Listen to the Experts: Citizen Data Scientist Results are Real!

The Efficacy of Citizen Data Scientists is Proven

Gartner has predicted that, ‘a scarcity of data scientists will no longer hinder the adoption of data science and machine learning in organizations.’ As businesses embrace the concept of transforming business users to Citizen Data Scientists, the Gartner prediction takes on a very practical application and enterprises try to sort through the roles of data scientists, business analysts and Citizen Data Scientists.

‘You can be a subject matter expert, or a professional trained in a very specific business function or industry and you can combine this expertise with augmented analytics to achieve your goals.’

Those at the top of major corporations, with experience in managing the reality of the data science landscape, are now realizing that they can create a collaborative environment that includes those who have data science and statistical experience, as well as those who have professional experience that is brought to bear for operational and strategy decisions by combining industry and domain knowledge with intuitive data tools and solutions.

In a recent CDOTrends Article, experts describe a data analytical environment that includes economists, engineers, data scientists and others from varied disciplines. In another publication in Fortune Magazine, experts talk about the very real evolution of data science and the fact that professionals at all levels will need to use, and WILL be using, data and analytics.

The Results Are In: Citizen Data Scientists ARE Beneficial

These articles point out the fact that Gartner predictions are now a reality, and that data science is proliferating across organizations of all sizes in all industries. Foundational data science skills are important but, as Gartner has predicted, the sophisticated, professional data scientist training is not required for business users to participate in, and benefit from, data analytics. Augmented analytics, designed for use by business users, provide tools that are easy enough for all users, and allow for natural language processing (NLP) and search analytics in an environment where users only have to ask a question, and can then allow a system to provide the context-oriented response they need to gain insight into an issue.

You can be a subject matter expert, or a professional trained in a very specific business function or industry, and you can combine this expertise with augmented analytics to achieve your goals. Data Scientists can then focus on strategic initiatives where analytics must be 100% accurate. When a business provides support for business users to transition into Citizen Data Scientists, the tools allow business users to leverage sophisticated techniques and to become more data literate and comfortable with analytics as part of their day-to-day workflow and business processes.

All of this is a long way of saying that Citizen Data Scientists are a reality today, and that the evidence of efficacy and effectiveness exists in many organizations today.

‘Combining professional experience to make operational and strategy decisions, and a user’s industry and domain knowledge with intuitive data tools and solutions is a powerful benefit to the enterprise.’

As we gain experience with the new reality of distributed data science, we hear from senior executives and experts who have seen the good and the bad of the evolution. And, the experts tell us that the most important trait of successful data analysis is curiosity. Citizen Data Scientists can use their experience in their role to ask the right questions and allow the new generation of augmented analytics solutions to provide the answers, without coding or sophisticated data science skills. Business users can easily understand what the data is saying in layman’s terms and translate complex issues into insight that is easy to understand.

Transforming business users into Citizen Data Scientists, provides advantages to the organization, to the business users and to data scientists. Today, businesses can explore a FREE Online Citizen Data Scientist Course, and the right augmented analytics solution, and organizational planning, to build a solid foundation and business user confidence. The business should also consider engaging an IT consulting partner with knowledge of the augmented analytics market, and a solution and support services to provide the guidance and Products And Services your business will need to succeed.