Harnessing the True Power of Data Science: Beyond 35x35

“35 times 35. Please answer me that question in the next 10 seconds.”

Can you imagine anyone asking you that question? Let alone the CEO of the multinational corporation for which you work?

I recently learned that a CEO did just that, and asked that question to someone in the audience of a group of data scientists and analysts working at their company. When the answer didn’t materialise in the prescribed 10 seconds, the response was; well why didn’t you take out your phone to do the calculation?

I can imagine this CEO is trying to inspire their people to make the most of the tools that they have at hand, however, I believe this story highlights an industry-wide misunderstanding on how to best use your team of data scientists and analysts - something I try to address in my recent article titled “The Wisdom of Being Wrong: Rethinking Certainty in an Uncertain World”. 

Before you do a deep dive into my recent article, in this post I will present two ways in which a community of data-informed people in your company can help your company be successful.

How to get the most out of your community of data-informed people?

Remember that CEO asking a random audience member what is 35 times 35? Someone in that room will have known the answer to that question almost immediately. Perhaps they had to calculate the answer right that morning, or perhaps they are exceedingly good at doing arithmetic. Regardless, it is unimportant who answers the question but that the question gets answered by someone in the community.

Let’s briefly look at an example of a community, and that is that of a community of bees. In a beehive no single bee is able to do all the jobs the beehive needs done, in fact all bees specialise into bees that gather food, bees that take care of the brood, and a single bee that lays eggs. This specialisation makes the colony of bees stronger. In fact, none of the bees would be able to survive outside the colony.

Just like bees, specialisation in your community will enable them to do more than just the sum of its parts. If you then single out a person and expect them to answer any random question, you lose out on that synergy. 

So instead of taking their phone out to calculate the answer, I would have wanted this person to reach out into their network to find the person best able to answer the question given.

How to ask the right question?

Remember that CEO asking a random audience member what is 35 times 35? I have some questions for them. For what purpose do they ask the question? Do they want the exact answer? Do they want a range? What do the numbers in the equation represent? Will this number still be valid in the future, or how likely is it to change based on the circumstances under which these numbers are multiplied? 

Any data-informed person will know that the answer to any question is meaningless without the right context. In fact, it is impossible to answer any question without the right context. So to expect your data informed people to just give you answers without context, is like the emperor asking their subjects if they like their clothes.

In one of the analyses I did as a data scientist at booking.com at the start of my career there, I was asked the question ‘Why is our Net Promotor Score (NPS) going down?’. In the years leading up to that question being asked, our NPS had been going up and always used as a metric to show how well we were serving our customers. Now that the score was declining it suddenly needed to be investigated. I of course set out to diligently answer the question, and the answer to that is another story to be told - however, the conclusion of my work was that the questions I needed to answer was “Why are we even using NPS for measuring customer sentiment and what better approaches are there?”

How to create a community?

At Booking.com I co-created the annual Science and Analytics conference that recently had its 7th edition. One of the main reasons for this conference was to create and enhance the community of data-informed people at Booking. The Science and Analytics conference has not only fostered a vibrant community of data-informed professionals at Booking.com but also played a pivotal role in its recruitment strategy. Highlighting this unique aspect of our culture has attracted forward-thinking talents who value collaboration and continuous learning. Feedback from participants, who often cite the conference as the highlight of their year, reaffirms its significance in nurturing a sense of belonging and intellectual excitement.

Once the community exists you will be surprised by how much more it will do for you than just having a bunch of individuals. They will come up with answers that they would never have been able to come up with on their own. And they will encourage and create best practices amongst themselves, such as making sure that questions are always answered with the right context in mind.

If you are interested in creating a community of data-informed people in your company, let’s chat!

Questions I want to explore further in the future:

• What are the powers of having a community of data-informed people? How do I know I have a community? And what things can they do that any individual cannot do?

• What are the features a community needs to have before it can have access to these powers?

• Did the story of the CEO inspire anyone, and how are they inspired?

While the concept of building a thriving community of data-informed individuals might meet with scepticism, especially in environments where the value of such an approach is not immediately recognized, I address these challenges head-on in my article series. Each piece is a step towards demystifying the process and showcasing the tangible benefits of fostering a culture of inquiry, collaboration, and continuous improvement. For those intrigued by the potential or grappling with doubts, I invite you to explore this series, starting with “The Wisdom of Being Wrong: Rethinking Certainty in an Uncertain World”, as we delve into overcoming common obstacles and embracing the power of collective intelligence.