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Weekly News Digest: 15th - 19th Feb 2021

Talitha Boitel-Gill our consultant managing the role
Author: Talitha Boitel-Gill
Posting date: 2/19/2021 2:01 PM
This is Harnham’s weekly news digest, the place to come for a quick breakdown of the week’s top news stories from the world of Data & Analytics. 

KDnuggets: 10 resources for data science self-study


If you are interested in getting into data science, there are two basic pathways that you can opt for. There’s the traditional college degree route or the self-study option, the latter of which is growing in popularity among aspiring data scientists.

This informative article from KDnuggets provides some insightful tips for data science self-study, grouped into three main categories: Resources for building fundamental knowledge; resources for data science practice; and resources for networking and continuous studies.

  • Resources for building fundamental knowledge:
    1. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
    2. Learning from a Textbook
    3. YouTube
    4. Khan Academy
  • Resources for Data Science practice:
    1. Kaggle
    2. Internships
  • Resources for networking and continuous studies:
    1. Medium
    2. LinkedIn
    3. KDnuggets
    4. GitHub

Find out more here.

Analytics India Magazine: How machine learning streamlines risk management


Abhaya K Srivastava, SVP at Northern Trust Corporation, recently spoke at the Machine Learning Developers Summit 2021. Srivastava delved into how different sectors including financial, healthcare and retail are making use of emerging technologies like AI and Machine Learning.

One of the main takeaways from the speaker session was discussions around how Machine Learning can support how organisations streamline their Risk Management. Srivastava stated, “It is essential for us to establish the rigorous governance processes and policies that can quickly identify when the model begins to fail.”

He continued, “The terms of AI are not new, but businesses and organisations have started using these technologies in a different way. We have noticed the influence of machine learning in business applications, ML is playing an important role in Risk Management and there has been a constant focus on how risks are being detected, reported, managed.”

There are a range of different machine learning techniques that can be applied to support risk management. It is the role of organisations, and their partners to discover how these processes can be applied.

Read more on this here.

Information Week: 3 Ways to Empower Female Software Engineers on Your Team


We think this is a great article from Information Week that acknowledges the importance of establishing greater diversity and inclusion within software engineering, in particular to empower women in the industry. The article focuses on three areas:

  • Create an inclusive team:
    • Building an inclusive team is a strategic process and should include making sure everyone has a voice and that the workplace is a safe place to take risks.
  • Provide a support system:
    • Support establishes trust and shows a commitment to the well-being of your people. When leaders support their employees, it can significantly affect job satisfaction and performance.
  • Enable women to inspire others
    • The first thing to do is make sure the women in your organisation have a seat at the table; they should have a say in the decision-making process.

Even if you have a good understanding of these, it’s important to keep educating yourself and the wider team in order to implements processes and strategies that make for a truly inclusive team.

Read more on this here. 

TechRepublic: 8 must-read leadership books recommended by tech titans and innovators


Are you looking for your next read to help you elevate your visibility and skill as a leader in the tech industry? Look no further, as TechRepublic have put together a list of leadership books recommended by notable leaders from within the industry. Here are a few:

  • The Ride of a Lifetime (Robert Iger) - Recommended by Bill Gates
  • Drop the Ball (Tiffany Dufu) - Recommended by Sheryl Sandberg
  • Mindset (Dr Carol S. Dweck) - Recommended by Satya Nadells
  • Trailblazer (Marc Benioff) - Recommended by Susan Wojcicki

It’s valuable to have insight from leaders that are already leading the way for tech innovation in their field, inspiring and supporting future leaders to achieve great things too.

Click here to read the full list of recommended leadership books from Bill Gates, Satya Nadella, Sheryl Sandberg, Tim Cook, and other notable industry leaders.

We've loved seeing all the news from Data & Analytics in the past week, it’s a market full of exciting and dynamic opportunities. To learn more about our work in this space, get in touch with us at info@harnham.com.

Related blog & news

With over 10 years experience working solely in the Data & Analytics sector our consultants are able to offer detailed insights into the industry.

Visit our Blogs & News portal or check out the related posts below.

Weekly News Digest: 10th - 14th May 2021

This is Harnham’s weekly news digest, the place to come for a quick breakdown of the week’s top news stories from the world of Data & Analytics.       Personnel Today: Mental Health Awareness Week: Concerns up 24% from last year It was Mental Health Awareness week this week, and this year, the focus was on the theme of nature. Personnel Today revealed some worrying statistics on the back of research from Close Brothers into the state of the population’s wellbeing in 2021.  Reports of mental ill-health has increased by nearly a quarter since this time last year as a direct consequence of the stresses and strains of COVID-19. From yo-yoing in and out of lockdowns to extended periods of isolation, job uncertainty and illness, this year has been like no other and it’s most certainly taken its toll.  63 per cent of 16–34-year-olds report mental health worries, up a seventh from last year.For those who are 55+, this worry has risen by a third. In this piece, it is made clear that the underlying issue lies not only with COVID-19, but the lack of support given by employers. The research revealed that 70 per cent of employers don’t have a wellbeing budget in place, and only 8 per cent of firms invest more than £126 per employee each year in health and wellbeing.  To read the full research, visit Personnel Today here.  Towards Data Science: 5 unique skills every Data Scientist should know We know that career tip articles for Data Scientists can all feel pretty ‘samey’. But this article in Towards Data Science mixes up the usual advice, looking at how those in, or aiming to be in, the industry need to brush-up on their softer skills if they are to be successful.  Tips include: Cutting down the jargon in order to communicate effectively with stakeholders. Don’t be hasty to overpromise, or you’re at risk of seriously under-delivering. Become friendly with your team’s software engineer, they’ll only be able to help you be more efficient and effective in your role.  Of course, there has to be some mention of coding in there – it wouldn’t be a data-based article without it. Make sure you’re mastering your SQL Optimisation. Don’t leave your Git out in the cold, become familiar with the practice to ensure you can update your model code quickly.  To read the full article, click here.  Analytics India Mag: What SMBs can learn from Big Tech’s AI playbook? AI has come on leaps and bounds in a short space of time, and its popularity has boomed. For the monster-sized companies, where budget is of no question and innovation can happen overnight if need be - embracing AI has been a total no-brainer. Workflows become more efficient, technology becomes smarter, and the scope of growth seems infinite.  However, despite all the benefits of AI that are so regularly shouted about, it’s been clear since the birth of the technology that there’s a huge divide in those who can and those who cannot afford to implement this innovation.  Up until now.  In this piece from Analytics India Mag, author Ritka Sagar, highlights how SMEs are finally finding ways to become ‘inventive’ with how they implement and use AI systems without breaking the bank.  To read how SMEs are managing this, click here. Silicon Republic: For smart cities to work, they need to be neutral and objective The concept of a smart city seems like something out of a futuristic, sci-fi film but, in fact, they are closer to becoming a reality than we may think.  The idea being that urban areas use sensors and other electronic methods to collect data. From citizens to traffic, water supply networks to crime detection, all of these assets of life, and more, are monitored, data collected, and insights given to make ‘life’ more efficient.  On the surface, it’s all very cool, but there are, of course, worries that come with it. In this Silicon Republic article, Computer Scientist, Larissa Suzuki, discusses the importance of ‘neutral and objective’ smart cities if they are to work.  She says; “Data and services in smart cities must be neutral and objective when reporting information about the city environment. They should encompass the entire population and respect data licences, regulation and privacy laws,” she said. “In a similar fashion, the digital services and the backbone technology – including algorithms – should be free from any ideology or influence in their conception, operation, integration and dissemination.” To read more on the future of smart cities, visit Silicon Republic here. We've loved seeing all the news from Data & Analytics in the past week, it’s a market full of exciting and dynamic opportunities. To learn more about our work in this space, get in touch with us at info@harnham.com.     

Joshua Poore

Joshua Poore

14. May 2021

Using Data Visualisation To Bring Data & Analytics To Life

The majority of the human population are visual learners. Our brains are wired in such a way where we can register 36,000 visual messages per hour, and visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text. In short, one of the best ways to truly assimilate and understand new-found knowledge is through clear and digestible imagery.  Because of this valuable insight, we are now witnessing the fast-growing trend of Data Visualisation. Over the next six years, the value of Data Visualisation tools is expected to reach $19.2 billion, over double what it was in 2019.  Data & Analytics is one key area where data visualisation is used continuously. The raw data collected on a daily basis by Data Analysts can be incredibly time-consuming to sift through, not forgetting near-impossible to form palatable findings from. However, through the use of data visualisation tools such as graphs, heat maps, charts and infographics, confusing, text-based data can be transformed and brought to life. So, how can Data Visualisation help your business? Greater understanding of your data As Lydia, our Senior Recruitment Consultant, stated in her most recent article – data insights have the capability of not only improving decision-making, but also allow you to spot key trends, errors and predict future challenges. Nevertheless, all of these brilliant capabilities of data insights can only occur when teams can garner an in-depth understanding of the data being presented to them.  Without a background in statistics, which very few members of any team would possess, the raw data simply wouldn’t mean anything, and key insights could be missed. Utilising data visualisations not only makes data more tangible, but it also allows every team member to understand the data, make decisions and implement changes more efficiently. Standing out from the competition The effectiveness of Data Visualisation is no secret, and time and time again it’s been proved that this way of presenting data is far more likely to produce results than simply reviewing text.  Research within Analytics Insight reported that businesses using data discovery tools are 28 per cent more likely to find timely information compared to their dashboard-using counterparts, and 48 per cent of business intelligence users at companies with visualisation tools are able to find the information they need without the help of a specialist team.  Nevertheless, despite the incredible benefits, only 26 per cent of businesses globally are using data visualisation tools.  While the reasons for this slow uptake are varied, it’s clear that those companies who are willing to invest in Data Visualisation are far more likely to stand a head above their competitors. It can improve customer experience 98 per cent of companies will use data to help drive a better customer experience, but it doesn’t always mean that this data is collected, managed or presented well.  Data is, and should be, used as a way to back up what brands are saying, especially if they’re shouting from the rooftops about how fantastic they are.  When a business or brand uses accurate Data Visualisation to tell this story – for example, the percentage of consumers who report high levels of customer satisfaction, or the amount of money donated to CSR projects – audiences will respond much better than if the claim appears to be empty words without any evidence.  Data Visualisation is undoubtedly one of the most effective ways to communicate data, both internally and externally. The comprehensible formats available enables information to be processed with ease, and for learnings and understandings to be absorbed and implemented with much more efficiency than text-based raw data. It’s clear that this trend is only going to grow in popularity as businesses begin to put more investment behind it in order to reap the benefits and watch the positive impact on their bottom lines prosper.  For examples of how Harnham uses Data Visualisation, head over to our recent research reports.  If you're looking to take the next step in your career or build out your Data & Analytics team, we can help. Take a look at our latest opportunities or get in touch with one of our expert consultants to find out more. 

Chantelle Mynhardt

Chantelle Mynhardt

13. May 2021

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