Comments on: Data is the New Hot, Drop-dead Gorgeous Field http://flowingdata.com/2009/08/07/data-is-the-new-hot-drop-dead-gorgeous-field/ Strength in Numbers Sun, 12 Feb 2012 04:57:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Madan http://flowingdata.com/2009/08/07/data-is-the-new-hot-drop-dead-gorgeous-field/#comment-32504 Madan Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:18:30 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2418#comment-32504 Nathan, Do you have any suggestions for schools / programs that are well known for their BI / Statistics curriculum, especially in the NYC / N.E. US area? I keep flirting with the idea of going back to school, but every program I've looked at seemed to be incomplete in one way or another. I keep hoping that you'll make a post (or maybe this is a better forum topic) about this. Nathan,

Do you have any suggestions for schools / programs that are well known for their BI / Statistics curriculum, especially in the NYC / N.E. US area?

I keep flirting with the idea of going back to school, but every program I’ve looked at seemed to be incomplete in one way or another.

I keep hoping that you’ll make a post (or maybe this is a better forum topic) about this.

]]> By: Steve http://flowingdata.com/2009/08/07/data-is-the-new-hot-drop-dead-gorgeous-field/#comment-32483 Steve Tue, 11 Aug 2009 04:21:06 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2418#comment-32483 Possibly - it depends on what you meant when you wrote "statisticians need a whole new mind". The way I interpreted it is that you think that statisticians currently don't have this "whole new mind". In that case, I am trying to correct you - a good portion do. Perhaps what you meant was that statisticians had better be sure that they do have this mind. In that case, yes, we are making the same point. Possibly – it depends on what you meant when you wrote “statisticians need a whole new mind”. The way I interpreted it is that you think that statisticians currently don’t have this “whole new mind”. In that case, I am trying to correct you – a good portion do. Perhaps what you meant was that statisticians had better be sure that they do have this mind. In that case, yes, we are making the same point.

]]> By: Daniel Pink http://flowingdata.com/2009/08/07/data-is-the-new-hot-drop-dead-gorgeous-field/#comment-32473 Daniel Pink Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:50:47 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2418#comment-32473 I think we're making the same point, actually, no? I think we’re making the same point, actually, no?

]]> By: Steve http://flowingdata.com/2009/08/07/data-is-the-new-hot-drop-dead-gorgeous-field/#comment-32464 Steve Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:41:59 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2418#comment-32464 Daniel - If I am understanding you correctly, you must have a very limited view of what a statistician is. Data analysis is iterative - you do some "number crunching", or as I like to call it, modeling - and then you use visual diagnostics to see how you are doing. Then you make adjustments and iterate. This requires a strong right and left brain, and this is something that statisticians have been doing for a very long time. To think of statisticians as people with a weak right-brain is quite naive. Daniel –

If I am understanding you correctly, you must have a very limited view of what a statistician is. Data analysis is iterative – you do some “number crunching”, or as I like to call it, modeling – and then you use visual diagnostics to see how you are doing. Then you make adjustments and iterate. This requires a strong right and left brain, and this is something that statisticians have been doing for a very long time. To think of statisticians as people with a weak right-brain is quite naive.

]]> By: Near Future Laboratory » Blog Archive » William H. Whyte Revisited: An Experiment With An Apparatus for Capturing Other Points of View http://flowingdata.com/2009/08/07/data-is-the-new-hot-drop-dead-gorgeous-field/#comment-32457 Near Future Laboratory » Blog Archive » William H. Whyte Revisited: An Experiment With An Apparatus for Capturing Other Points of View Mon, 10 Aug 2009 07:32:52 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2418#comment-32457 [...] Some empirical, rough-around-the-edges, observational data ethnography. A close cousin of the truly fascinating data visualizations we have grown to love. Perhaps close to Fabien’s notion of citizen sensors and citizen [...] [...] Some empirical, rough-around-the-edges, observational data ethnography. A close cousin of the truly fascinating data visualizations we have grown to love. Perhaps close to Fabien’s notion of citizen sensors and citizen [...]

]]> By: Jan Schultink http://flowingdata.com/2009/08/07/data-is-the-new-hot-drop-dead-gorgeous-field/#comment-32441 Jan Schultink Sat, 08 Aug 2009 15:01:02 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2418#comment-32441 Thx. Good to see you here. Thx. Good to see you here.

]]> By: Daniel Pink http://flowingdata.com/2009/08/07/data-is-the-new-hot-drop-dead-gorgeous-field/#comment-32440 Daniel Pink Sat, 08 Aug 2009 14:06:13 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2418#comment-32440 @jan -- Perhaps not surprisingly, I think these stories confirm the argument. Computers do the heavy number-crunching -- leaving humans to recognize patterns and interpret the data. These folks must have a good left brain, of course. But the differentiator is the right-brain -- the ability to connect the dots, make new associations, and detect trends. In other words, these statisticians need, er, a whole new mind. Cheers, Dan Pink @jan —
Perhaps not surprisingly, I think these stories confirm the argument. Computers do the heavy number-crunching — leaving humans to recognize patterns and interpret the data. These folks must have a good left brain, of course. But the differentiator is the right-brain — the ability to connect the dots, make new associations, and detect trends. In other words, these statisticians need, er, a whole new mind.
Cheers,
Dan Pink

]]> By: Άσε με να ονειρεύομαι χάδια με ποσοστά | amarkos|gr|blog http://flowingdata.com/2009/08/07/data-is-the-new-hot-drop-dead-gorgeous-field/#comment-32439 Άσε με να ονειρεύομαι χάδια με ποσοστά | amarkos|gr|blog Sat, 08 Aug 2009 11:18:18 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2418#comment-32439 [...] σε περιζήτητους επαγγελματίες, από καχεκτικούς geek σε σέξυ επιβήτορες, ικανούς να καταλάβουν ονειρεμένες θέσεις, αντί για [...] [...] σε περιζήτητους επαγγελματίες, από καχεκτικούς geek σε σέξυ επιβήτορες, ικανούς να καταλάβουν ονειρεμένες θέσεις, αντί για [...]

]]> By: Ahmie http://flowingdata.com/2009/08/07/data-is-the-new-hot-drop-dead-gorgeous-field/#comment-32434 Ahmie Fri, 07 Aug 2009 22:02:42 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2418#comment-32434 The stealthiness of the social data scientist field is surprising, especially since we elected a Community Organizer as president. Combine wonkishness and data scientist skills... ahhhh... the possibilities.... The stealthiness of the social data scientist field is surprising, especially since we elected a Community Organizer as president. Combine wonkishness and data scientist skills… ahhhh… the possibilities….

]]> By: Matt http://flowingdata.com/2009/08/07/data-is-the-new-hot-drop-dead-gorgeous-field/#comment-32432 Matt Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:24:32 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2418#comment-32432 Analytical chemists have been dealing with data for a long time - even before computers. We were using strip chart recorders then. One of the benefits I see there is that we have standard ways of presenting the data which can make interpretation easier. I know an infra-red spectrum when I see it, just from how the data is presented or a mass spectrum. I don't have to invest effort anymore in trying to understand the visualization approach. A weakness I see in presenting data from other sources is that there are no standards and it often takes quite a bit of effort just to understand how the data is presented before one can even start considering what the data shows. Some of that may be the newness of the data source/presentation and once people recognize good visualization approaches, they will start to "standardize". While there is certainly room for a new and innovative visualization, some standardization would be beneficial. Analytical chemists have been dealing with data for a long time – even before computers. We were using strip chart recorders then. One of the benefits I see there is that we have standard ways of presenting the data which can make interpretation easier. I know an infra-red spectrum when I see it, just from how the data is presented or a mass spectrum. I don’t have to invest effort anymore in trying to understand the visualization approach.

A weakness I see in presenting data from other sources is that there are no standards and it often takes quite a bit of effort just to understand how the data is presented before one can even start considering what the data shows. Some of that may be the newness of the data source/presentation and once people recognize good visualization approaches, they will start to “standardize”.

While there is certainly room for a new and innovative visualization, some standardization would be beneficial.

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