Data science is changing business
Every day we see the world being changed and rewritten by the evolving world of AI. Checkout machines, the stock market, service development, marketing, surveys, sales and even creative endeavours are seeing greater and greater involvement from Artificial Intelligence. Understanding this AI and the process of automation, can make a massive difference in the success rate of any business.
But to get the most value out of AI still requires human hands. AI and automation can do a lot, but humans can cover weaknesses in the system that the AI can’t, and human users can develop new ideas about how to use an AI that the manufacturer simply may not imagine. The difference between an AI tailored for a business with humans who know how to use them has phenomenal power.
Take Dominos for example. When Dominos found they were having issues with measuring pizza quality and consistency upon delivery they developed the DOM Pizza Checker as part of their DRU Program (Dominos Robotic Unit). The pizza checker was developed to scan each pizza and identify the type, size, crust, temperature, toppings and topping distribution, then alert staff if it failed the quality test. As the system was rolled out a new feature was added to scan the cutting bench in response to customer concerns regarding cleanliness. After just one month of the initial rollout customer feedback improved by 15%.
Since then, data scientists have expanded DOM’s business in many other directions. They’ve used it to scout out new store locations, optimise employee rosters and improve delivery vehicle routes, and much more besides.
But What is Data Science?
Data science is the combination of maths, statistics, specialised programming, advanced analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning with specific subject matter expertise to uncover actionable insights hidden inside an organisation’s data. With a trained professional at the helm, this data can be used to guide decision making and strategic planning for almost anything.
Data Scientists are those people who read and analyse the data. They build learning models, overlap data, work with business analysts and data engineers, and communicate their information to everyone else in an organisation providing new insights and explanations designed to solve business problems.
How You Can Catch Up
As times change we need to change with it. It’s never too late to bring data scientists into your business, but it’s never too late to learn either. You can study a master of data science online, even if you don’t intend to be a data scientist, knowing the field can make managing your teams easier and make you faster to accommodate change when it happens.
But more importantly, when it comes to the next big breakthrough for your business? Once you’ve got Data Science under your belt, maybe it will be you who comes up with and implements the next revolutionary idea.