BUILDING DATA SCIENCE

Caitlin Hudon

Rapid Insight 2021

● Lead Data Scientist @ OnlineMedEd● Co-organizer of R-Ladies Austin● Data science generalist

caitlinhudon.com | @beeonaposy

I’m Caitlin Hudon

Have data

Have business questions

Need someone to help

EARLY STAGE PROJECTS

ADD VALUE

DATA PLUMBING INFRASTRUCTURE

Data collection mechanisms

Data pipelinesDatabases and

warehousesEDA, analysis, and ML tools

FOUNDATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Documentation and knowledge capture

Policies, politics, and communication

Plan to deliver on goals

Team structure, culture,

and roles

THE FIRST WEEK (ISH)

✅ Learning the business model✅ Get access to all of the things✅ Talk to stakeholders✅ Start to learn data and its lineage✅ Start documenting

FIRST MONTH: SETTING UP SHOP

1. Stack tools2. Data dictionary3. Query library4. Sandboxes + templates

STACK TOOLS

DATA DICTIONARY

QUERY LIBRARY (GIT YOUR SQL TOGETHER)

SANDBOX PROJECTS W/ NOTEBOOKS

FIRST SIX MONTHS: DECISIONS, DECISIONS

1. How can we help w/ business intelligence?2. Are we collecting enough data?3. How do we share our analyses?4. Can we help other departments?5. How can we start to shape data pipelines?6. What other resources do we need?

DATA COLLECTION

SHARING ANALYSES INTERNALLY

DATA-ENABLED MARKETING

SHAPING DATA PIPELINES

1. Focusing on pain points2. Creating curated version of the truth3. Automating where it makes sense

KNOWLEDGE DOCUMENTATION

AND MORE KNOWLEDGE DOCUMENTATION

TICKET TAGS

BUILDING CULTURE

CONSIDER AN INTAKE FORM

CONSIDER AN INTAKE FORM

SHARE YOUR ROADMAP

UPCOMING PROJECTS

1. Adding more data to data pipelines2. Enabling stakeholders with (more) data3. More analysis!

TOWARDS DATA SCIENCE?

PICK A GOOD FIRST PROJECT

1. Talk to stakeholders2. What’s working? What’s not?3. Where could data be most helpful?

ADD VALUE

ASK FOR HELP

caitlinhudon.com | @beeonaposy | #buildingDS

Fin

QUESTIONS FOR BUSINESS STAKEHOLDERS

1. What data or reports could help you make your department more successful? (What data do you wish you had?)

2. What data do you use currently? (Where do you access it, and do you know how it’s created?)

3. Do you have any questions about data at OME?

BUY VS. BUILD + VENDOR DECISIONS

1. Develop thorough understanding of the problem and organization-specific pain points

2. Get a lay of the land -- what solutions exist?3. Ask for advice4. Consider pros and cons of short- and long-term

solutions5. Make a decision!