The art(s) of data science: Advocating for storytellers in analytics

We live in a business world that has never been as flush with data as it is today. 97% of organisations are now investing in big data and AI, with 95% citing the need to manage unstructured data as a problem for their business, according to TechJury. There’s so much data coming at businesses so quickly that most aren’t ready to handle it effectively yet. Making the most of this wealth of information isn’t just about having the right tools, but the right people. Data scientists are the specialists capable of taking billions of bytes of structured and unstructured data and creating concise, tangible business insights, weaving them into a compelling narrative that can have a real impact on the bottom line of any business. This has made the role of a data scientist one of the most in-demand of any sector. Harvard Business Review labelled the data scientist ‘the sexiest job of the 21st century’ in 2012. Less than a decade later PwC estimated that there would be more than 2,900,000 job listings for data science roles by the end of 2020 – that’s enough to populate Jamaica! While the Royal Society has suggested that demand for data scientists has risen by 231% in the last five years. However, there currently isn’t enough supply of skilled individuals to meet this growing demand. With that in mind, there is clearly work to be done by educators and businesses to nurture talent and equip our future workforce with the right skills and knowledge to consider a career in data.

Where it all begins

Our recent study found that half (49%) of those aged 16-21 don’t consider data science as a career option. Less than half (43%) consider themselves data literate, and almost half (48%) feel that their education hasn’t given them the confidence or skills to use data. We need these young prodigies to be our future data champions. Without them, businesses are in danger of missing out on new ways to solve data challenges and push the boundaries of industry as we know it.

So: how do we overcome this? STEM the tide

Part of the problem is the perception of the requirements needed to excel in a data career. A common misconception is that data scientists need to have a STEM education, but there’s actually a much wider selection of skills that lead people to succeed and flourish in data science fields. The best data scientist that I ever managed didn’t have a traditional science background, but a degree in Philosophy from the University of Warwick. He was creative and curious, capable of turning insights from data into compelling arguments and stories.

You can apply the same logic to other Arts subjects. English Literature, for example, is a perfectly suited discipline for developing the vocabulary and structure of a compelling narrative; Politics is more likely to give you a sophisticated idea of how to deliver that story. If we concentrate too much on STEM, then we’ll have people who understand the numbers and stats, but they won’t necessarily have the skills to articulate the meaning of that data, turn it into actionable insights or communicate next steps around those insights to the business. There needs to be a balance between STEM subjects and Arts subjects that give the future workforce the tools and techniques to deliver a truly gripping story.

Full STEAM ahead

A good place to start is with the school curriculum by putting more of a focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) education. This will not only widen the talent pool, but encourage a more diverse approach to learning about, and working with, data. That’s because STEAM’s foundations lie in inquiry, critical thinking, and process-based learning. And the entire idea surrounding STEAM learning is that it’s based around in-depth questioning. Curiosity, problem-solving, and being creative in finding solutions is at the heart of this approach.

The power of storytelling

That said, arguably the most important skill for a data scientist to have in their arsenal is the ability to tell stories. Storytelling is a universal language that everyone can understand. Our latest survey of 500 data professionals quantifies its importance – highlighting that data storytelling can empower everyone within a business to make data-driven decisions, while also having a significant impact on the bottom line. In fact, 93% of companies agree that decisions made as a result of successful data storytelling have the potential to help increase revenue. Data holds astonishing amounts of potential value for businesses, but none of that value is accessible until it’s translated into the insights that lead to business outcomes. Packaging up data insights as a story, using the numbers as a means of grounding your story in truth without relying on them to do the talking for you, is vital to telling a convincing tale.

The End

The appetite for data scientists is not going to go away. Data analytics and the use of data to inform business decisions is on the rise: we can only speculate on the sophistication and complexity of the field in a decade. If we’re going to achieve such lofty highs, we need hungry and talented young storytellers to recognise the potential that they have to make a powerful impact by choosing a data career. That, in turn, means making that pathway clearer for them, providing the opportunity to develop a wellrounded STEAM skillset and making it clear that they can thrive in what is a fast moving, exciting industry.