The data analytics space is evolving fast, and I’m excited about how AI is bringing us closer to what we always hoped to achieve with traditional analytics and machine learning systems.
We have big goals, and reaching them requires not only technical skills but new levels of problem-solving and creativity.
A Thought Experiment
What if we could start from scratch?
Yesterday I came across an inspiring LinkedIn post, where senior analytics engineer Oleg Agapov shared an interesting thought experiment:
What if ETL/ELT never existed in the way we know it today? What would the alternative look like?. He suggested a potential solution where, instead of an ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) or ELT (Extract, Load, Transform) pipeline, there would be just two components: a data extractor and a data analyser.
This type of exploratory/hypothetical thinking is extremely powerful, particularly today because AI is unlocking vast amounts of data from a variety of new sources, and people (not only the analysts) can access data and interact with it much more dynamically.
The Insight is in the Details
This reminded me of a moment from my podcast episode with Bill Schmarzo, where he highlighted how AI is allowing us to interact with data at new levels of granularity and how important that is. Here’s a short clip capturing that moment:
🎥 Bill Schmarzo: The Insight is in the Details
Another dimension Bill Schmarzo has been bringing to light is the technical work behind the scenes. Extracting real value from AI for decision-making doesn’t happen automatically. It requires a deep understanding of data science methods and a clear framework for applying them sensibly to real-world needs. You can read his latest article here:
Attention to detail is critical, and the skill and judgment of business leaders and data scientists is more important than ever for making AI a valuable tool.
On Creativity
I also had the pleasure of discussing these topics with Jacob Sanders, a marketer, content strategist, and musician who has made incredible creative contributions to marketing and data analytics. Including award-winning audio dramas and musicals about the data world!
From a distance, working with data can seem like a highly technical and objective domain. But real-world data is human, imperfect, chaotic, and dynamic. It is a real challenge to organise the mess and turn it into something meaningful, even beautiful.
This clip is enlightening because Jacob Sanders reminds us how much the way we approach data work matters. As data professionals, we need to stay close to the real world, and work with initiative and curiosity.
🎥 Jacob Sanders: Bring Your Creativity to the Table!
An invitation
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Have an awesome day,
Silvina.
Thanks for sharing my blog, Silvina!