Capilla del Rosario, Santo Domingo Church, Quito, Ecuador

Photo by Jonathan Acuña (2018)

Gray Matter in Data Science

Some Insights in Methodology

By Prof. Jonathan Acuña-Solano, M. Ed.

School of English
Faculty of Social Sciences
Universidad Latina de Costa Rica
Saturday, August 3, 2019
Post 335 / DS Log 6

When one talks about information found in Big Data, info can be referred as
gray matter. Why gray? The answer is simply; it turns gray because in the process
of making use of Data Science, when a question is asked, the response cannot be
referred as black or white. In other words, the grayness is the result of having
various ways of answering a question (problem) stated by stakeholders. Based on
Dr. Mustaza Haider (Laureate Education Inc., 2018), a data scientist will not find
answers clearly. Responses won’t be found quickly and easily; they are the gray
matter that needs to be molded into the answers that institutions need to describe
what is currently happening or what could come in the future.
 Based on Laureate Education Inc. (2018), Data Science Metholodology has
to follow certain sequential steps to “yield” answers to questions made by
stakeholders in an institution. This methodology is here to turn gray matter into a
visible black-and-white “object” that can be manipulated, analyzed, and
understood. Take a look at the methodological model.

The process begins with the search for

1 Business Understanding
clarification about the research focus.
Next step is to find clarification from the
2 Analytic Approach
stakeholders who are asking the question.
After that, the data scientist prepares the
3 Data Requirements
parameters to meet the desired outcome.
The following phase consists of the actual
4 Data Collection
collection of data to answer the question.
Next stage refers to using the collected data
5 Data Understanding
to construct the data set for cleansing.
The subsequent maneuver is the actual
6 Data Preparation
cleansing of the data from “dirty data.”
Next procedure implies the development of a
7 Modeling
descriptive or predictive model for the data.
Next in line is to evaluate the depurated data
8 Evaluation
to see if it provides insight into the question.
Our before-last step is to “move strategically”
9 Deployment
the collected data to “push out” an answer.
Finally, refinement of the model created is
10 Feedback
ready to run or to get adjusted.
Created by Prof. Jonathan Acuña with information from Laureate Education Inc. (2018)
 Parallel to these methodological considerations, the following infographic
presents what happens when these processes (or methodological steps) are
transformed into questions that need to be fully answered to get to provide an
answer to what is being asked by institutional stakeholders.
 To conclude, the Data Science Methodology used to answer a question is
precise and must be followed to the very detail. Doing otherwise will probably
trigger answers that do not provide any light to problem a company wants to
explain or an issue that can materialize in the short or long run.

References

Laureate Education Inc. (2018). Asking Questions with Data Science. Retrieved
from One Faculty:
https://dtl.laureate.net/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course
_id=_165016_1&content_id=_801203_1&mode=reset
Laureate Education Inc. (2018). Things Data Science People Say. [Video File].
Retrieved from
https://dtl.laureate.net/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course
_id=_165016_1&content_id=_801203_1&mode=reset