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at the problem, it is much more nuanced
than that. The key to turning data into
insights is to do what machines cannot. Data
scientists have several character traits that
facilitate this.
FEATURE: BIG DATA
that of leadership. Data scientists must
communicate their ideas in such a way that
they can influence people and move them
into action.
Science versus analysis
At the core is a curiosity of gaining a deeper
understanding of data and discovering
what is relevant to the business. Empathy is
another skill that is important as connecting
with others provide better insight to what
people’s requirements are. Some still fail to see the difference between
analysts and scientists. The former is more
focused on being reactive to data while
the latter uses insights to be predictive and
finding ways to change future behaviour.
Building from here is having the imagination
to come up with ideas that do not yet
exist. The final ‘human’ skill required is Of course, this does not mean a business
should prioritise the one over the other. Both
sets of skills are important as enterprises
www.intelligentcio.com
Adebayo Sanni, Managing Director,
Oracle Nigeria
INTELLIGENTCIO
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