3 ideas to add to your data science toolkit

I'm always on the lookout for ideas that can improve how I tackle data analysis projects. I particularly favor approaches that translate to tools I can use repeatedly. Most of the time, I find these tools on my own--by trial and error--or by consulting other practitioners. I also have an affinity for academics and academic research, and I often tweet about research papers that I come across and am intrigued by. Often, academic research results don't immediately translate to what I do, but I recently came across ideas from several research projects that are worth sharing with a wider audience.