Introduction
The use of adaptability in all careers is necessary but especially in data science. In data science, where project asks are usually vague and it is up to the data scientist to chart out a path to get there. In these scenarios, adaptability plays a key role when a requirement gets changed or an avenue is blocked. This is what the article “Why ‘adaptability is key’ to this data scientist” by siliconrepublic talks about along with a case study into an actual data scientist: Paulo da Costa(the article is linked here).
Summary of Article
First, the article talks about his workplace and what he specifically does – combining language and text processing techniques to make models better. Then the article gets into tips he uses to manage his workload. After, the article gets into how adaptability is key for this data scientist. For example, versatility in the tools he uses is key which requires adaptability. He says these soft skills are often overlooked but are vital to succeed in the field. Then the article gets into the hardest parts of his work. Costa says one of them is how fast these fields are moving. This requires adaptability to keep up with. Then the article details productivity tips that help Costa such as taking breaks, staying hydrated, and automating tasks if possible. After the article gets into the tools of his work such as the things he uses to communicate with colleagues. Then the article implicitly touches on adaptability again. The article details that as the field is growing and evolving the way he does his work changed. To make this change adaptability was needed. Then the article focuses back on Costa by showing that he finds his work fulfilling because he gets to “work on interesting problems” and then gets into his advice for people aspiring to be like him. The advice is to be a “continuous” learner and “stay humble” as well as to “start small”. The article concludes by saying that the projects for people starting out in the field don’t have to be groundbreaking and it is very common for them not to be.
My Take
The article overall was a good one. However, I felt it focused a little too much on Costa’s life and didn’t highlight his adaptability enough. While it was apparent implicitly, it would have been nice to state it explicitly, especially with the article’s title involving adaptability so readily. I did appreciate the actionable tips provided by the article on productivity. I also really liked the use of the headings in the article to make it easier to read. I would have appreciated more pictures.
Conclusion
All in all, the article was a good one. Although it could have mentioned adaptability a bit more explicitly it was very present implicitly. The article’s use of headings and actionable tips were definitely plus points for it. Overall, I recommend you read the article if you have some time(article linked here)