Derek Belyea

• How is your presentation relevant to the theme of this year’s BBC conference: Innovation in the Fast Lane?

My presentation is titled “What BAs and PMs need to know about Data Science”. Data Scientists are today at the core of efforts to transform and disrupt industry and government. With businesses as diverse as Netflix, Airbnb, Alaska Airlines, Amazon, and many others, consumers and businesses are experiencing the radical effects of product and service innovation. Data science is at the heart of much of this innovation. For many business analysts and project managers it is now essential to learn how data scientists work, what organizations need to be successful with data science and how to transfer the insights of data science into lasting value.

• What are your top tips for companies or employees wishing to innovate?

Organizations that want to innovate need to understand how to organize their data science teams for success, how to direct the efforts of data scientists to the highest value opportunities and where to find value in their data. At a minimum this requires the combined, coordinated and informed efforts of sponsors, business analysts, project managers, data scientists and data engineers. In my talk I will deliver some insights into this timely topic.