Data Science for CEOs: A Terminology Primer

Tim McFarland challenged me recently to ideate some small but potent technology primers for the members of the forums at Elevate Performance. My advice there may end up being more broadly generalized, but it had me thinking about just how many CEOs are currently making decisions pertaining to the field of Data Science. That's a tricky thing to do if your organization is not a mathematically or technologically focused one, since the business community is inundated with buzzword heavy sales pitches and impress-you-with-jargon marketing materials which ultimately cloud understanding. For the CEO, it's important to have an understanding of the terminology of the field so that initiatives can be communicated effectively. If for no other reason, understanding the terminology serves as a defense from having the same terminology used against the CEO--either by an eager consultant in a sales pitch or as a hand-waving technique from a colleague. Data Science isn't really a new field at all, although the excitement surrounding it has peaked in recent years.