What is the relation between CI Pros and Data Scientists? Wouldn't the future of CI PROs to become Data Scientists?

[Sandro Tavares]

IBM: What is a data scientist

http://www-01.ibm.com/software/data/infosphere/data-scientist/

HBR: Data Scientist: The Sexiest Job of the 21st Century

http://hbr.org/2012/10/data-scientist-the-sexiest-job-of-the-21st-c...

NETWORKWORLD: Could data scientist be your next job?

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/060412-data-scientist-259697....

FORBES: The Data Scientist Will Be Replaced By Tools

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gilpress/2012/08/31/the-data-scientist-...

[Sandro Tavares]

Two of the titles of the links above are missing, you can see it below.

 

IBM: What is a data scientist

http://www-01.ibm.com/software/data/infosphere/data-scientist/

FORBES: The Data Scientist Will Be Replaced By Tools

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gilpress/2012/08/31/the-data-scientist-...

[Vivek Raghuvanshi]

It is nice to call them Data Scientists who use Business Intelligence tools for extration and tabulation of data using Quantative Techniques in Management.

 

Quantative Techniques in Management is the domain of Market Research companies to justify their existance.

 

Actionable Intelligence is not generated using Quantative Techniques in Management or using cutting edge Business Intelligence softwares.

 

Actionable Intelligence requires power of analysis, which resides in the human ability to generate insight.

 

 I would say that Data Scientists are good for Collection of Data and tabulating the data as Information including Trends and pattern analysis.

 

 

 

 

[Sandro Tavares]

IBM: So what does a data scientist do?

 

A data scientist represents an evolution from the business or data analyst role. (...) What sets the data scientist apart is strong business acumen, coupled with the ability to communicate findings to both business and IT leaders in a way that can influence how an organization approaches a business challenge. Good data scientists will not just address business problems, they will pick the right problems that have the most value to the organization.

The data scientist role has been described as “part analyst, part artist.” Anjul Bhambhri, vice president of big data products at IBM, says, “A data scientist is somebody who is inquisitive, who can stare at data and spot trends. It's almost like a Renaissance individual who really wants to learn and bring change to an organization."

Whereas a traditional data analyst may look only at data from a single source – a CRM system, for example – a data scientist will most likely explore and examine data from multiple disparate sources. The data scientist will sift through all incoming data with the goal of discovering a previously hidden insight, which in turn can provide a competitive advantage or address a pressing business problem. A data scientist does not simply collect and report on data, but also looks at it from many angles, determines what it means, then recommends ways to apply the data.

Data scientists are inquisitive: exploring, asking questions, doing “what if” analysis, questioning existing assumptions and processes. Armed with data and analytical results, a top-tier data scientist will then communicate informed conclusions and recommendations across an organization’s leadership structure.

http://www-01.ibm.com/software/data/infosphere/data-scientist/

"Data Science is the practice of deriving valuable insights from data. (...) Many practicing data scientist specialize in specific domains such as marketing, medical, security, fraud and finance fields."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_science

[Sandro Tavares]

Vivek,

This interesting article on HBR presents a similar opinion to yours. I have to state that this is discussion that came long from the past, and I believe it did not end yet. Note that people like Chris Anderson and Malcom McGladwell have opinions more like the one I presented here! The article really worth read it!

 

Why Data Will Never Replace Thinking

 

http://blogs.hbr.org/fox/2012/10/why-data-will-never-replace-thinki...

Sandro

[Sandro Tavares]

Vivek,

By the way, take a look at this job at Avon! Don't you think its a merge of BI, CI and DS? And it is marketed as Market Intelligence, MR and Analytics!!!

In some other answers to other people in this topic I said that I would like to reestate my question to something like: When DS and CI professions will gona merge?!

*******************************************

Manager, Marketing Intelligence-

Marketing Research and Analytics

 

Description

 

The Manager, Marketing Intelligence, will help develop, manage and activate Avon's analytic agenda against key corporate initiatives. Leader of implementing relevant analytic projects for key clients, such as Marketing, Sales, Strategic Planning, Merchandising, Demand Planning and Finance in the local markets and regions. Success occurs when the internal client fully integrates the project results into their business planning process and when such personnel define this person as a trusted and critical partner in running their business. Passionate about the transformative power of data and analytics.

 

Principal Duties:

• Works with key stakeholders to activate learning from Global Marketing Intelligence projects by providing recommendations for portfolio optimization, new product incrementality measurement, channel and segmentation analytics, forecasting, digital analytics and utilization of syndicated data sources to address key business questions.
• Helps to deliver key Global Marketing Intelligence projects (i.e. Portfolio Optimization, Forecasting, and Incrementality Models) to Sales, Marketing, Strategic Planning and Finance in the local market and/or global.  Helps to identify appropriate methodologies to provide comprehensive analysis and actionable business applications.
• Facilitates collection, manipulation and QC'ing of various data pieces for use in Global Marketing Intelligence projects.  For example: acquires sales data from GSAM; advertising data from local media contact or Avon's ad agency; and rep staff count, activity and incentive data from Sales, etc.

 

Qualifications

 

• BS in Marketing, Business, Statistics, Economics, Marketing Science.  Other relevant majors can be considered if the candidate possesses relevant analytical / consumer research work experience.
• MBA or Masters in Statistics a plus.
• Familiarity with wide range of statistical methodologies required. Specific technical knowledge about statistics required; we will train the incumbent on Avon-specific applications.
• Experience with Analytics required, and familiarity with Consumer Insights a plus.
• Ability to gather, manipulate, and analyze large sets of data
• Ability to transform data to create a story with actionable insights
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills required.
• SAS/SPSS Skills a Plus
• Strong writing and presentation skills
• Excellent follow-through, prioritization skills, and attention to detail
• Advanced Excel and Powerpoint skills required

https://avon.taleo.net/careersection/consent/jobdetail.ftl?lang=en&...

*****************************************************

[Vivek Raghuvanshi]

Let me take the liberty to say on record that Data Scientists tomorrow can ASPIRE to become Competitive Intelligence professionals.

 

If Business Intelligence softwares and Market Research experts using Quantative Techniques in Management claim to analyse information, let them, we as Competitive Intelligence professionals outclass them with our Qualitative analysis.

[Sandro Tavares]

Vivek,

"Actionable Intelligence requires power of analysis, which resides in the human ability to generate insight."

"we as Competitive Intelligence professionals outclass them with our Qualitative analysis."

 

Your sentences made me remember the chess match Kasparov Vs. Deep Blue, which took place at the twin towers in 1997. In that episode, long ago, the quantitative analyses outperformed the human insights!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Blue_versus_Garry_Kasparov

 

My question is, with the amount of data available (many from social networks) and the precise of computation (statistics, math...), there will be "available room" for CI PROs?

[Vivek Raghuvanshi]

Sandro,

 

This means that NSA and GCHQ should be able to generate Early Warning for their respective governments using quantitative tools.

 

Should we not wonder that why the best companies and governments cannot detect Strategic Inflection Points and Black Swan Events.

 

If people were so smart with quantative tools and business intelligence softwares, surely we would have saved the US Ambassador in Libya.

 

Now data scientists claim to deliver valuable insights from data and so do management consultants and so do business intelligence softwares and so do market research companies. :D)))

 

So what should competitive intelligence guys do?

 

What is the difference if data scientists claim to deliver valuable insights from data and so do management consultants and so do business intelligence softwares and so do market research companies.

 

So should we understand that if data scientists had been hired by US Government then perhaps September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks would have been averted. :D)))

 

 With the best quantatative tools and best business intelligence softwares, should not American Chief Executives wonder whether at all are they welcome in the Middle East.

 

Why Arab Spring was not predicted by our elite data scientists and business intelligence softwares? After all where ever Arab Spring took place are technically markets. :D)))

[Sandro Tavares]

Vivek,

I think that data scientists and big data will start having a more significant impact in the future (after 2015), since this area is new! So, we cannot ask why there was not predictions in the past, 11 years ago in the case of sept 11, if there was no such technology and availability of this amount of data that we will have in the near future, at that time there was no smartphones, no social networks, no geotaging... no big data! In relation to NSA, I encorage you to read this reporting: http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/03/ff_nsadatacenter/

BTW, I think I have to state my question in another way: There will be an "integration" of CI PROs and Data Scientists in one single profession? When it is going to be?

[Vivek Raghuvanshi]

It took the agencies 10 years to track down Mr Osama Bin Laden. :D)))

 

Technology always existed Sandro, but data on Public Domain is Deception. As Competitive Intelligence zealots are propogating CI in every corner of the world, what does this mean?

 

It means all data tomorrow which will be available for harvesting will be intentionally put there to "Mislead" competitors.  :D)))

 

It is a Catch 22 situation Sandro. As the New Religion ie CI is propogated by peaceful means :D))) far and wide on this planet, people will understand where does a competitor or where do competitors look for information.

 

So eventually in our zeal to propogate CI we also train smart competitors who will intentionally put misleading data on Public domain for technology to harvest.

 

Every tom, dick or harry knows that the first place a competitor looks for information is public domain and published sources. so a smart counter intelligence team will intentionally put misleading data on OSINT platform and put misleading data on public domain and misleading data on published sources and there you see, millions of dollars will go down the drain.

 

:D)))

[Vivek Raghuvanshi]

Technology is a boon Sandro, but in the realm of Intelligence technology is a bane because competitors intentionally put misleading data on public domain for competitor to harvest and no amount of data authentication from multiple sources can ever penetrate the veil of Deception.

[Vivek Raghuvanshi]

Now let me enlighten you about lethan capability of Americans in Vietnam war.

 

Flying at hundreds of miles per hour, they could detect a whisper on the ground.

 

Technology  always existed Sandro, but people are not aware of lethal capability of technology which already exists over 50 years.