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Weekly News Digest - 22nd - 26th March 2021

Joshua Poore our consultant managing the role
Author: Joshua Poore
Posting date: 3/26/2021 3:32 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.  

Silicon Republic: Eight ways to stay productive while working from home


This week marked a whole year since the entirety of the UK entered lockdown for the first time as a response to the rapidly spreading coronavirus. The crisis was expected to blow over in a matter of weeks but here we are, a full 12 months on with at least 12 more weeks to go until the country eases back into some sort of normal. 

Employees have faced, and coped with, extreme challenges over the past year, but tethers are beginning to wear thin and Zoom fatigue is rife. 

In this great article by Silicon Republic, author Lisa Ardill gives eight ways to stay motivated and productive when working from home in 2021; from planning your work schedule to adding greenery to your workspace, keeping in touch with colleagues regularly and taking exercise breaks. 

Read up on the full eight tips here to help refresh your remote working strategy. 

Analytics Insight: How businesses can benefit from Augmented Analytics


Augmented Analytics is an approach of data analytics that combines the use of specialist technologies such as AI, Machine Learning (ML) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to automate analysis usually done by a data scientist. It simplifies the process and makes it much easier for businesses to understand actionable insights and implement changes where needed. 

This article in Analytics Insight explores other key areas where Augmented Analytics can benefit businesses, for example:

Boosting online visibility
Improving reliability of recommendations
Expanding the range of possibilities 

And as Augmented Analytics, and the capabilities of Data & Analytics, improves over the coming years, there are countless benefits these technologies could have on businesses in decades to come. 

Read more on this here.

Econsultancy: How Confused.com rebuilt its brand through customer insight


The comparison market is a busy, lively and competitive space, with numerous characters and brand figures all battling for our attention - from meerkats to opera singers and bulls in china shops.

However, one company who were struggling to cut through the noise with the right brand character was Confused.com. While it ran its ‘Drivers Win’ campaign, which featured none other than British Actor and American chat show host, James Corden, they just weren’t getting the consumer engagement they needed. 

As stated by CMO of Confused.com, Samuel Day; “There was incredible prompted awareness – incredible, in the 90% range, but there was very low spontaneous awareness. The ads had very high recall – but not for Confused.com.” Consumers didn’t put James Corden and Confused.com together.  

It took a shift of thinking to fix the problem: a revisit to the brand’s ethos and values, a longer-term strategy and, most importantly, valuable customer insight. From there, the company was able to understand the problem, fix it and make Confused.com the well-known consumer brand it is today. 

Read more on this story here. 

The FinTech Times: How Data privacy will accelerate digital ID adoption


In this article for FinTech Times, Adam Desmond, the UK&I Country Lead at Mitek, shares his thoughts on how data privacy will accelerate digital ID adoption.

As our world becomes ever-increasingly virtual, and the majority of our transactions occur online, the risk of cyber breaches grows with it. Only last year, 75 per cent of large companies in the UK reported a data breach – a shocking statistic and a real worry for consumers. Desmond stated that the only way to combat this is for businesses to implement stronger, more robust, Digital ID processes. In the same way that you would be asked for ID when buying alcohol or a signature would be needed in the bank, the same should be happening online. 

However, as with anything online, by inputting sensitive data, we open ourselves up to potential fraud risks. But Desmond believes this doesn’t have to be the case. 

“Digital identities could actually be a solution to withholding unnecessary data and protect us from fraud – not open ourselves up to it. For digital identity adoption to be successful, consumers need to trust that their data is safe and secure. This all comes down to how we build these digital identities, and who looks after them.”

Read more on this 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. 

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.

The Five Ws Of Becoming A Data Scientist

The demand for Data Scientists has dramatically increased over the past five years. Research has shown that skills such as Data Science, SQL databases, Big Data and Machine Learning have been the most sought after by British employers in this period, with demand tripling by over 200 per cent.  This growth has been accelerated since the start of the pandemic. As businesses faced an unprecedented crisis, with no prior knowledge of how to manage, adapt or survive, leaders needed to turn to data to make informed business decisions to help them navigate the unknown.  Even though we are already now on the path to economic recovery, this need for data-driven knowledge won’t dissipate any time soon. From being able to create in-depth risk forecasts to gathering consumer sentiment, creating intelligent solutions, and using automation to reduce bottom-line costs; Data Science’s role will continue to be the backbone of success as companies steer through this ‘new normal’.  Nevertheless, despite the ever-growing appetite for Data Scientists and the number of available roles and opportunities escalating day-by-day, businesses are coming up against the brick wall of a shortage of specialists. According to IBM, Data Science roles remain unfulfilled for 45 days or longer and the UK is having to combat a £2bn Data skills shortage.  So, as a student, graduate or current Data Scientist looking to move into a more niche role, what are the key traits, skills and experiences, or the five Ws, you need to have to ensure you not only land your dream job, but help plug the increasing skills gap? Who can be a Data Scientist? Anyone can train to become a Data Scientist, and the industry is working hard at improving its attraction and retention of a diverse workforce.  Despite traditionally being a very male-dominated sector, research Harnham undertook in August 2020 found that Data & Analytics’ gender divide is slowly but surely closing. 30 per cent of women now make up the industry, a big leap from 18 per cent in 2019.  What skills do you need? Data Scientists are traditionally required to have at least an undergraduate Bachelors’ degree, usually across science, technology, or statistics. However, the majority will continue to go on to get a Master’s (88 per cent) or PHD (46 per cent) level qualifications.   Nonetheless, as more businesses have become attuned to how this level of education can cause significant gaps in the number of diverse candidates, other routes into the industry have been made available, such as apprenticeships and work experience.  Technical skills will also stand you in brilliant stead, from coding languages to machine learning and AI techniques. While not a must-have, a lot of employers, especially post-COVID, will be looking to hire talent that can get started without too much training.  When should I apply for a role? In this new normal, as mentioned, employers are looking for candidates who are ‘work-ready’. So, to position yourself above the rest of the competition, make sure you apply for roles when your skills and knowledge are at the highest standard they can be.    Where could I work as a Data Scientist? The pandemic has completely skewed the normal working routines of most industries, but especially Data Science. Whereas, usually, the most attractive jobs would be based in London, now, with the correct equipment and support in place, those working within the field can work from anywhere, paving the way for a much more flexible workforce and a steep increase in remote working.   Why should I work as a Data Scientist? As a Data Scientist, you’ll never be short for opportunities. As more and more businesses look to implement Data Science into their working model to help make data-driven decisions which not only provide clarity but help reduce costs and positively affect the bottom-line, demand for skilled professionals will only grow.   Of course, job security isn’t the only perk of becoming a Data Scientist: You can also expect to receive a competitive salary.You’ll be part of an exciting and ever-evolving industry, no two days will ever be the same.Your skillset will mean you’re never limited – the business world is your oyster!  Data Science is an extremely varied career path to take, and its role within society has grown vastly, especially over the past year. For anyone looking to enter the industry, plug the skills gap or embark on something completely new, this could be a step in the right direction for you.  If you're interested in working in Data Science, or building out your team, we may be able to help. Take a look at our latest opportunities or get in touch with one of our expert consultants to find out more. 

Nick Mandella

Nick Mandella

22. April 2021

Weekly News Digest: 12th - 16th April 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.      Express Pharma: The five biggest data challenges for life sciences Life Sciences has grown exponentially over the past 12 months. As the COVID-19 pandemic devastated the world, Life Science companies were in a race against time to create a life-changing vaccine and help us all back on the road to recovery.  In 2019, the Life Science market was valued at around $7.5bn. After this year’s influx of activity, the market is estimated to grow by over double in the next decade, reaching $18bn by 2030.  However, despite the positive growth the industry has had, this doesn’t mean Life Sciences will be free of challenges. In fact, with such a spike in the amount of data held by so many Life Science companies as they tried to work on a vaccine, data storage is now one of the main concerns for anyone working within the field.  In this article by Express Pharma, Vimal Venkatram, Country Manager for Snowflake India, highlights the five key data hurdles Life Sciences will continue to have to overcome in the following decade. These include data performance, data exchange and collaboration, data quality, data management and scaling, and regulatory compliance.  Read the full story here.  Harnham: How can organisations tap into the huge pool of neurodiverse data talent? For many companies, the past year has led to an increased focus on diversity and inclusion within businesses – a fantastic step forward. However, when we think of diversity, we usually assume people are talking about gender, ethnicity, sexuality and perhaps even physical disability. One area that is regularly missed from discussion is that of neurodiversity.  An umbrella term coined by sociologist, Judy Singer, neurodiversity can cover a wide range of neurological conditions such as dyslexia, autism, ADHD, ADD and dyspraxia. Our head of internal recruitment, Charlie Waterman, explores why neurodiverse talent shouldn’t be overlooked, and how Data & Analytics specifically can do more to tap into and harness this incredible pool of talent.` Exploring how employers can create a smooth recruitment process, successful onboarding programmes and retention schemes, this article highlights how all of this can be tailored to be accessible for anyone with an invisible disability. To read more on this topic, click here. Computer Weekly: What has a year of homeworking meant for the DPO? Employers in a significant number of industries across the world have had to uproot from the office to working from home because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For many of these employers, it appears that remote working, or a hybrid model of working, will become the norm post-pandemic.  But what has this sudden shift meant for the likes of Data Protection Officers (DPOs)? Most of these professionals have had to get to grips with managing and handling sensitive data from the comfort of their own living room. According to data from IBM, 70 per cent of DPOs believe that the shift to remote working will increase the likelihood of data breaches. So how can DPOs enjoy the benefits and perks of working from home, without the stress of poorly managed or breached data? In this article by Computer Weekly, steps are outlined on how DPOs can work closely with IT teams to minimise any data risk that could happen. This includes: Not allowing DPOs access to everything if it’s not necessaryDiscouraging local storage of dataRegularly reviewing security standards To read the full article, visit the website here.  Solutions Review: The three best Data Engineering books on our reading lists There’s no better feeling than getting stuck into a really good book. Not only can it be a great way to escape the stresses of everyday life, but by continuously absorbing new information, your knowledge on a specific subject can grow immensely.  Any branch of Data & Analytics, but especially Data Engineering, requires employees to always be thinking one step ahead, staying on top of new trends and keeping up to date with specific coding languages. While everyone learns in very different ways, reading is a brilliant education tool. Whether you’re a visual learner, an auditory learner or a reading learner, books and audiobooks could be the key to expanding your knowledge.  Solutions Review provides Data Engineers with three of the best books on the market at the moment to help you keep on top of your professional development. Data Driven Science and Engineering by Brunton and KutzData Engineering with Python by Crickard An introduction to agile Data Engineering by using data vault 2.0 by Graziano To read more about each of these books, click 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.    

Talitha Boitel-Gill

Talitha Boitel-Gill

16. April 2021

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