The verbs of Data Science

The kerfuffle about what is Data Science and who are Data Scientists comes down to nouns and verbs.

Data Science and Data Scientists are nouns. Most nouns are abstractions, buckets that make communication easier. Nouns are short-hand, but they can slippery (some people do not tolerate ambiguity well.). Nouns become more useful (and more powerful) when paired with verbs.

Here are sample data science verb-noun pairs:

• Fit models.
• Create data products.
• Communicate results.

Each one of those general verbs can be made crisper with more specific verbs:

• Pipe data into Vowpal Wabbit .
• Code the backend to a recommendation widget for a website.
• Post slide deck.

I much rather have a discussion about verbs than nouns.