The Science of Managing Data Scientists

transcript

Kate Matsudaira

Tuesday, February 26, 13

What are they doing all day?

http://data.whicdn.com/images/29273643/funny-science-news-experiments-memes-super-science_large.jpg

Data science is different

Research doesn’t fit

image src:http://laurajul.dk/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-06-at-00.03.57.png

the traditional SDLC

image src: legoexpress.tumblr.com

Good help is hard to find

(and keep)

image src: www.ideachampions.com

Bring transparency

Logistics

Communication

Do you speak the same language?

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What does it mean to be finished?

image source: ladywhodoesntlunch.blogspot.com

Define “quality”

image source: http://www.sodahead.com/fun/

What do precision and recall mean?

RGive them a lesson in semantics

Before

Precision: 80%Recall 25%

For the top search terms* accessories appear 25% of the time on the first page.

For top search terms the head products are present 90% of the time in the top 3 results, 98% of the time in the top5.

✴ Top search terms are the 1000 most popular queries on our website over the last 30 days.

Measure with data that matters

image source: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6971185-0-large.jpg

This is a really hard problem.

We know it is hard...

We know it is hard...but we don’t know

why it is hard.

Use analogies & examples

The dandelion swayed in the gentle breeze like an oscillating electric fan set on medium.

Constructing model lineages for products is really difficult.

Macbook Air

Macbook

Macbook Pro

?Bravia

EX500 LCD

BraviaEX620 LED

BraviaEX523 LCD

Be specificTuesday, February 26, 13

Product Evolution

We are building a

lineage

Take it up a level

image src: www.clarkgriswoldcollection.com

Show before

image src: www.clarkgriswoldcollection.com

Show before

and after

Logistics

How do you create a sense of urgency?

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What are the reasons behind it?

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Deadlines in research?

They don’t call it

research for nothin’

image source: http://sausagetails.com/2012/07/

You can’t predict the future

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Applying “agile” to R&D

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Backlog of experimentsTrips to Hawaii

That’s doesn’t sound agile....

Backlog of experiments

Regular Demos

Trips to Hawaii

Backlog of experiments

Regular Demos

Trips to Hawaii

Defined workflow with iterations

Collect Data Do we have the

right data?

Do we have the infrastructure to

analyze the data?

Build it...

Run experimentsGet results

Are we finished or do

we need more.....?

Start Here

Research

Experiments can take a while...

image source: www.wallpapermay.com Tuesday, February 26, 13

Take tools out of the equation

image source: http://www.holesinyoursocks.com/2011/02/14/funny-monday-tool-love-happy-valentines-day/

Focus on feeds and files

Image source: http://carcat.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/funny-pictures-cat-searches-for-a-file.jpg

Format & storage standards/prices

/date=2012-07-01

price-obs.2012-07-01.csv.gz

/date=2012-07-02

/date=2012-07-01

2012-07-01T00-10-00.csv.gz

2012-07-01T00-20-00.csv.gz

Where is your golden set?

image source: ads/2011/09/4bc2dd714ecb9eebb3a66d074638.jpeg

Building trust

image source: http://writealoud.com/funny-dinosaur-pictures/

Their motivations

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Their motivations

Hard problems to solve

Their motivations

My work in the wild serving customers

Their motivations

Recognition for a job well done

Being GOLD!

Their motivations

Recognition for a job well done

Open the door to higher-ups

Being GOLD!

Minimize time-to-ship

image source: : http://2smallerwheels.blogspot.com/2011/09/speedy-delivery.html

Let them own the data

image source: http://www.cloudproviderusa.com/weekly-dose-of-humor-mo-data-mo-problems/

Let me write a program

image src: http://funnyfilez.funnypart.com/pictures/FunnyPart-com-geek_on_the_go.jpg

Algorithms can’t solve everything

Even though we wish they could!

Manual data can be awesome

image source: http://www.funnyjunk.com/funny_pictures/4416618/LOOK+AT+DE+PUPPY/

Can you do the impossible?

image source: anybody-want-a-peanut.blogspot.com

Data Miners aren’t

magicians

image source: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zmT48r8jfbE/S1z4t5L7JxI/AAAAAAAAAJU/1vYZmc5lhBU/s400/steve-brooks-magician.jpg

You CAN make failure look good

image source: http://fightthebees.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/cow-fail.jpg

Your challenge:

Should you choose to accept it....

Your challenge:Take a difficult problem and

transform it into a feature

Should you choose to accept it....

1.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 $300

256GB flash storage

Intel HD Graphics 4000

Apple premium

8GB SDRAM

$1050Estimated Value:

HARD: Value Estimation

EASIER: Comparing Products

Think with your business hat

image source: memegenerator.net

How do you surface ideas & insights?

image source: http://static.someecards.com/someecards/usercards/1327680406361_4248272.png

Show ‘em

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And show ‘em

image source: http://www.social-science.co.uk/research/

Negative results happen

image source: http://www.theofrak.com/2012/09/existential-star-wars.html

The journey is the reward

image source: failblog.org

Communication

Logistics

Communication

Logistics

Communication

Questionshttp://katemats.com

@katemats

Questionshttp://katemats.com

@katemats

May the forces of evil get lost on the way to

your doorstep.

The Science of Managing Data Scientists

Technology