There are a lot of conversations about the value of data. The Economist wrote in 2017 a thought provoking article titled “The world’s most valuable resource is no longer oil, but data.” This led to a distinct split in opinions where some thought leaders agreed and some disagreed. At the same time, this led to the data science hype where hundreds of platforms teaching data science courses emerged and thousands of job applicants started to put a variation of “data analyst” or “data scientist” in their CVs.
To be fully transparent, I was among this group of individuals. It was an eye-opening moment where I realised that this is an amazing opportunity and that I had a lot to learn to get to a level in data analytics where I feel worthy of the title, “data scientist”. The journey was motivating and frightening at the same time.
Since that moment, I realised that a data scientist isn’t a one-man team. Data science can only be done with the addition of different individuals with very distinct skill sets. A lot of companies are focusing on hiring unicorn talent who can do PHDs in Statistics, Mathematics, Machine learning and Artificial Intelligence but they don’t realise that it’s a team that they require.
In addition, my main focus is on merging data with creativity. I believe that data can merge with art. Someone like Steve Jobs was a creative individual who happened to work with engineers and it led to Apple. Nike is another great example where engineering meets beautiful design and aesthetics.
I have a passion for the story that lies in the data. I have a passion for merging data with creativity. Furthermore, I believe that now more than ever, there is a need to simplify. I must admit that as a data enthusiast, I can get stuck in my technical jargon. However, the most beautiful things happen when one can retranslate things in a simple way so that more people can contribute to the process. The field of data visualization is an exciting one. Imagine combining a team of engineers with a team of creatives who speak different languages but who are able to meet in the middle because they are inspired by a vision so big and inspiring that they leave their ego at the door and work towards making a breakthrough product.
Art is data. You can analyse a painting and you may find a pattern in the colors or the characters in the canva. When you talk to a creative professional, you can detect a high level of analytical thinking expressed in a creative way. In addition, art and creativity are the things that we can’t necessarily explain with words. When you merge data and art or creativity, you get the best of both worlds. When you use Apple products, it’s intuitive because a team of brilliant individuals spent time thinking, feeling and experiencing these products so that you can use them without any instruction guide. It just feels natural. It’s designed in a way that fits the way that human beings process information. There is the genius of Steve Jobs and Apple.
Currently, we have echo chambers where data geeks speak to each other and we have creative geeks doing the same.
What if both could meet in the middle?
