Embarking on a Journey of Data and Business Goals with Discover Financial’s Amit Shivale at a Promotable Webinar

A recent, data-themed webinar by data-skills school Promotable featured Amit Shivale, a Data Scientist and Product Strategist at Discover Financial Services, where he proactively tethers the value of data analytics/science to solving business challenges. To Amit, the journey here matters as much as the destination—especially when business executives don’t readily value or even consider the benefits that the disciplines of data analytics/science can offer. Throughout his presentation, there was this recurring recommendation:

“Bring the business partner along.”

Despite the fact that data is at the operational core of so many businesses, the value of Data Analytics and Data Science can still be dismissed by business stakeholders who may primarily rely on their storied intuition, according to Amit. To not break but recalibrate this pattern, he encourages making business stakeholders aware of the value of incorporating data-derived findings into decision-making early and often—much like the repeated urge to practice communication upfront and regularly. Following are the preferred and proactive dynamics that Amit advised:

• Partner vs. Passive
• Explain vs. Exercise

By partner, assert how data analytics/science can benefit the problem-solving process and do so at a project’s inception—when it’s ideal. By explain, describe what the in/outputs of data analytics/science mean with clarity, relevance and the appropriate level of detail (which a number of Promotable event presenters have commented on). As both partner and explainer, the Data Analyst/Scientist transcends the role of “Modeler” which is helpful but models themselves are insufficient. Amit urges pairing the role of Modeler with that of Partner and Explainer. When unified and practiced, the journey of business problem-solving becomes more meaningful—as companions rather than strangers.

Thanks again to Promotable who proactively tie in their web-based workshops with timely perspectives through their organizing of weekly talks online! Explore their channel on YouTube.

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