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# Thoughts From the Data Science Summit
- URL: https://www.philsimon.com/thoughts-data-science-conference/
- Published: 2012-05-23T22:41:52.000Z
- Updated: 2025-12-30T10:51:53.000Z
- Description: Talking to practitioners is always a treat, especially about new technologies and directions.
- Author: Phil Simon
- Tags: Analytics, Big Data, Trends, Data Science, HuffPo, LinkedIn

Today I attended the second annual [Data Science Summit](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CI0EEBYwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.greenplum.com%2Fdatasciencesummit%2F&ei=pGW9T4-AHcHK2AWH7J2jDw&usg=AFQjCNH35Xv6UIMp%5Fkrm4w5hUVy4GPrvMw&sig2=cAd1NfgV4cKLx-uSxkK4zg), hosted by [Greenplum](https://www.greenplum.com/?ref=philsimon.com). The general topic of data science has intrigued me for quite some time, but I've had very few chances to talk to people actually in the field--i.e., those who are turning theory into practice. After all, many cash-strapped organizations are struggling to keep the lights on. Not all that many are venturing into mostly unchartered territory.

At breakfast, I spoke with [Scott Kahler](https://www.linkedin.com/inviteFromProfile?from=profile&key=9767442&firstName=Scott&lastName=Kahler&authToken=GXYJ&authType=NAME%5FSEARCH&pvs=ps&trk=pp%5Finvite%5Fmember%5Faction&goback=%2Efps%5FPBCK%5F%2A1%5FScott%5FKahler%5F%2A1%5F%2A1%5F%2A1%5F%2A1%5F%2A2%5F%2A1%5FY%5F%2A1%5F%2A1%5F%2A1%5Ffalse%5F1%5FR%5F%2A1%5F%2A51%5F%2A1%5F%2A51%5Ftrue%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2&ref=philsimon.com) of AdKnowledge, [John Paclik](https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=14768563&authType=NAME%5FSEARCH&authToken=MbWU&locale=en%5FUS&srchid=8ca102d1-8cb1-41cb-b9c9-2bd3f006c4dc-0&srchindex=2&srchtotal=2&goback=%2Efps%5FPBCK%5F%2A1%5FJohn%5FPaclik%5F%2A1%5F%2A1%5F%2A1%5F%2A1%5F%2A2%5F%2A1%5FY%5F%2A1%5F%2A1%5F%2A1%5Ffalse%5F1%5FR%5F%2A1%5F%2A51%5F%2A1%5F%2A51%5Ftrue%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2%5F%2A2&pvs=ps&trk=pp%5Fprofile%5Fname%5Flink&ref=philsimon.com) of Comcast, and Aaron Caldiero of [Zions Bancorporation](https://www.zionsbancorporation.com/?ref=philsimon.com) about some of the very specific (read: technical) lessons learned in deploying tools like [Hadoop](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0COwEEBYwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhadoop.apache.org%2F&ei=PWW9T8T5H%5FCu2AXTvu2LDw&usg=AFQjCNH%5FfucjedSFJYj4f6CB9trYS4DMDA&sig2=O%5F2vTL7bdkuOu7YBVduE6g). To be sure, this was not a discussion for the technically challenged. I was glad that I could keep up and not have to have every acronym explained to me. Turns out that Big Data technologies aren't entirely unlike more mature ones like ERP and CRM: there are tradeoffs to be made and one size rarely fits all. The benefits of Big Data, though, are hard to overstate.

> Perhaps CIOs are finally getting analytics.

The panelists and featured speakers then took over. While all interesting, I particularly enjoyed Oren Etzioni of [Decide.com](https://www.decide.com/?ref=philsimon.com) who talked about his company's price comparison site and app. Sure, price comparison sites like [mysimon.com](https://www.mysimon.com/?ref=philsimon.com) (great name, right?) have existed for a long time. However, Decide uses Big Data to do something truly unique: it helps you decide *when* to buy something. Etzioni is a fellow Carnegie Mellon alumnus and ridiculously smart cookie and it will be interesting to see how his company's offerings evolve. (Interesting factoid: the prices of large-screen TVs don't always decline. They sometimes actually creep up.)

## Simon Says

Big Data is ridiculously powerful and sometimes scary. Exhibit A: Target evidently [knows its teenage customers better in some cases than their parents do](https://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/02/16/how-target-figured-out-a-teen-girl-was-pregnant-before-her-father-did/?ref=philsimon.com). Privacy generally seems to take a back seat these days, but at least most of the speakers gave lip service to that quaint old notion.

On a different level, the number of *Moneyball* references really shocked me. Perhaps CIOs are finally geting analytics. After all, if it worked for the Oakland A's, then perhaps it can work for their companies?

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**Published in *Huffington Post*. Click [here](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/phil-simon/big-data-goes-mainstream%5Fb%5F1541079.html?ref=philsimon.com "HuffPo") to read the article there.**