As a data scientist starting a new project, what is one of your key roles?

One of the key roles of a data scientist at the start of a new project is to ask questions to clarify the business need. This step is crucial because it ensures that the data scientist understands the objectives and challenges of the project clearly. By engaging with stakeholders and asking the right questions, a data scientist can align their analyses and deliverables with the overall goals of the business, ultimately leading to more relevant and actionable insights.

Understanding the business context not only helps in guiding the direction of the data analysis activities but also identifies which data to focus on, what methodologies to apply, and which metrics will best measure success. This foundational work influences all subsequent steps in the data science process, including data collection, analysis, and communication of results.

In contrast, focusing solely on data visualization, collecting vast quantities of data, or designing data collection methods are all important tasks in the broader scope of data science. However, they come after the initial clarity on the business need has been established. Without a clear understanding of the business problems to solve, the efforts in data collection and analysis may not be directed meaningfully or effectively.