I’ve been working in Construction Management for the last eight years. I love many aspects of construction and many parts also drive me crazy. Even with starting Data Science, I’m hoping it leads me into a career largely based in the physical world. There are so many efficiencies that can be realized in renewable energy, manufacturing, and vertical farming. Having a background in construction will mean I can bring my knowledge of infrastructure systems and what is actually realistic to data analysis and real world data based solutions.
Part of the reason I chose Data Science is the problem solving component. My favorite aspect about construction is problem solving and the reality that plans and assumptions rarely work out perfectly. Additionally, working with people to come up with the best possible outcome with incomplete or surprising information is rewarding. Understanding the goals and pain points of the other people in the system increases the quality of the solution due to various backgrounds coming together. I’m hoping to become an expert in Data Science and it’s application to construction and manufacturing.
The Challenges
So now I just finished the first of 5 modules. Wow! When learning new skills, it’s sometimes difficult to feel like I’m making any progress. Luckily I was able to look back at my notes and realize the depth of what I’ve learned so far. If you ask me “What is Data Science?”, I still don’t have a good answer in my own words beyond the basic idea. However there is this vast world of information out there that we as humans have assumptions about, which may or not be backed up by data. Right now, big picture, I view Data Science as the tool to make informed decisions and organize the ever growing amount of information out there.
Getting into learning again was the most difficult part. For the first month I found it difficult to get into a schedule and retain the large amount of information. It was difficult to get started each day and it felt like I was constantly taking two steps forward and one step back. During the second month, I had a hard time moving past getting stuck on a detail. In the professional world when encountering a problem, a solution or solution options need to be found. I work on that problem until it’s solved. What I had to remind myself about learning is sometimes a concept doesn’t hit home immediately and rather than banging my head against a walll trying to figure it out, it’s better to move on and come back to it later with less frustration and more expertise.
This is also my first blog post, which presents its own difficulties in feeling confident about what I’ve learned and in writing publically.