According to a report by Science Daily in 2013, “A full 90% of all the data in the world has been generated over the last two years.” We are living in a flood of data. A world-renowned futurist Bernad Marr said “Today, every two days we create as much data as we did from the beginning of time until 2000.
That’s right, every two days. And the amount of data we’re creating continues to increase rapidly; by 2020, the amount of digital information available will have grown from around 5 zettabytes today to 50 zettabytes.”
What methods do we use to unravel this knowledge and data? What can we do with it? At what stage is it useful to us? These questions relate to data science.
What is Data Science?
Data science is the process of extracting knowledge and insights from data. It involves using scientific methods, algorithms, and software to analyze data and draw conclusions. Data science is used to solve problems in business, finance, government, science, and other areas.
Prerequisites for Data Science
Data science is an exciting and rapidly growing field. However, there are some prerequisites that you need to have to work in data science.
Math
First, you need to be comfortable with math. Data science is heavily reliant on mathematical concepts and techniques.
Machine Learning
Machine Learning holds the essential foundation for data science. Data scientists, to have a more excellent knowledge of it, ought to have a strong understanding of the availability of Machine Learning and statistics.
Programming Language
You also need to be competent in programming languages. Most data science work is done in Python or R, so you need to be familiar with these languages.
Modeling
Mathematical models can assist in making quick estimations and analyzing data to ensure forecasts inform your decisions. Modeling is also used in Machine Learning. It entails deciding which algorithm resolves a given challenge and also how to train these models.
Statistics
Statistics are at the heart of data science. An understanding of the relevant statistics will improve the collected intelligence results and can lead you to more profound conclusions.
Database
A data scientist needs to understand databases, how to manage them, as well as how to extract data from them effectively.
What Does a Data Scientist Do?
Data science is an interdisciplinary field that uses scientific methods, processes, and systems to extract knowledge and insights from data in various forms. Data scientists work with data to understand and analyze patterns and trends, which they can use to make business or policy recommendations.
They use a variety of techniques, including statistical analysis, machine learning, and data mining, to extract knowledge from data.High-demand data scientist roles should require analytic, technical, and communication skills, along with a strong understanding of their chosen field.
They have a strong quantitative understanding and linear algebra, in addition to being able to apply programming expertise toward data mining, data warehouse modeling, and analysis to construct visualization algorithms.
The Data Science Life Cycle
- Capture: Data Acquisition, Data Entry, Signal Reception, Data Extraction
- Maintain: Data Warehousing, Data Cleansing, Data Staging, Data Processing, Data Architecture
- Process: Data Mining, Clustering/ Classification, Data Modeling, Data Summarization
- Communicate: Data Reporting, Data Visualization, Business Intelligence, Decision Making
- Analyze: Exploratory/Confirmatory, Predictive Analysis, Regression, Text Mining, Qualitative Analysis
Why Become a Data Scientist?
Glassdoor ranked data scientists in the top 3 best jobs in America for 2022. A massive quantity of data is accessible, so large tech companies are no longer the only ones in need of data scientists.
There are a variety of industries, large and small, demanding data scientists across a large spectrum. The shortage of suitable experts to fill open positions is widespread in these fields but is posing a particular challenge.
As businesses are collecting more and more data, there is an increasing demand for data scientists who can help make sense of all this information.
In recent years, data science has become an increasingly important field, and for a good reason. Data science can be used to solve real-world problems by extracting insights from data.
Where Do You Fit in Data Science?
Data science is the study of data. It is the process of extracting knowledge from data and turning it into insights. Data science is used to make decisions and solve problems.
Data science is a new field. It was created in response to the growing amount of data that is available today. The field of data science is made up of three parts:
Data Scientist
Find out how to resolve the pertinent problems, what questions need answers, and where there is information. Also, they mine, clean, and present the data.
Programming skills (SAS, R, Python); storytelling and data visualization; statistical and mathematical abilities; knowledge of Hadoop, SQL, and Machine Learning.
Data Analyst
The analysts help bridge the gap between data scientists and business analysts. They clarify the pictures of the business analysts by decoding the technical analyses.
They hold statistical and programming skills (SAS, R, and Python), and experience in data wrangling and data visualization.
Data Engineer
Data engineering is a process of collecting, cleaning, transforming, and modeling data to extract valuable insights. Data engineers are responsible for acquiring and preparing the data, while data scientists use that data to find trends and patterns.
Database engineers have proficiency in NoSQL databases (e.g., MongoDB, Cassandra DB), programming languages such as Java and Scala, and frameworks (Apache Hadoop).
Salary for Data Science
According to Data Jobs, some of the salary ranges have a broad spread. This is for a good reason- compensation in big data is far from standardized, so it is not a good way to hone in only too closely. In light of the current talent shortage, a salary depends on what many companies are willing to pay.
Data Scientist Salary
As data science salary tends to get quite high, that has to do with a couple of factors. Since salaries in this realm can reach the six-figure mark, it’s for multiple reasons.
Data scientists can bring tremendous value to the table, functioning as experts in translating complex data into key strategy insights and powerful abilities. Their job enables them to carry an influence that may be far more compared to simple addition, as many jobs do.
There are only a relative few professionals with the data scientist’s skill set available. This has resulted in a scarcity of talented individuals in the market.
Salary Range for Data Scientist: $85,000-$170,000
Data Analyst Salary
A data analyst is a quant-focused professional who works directly with data, often as it is developing into a more refined product. A data analyst may be characterized as a ‘data scientist in training’ or an ‘analytics manager in training’.
Salary Range for Entry Level: $50,000-$75,000
Salary Range for Experienced Level: $65,000-$110,000
Big Data Engineer Salary
The fundamental components of big data are made possible by technology. For a business to reach the point where big data helps solve problems and drive company value, expert data architects are important to design the framework and applications on which all analytical capabilities can function.
For an analogy, data engineers are responsible and do the work of building the racecar; data scientists are the strategists, focusing on making the overall vehicle faster.
Salary Range for Junior/Generalist: $70,000-$115,000
Salary Range for Domain Expert: $100,000-$165,000
Data Science Use Cases
Healthcare
Data science is particularly well-suited for the healthcare industry. Healthcare providers are constantly collecting data on patients—from medical records to insurance claims to social media posts.
A vast array of data is available as a result of the development of a variety of technologies, including electronic medical records, clinical databases, personal fitness trackers, and various other sources.
Medical professionals are now using these new technology resources to better understand the disease, practice preventive medicine, diagnose illnesses quicker, and explore innovative treatments.
Self-Driving Cars
Many vehicle companies such as Ford, Tesla, and Volkswagen are utilizing predictive analytics in their newly created self-driving cars. These vehicles utilize thousands of cameras to give real-time information.
Using machine learning, predictive analytics, and data science, self-driving cars can instantly adjust to speed limits and avoid dangerous lane changes.
Logistics
UPS is committed to deploying data science throughout the company and its delivery routes to maximize efficiency, particularly internally and along its routes.
Its On-Road Integrated Optimization and Navigation (ORION) tool employs data science-backed statistical modeling and algorithms to create optimal routes for delivery drivers based on weather conditions, traffic, construction, and other factors.
It is reported that data science enables the logistics industry to reduce 39 million gallons of fuel and100 million millage on an annual basis.
Entertainment
Do you ever wonder how Spotify knows just what type of song you’ll like? Or how does Netflix understand what shows are your destined pastime?
By collaborating with data science, the music streaming platform makes sure that the most ideal song is always at the top of your playlist.
Recently drawn to cooking? Netflix’s streaming platform will offer you many engaging meal shows based on your preferences.
Finance
Financial institutions have saved millions by utilizing machine learning and data science to analyze financial data.
One example is JP Morgan’s Contract Intelligence (COiN) platform, which uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) to extract critical information from thousands of commercial contracts a year.
Data science allows you to cut down the manual labor it normally took to perform a task from around 360,000 labor hours to just a few hours.
Fintech companies like Stripe and Paypal are fully embracing data science to create machine learning tools that reliably identify and stonewall fraudulent activities.
Cybersecurity
Data science is relevant for every bit of business, but it’s very important in the area of cybersecurity.
International cyber security firm Kaspersky relies on data science and artificial intelligence to identify more than 360,000 new samples of malware each day.
Data science’s ability to detect new types of cybercrime will enable our awareness of such threats to evolve in the future.
FAQ
What’s the difference between data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning?
Data science is a relatively new field that combines statistics, computer science, and analytics to extract insights from data. It’s often confused with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), but there are some key differences.
Data science is the process of understanding and extracting knowledge from data, while AI is the ability of machines to learn and work on their own. ML is a subset of AI that deals with algorithms that can automatically improve given more data.
What is the data science course eligibility?
Check out Guide to Career Paths in Data Science and Recommended Courses for all the details you need to know.
Can I learn Data Science on my own?
Data Science is the process of extracting meaningful insights from data. It is a relatively new field, and there are many different ways to learn it. You can find online courses, boot camps, and even degrees in Data Science.
However, you don’t need to go to school to learn Data Science. You can also learn it on your own. There are many resources available online, and you can find communities of people who are also learning Data Science.
Conclusion
In conclusion, data science is a relatively new field that encompasses a variety of different activities, from data mining and analysis to machine learning and modeling.
It’s a great field for people with a range of different skills and interests, and there are plenty of opportunities for career growth.
If you’re interested in data science, there are plenty of resources available to help you get started.
