilities have changed workplace functions. Is it better to dive deep into a particular skill set and make yourself invaluable in a single […]
What is a Data Catalog and Why Do You Need One?
Data-driven analysis has been the buzzword in business for years now, and most informed business owners understand that they need to adopt data-driven practices if they want to succeed and compete in today’s market. They have probably even gone so far as to invest in technology that captures data in a variety of ways and […]
