Foreword

We live in exciting, even revolutionary times. As our daily interactions move from the physical world to the digital world, nearly every action we take generates data. Information pours from our mobile devices and our every online interaction. Sensors and machines collect, store, and process information about the environment around us. New, huge data sets are now open and publicly accessible.

This flood of information gives us the power to make more informed decisions, react more quickly to change, and better understand the world around us. However, it can be a struggle to know where to start when it comes to making sense of this data deluge. What data should one collect? What methods are there for reasoning from data? And, most importantly, how do we get the answers from the data to answer our most pressing questions about our businesses, our lives, and our world?

Data science is the key to making this flood of information useful. Simply put, data science is the art of wrangling data to predict our future behavior, uncover patterns to help prioritize or provide actionable information, or otherwise draw meaning from these vast, untapped data resources.

I often say that one of my favorite interpretations of the word “big” in Big Data is “expansive.” The data revolution is spreading to so many fields that it is now incumbent on people working in all professions to understand how to use data, just as people had to learn how to use computers in the 80’s and 90’s. This book is designed to help you do that.

I have seen firsthand how radically data science knowledge can transform organizations and the world for the better. At DataKind, we harness the power of data science in the service of humanity by engaging data science and social sector experts to work on projects addressing critical humanitarian problems. We are also helping drive the conversation about how data science can be applied to solve the world’s biggest challenges. From using satellite imagery to estimate poverty levels to mining decades of human rights violations to prevent further atrocities, DataKind teams have worked with many different nonprofits and humanitarian organizations just beginning their data science journeys. One lesson resounds through every project we do: The people and organizations that are most committed to using data in novel and responsible ways are the ones who will succeed in this new environment.

Just holding this book means you are taking your first steps on that journey, too. Whether you are a seasoned researcher looking to brush up on some data science techniques or are completely new to the world of data, Data Science For Dummies will equip you with the tools you need to show whatever you can dream up. You’ll be able to demonstrate new findings from your physical activity data, to present new insights from the latest marketing campaign, and to share new learnings about preventing the spread of disease.

We truly are on the forefront of a new data age and those that learn data science will be able to take part in this thrilling new adventure, shaping our path forward in every field. For you, that adventure starts now. Welcome aboard!

Jake Porway

Founder and Executive Director of DataKind