Welcome to our Data Science 101 blog series. In this four-part series, we’ll walk through the basics of how to approach a data science project. Explore the core concepts of data science with us and learn how businesses can harness its power to make better, data-driven decisions.

Data Science 101 – Part 1: How to use data science for predictions

Everyone’s talking about data science for predictions… How it helps a business transform data into actionable insights to improve marketing ROI, increase customer satisfaction, drive operational efficiencies, and more. Many companies know they need to get in the game – but it can be challenging when it’s new terrain.

Data Science 101 – Part 2: How can you build trust in data science models?

Many companies have come to see the value in the latest capabilities of AI and machine learning. However, making critical business decisions based on computer-generated predictions can be a tough sell across an organization. And yet, insights using data science models often drive significantly better results than best guesses.

Data Science 101 – Part 3: What to consider in a modeling dataset

A data model for machine learning predictions is only as good as your data. For starters, your modeling dataset must accurately portray the reality of how your business operates. Second, model building data needs to know the outcome of each case, or row, in the historical data. When these conditions are in place, you can develop models to learn which combinations of preconditions lead to each outcome.

Data Science 101 – Part 4: Choose the right machine learning algorithm for your business problem

The answer is not usually as simple as “let’s use the machine learning algorithm I read about in this blog article!” Although that is occasionally the answer. To determine the right machine learning algorithm for your business needs, you should typically consider:

  • The data structure of what is being predicted
  • The data structure of the predictors
  • The kind of insights needed to drive changes in your business

How Beyond the Arc can help you

Our data science experts can support you end-to-end, from identifying the right algorithm to developing a robust data modeling process customized to your business needs.

With 20+ years of experience, our data scientists are passionate about helping businesses use data to make better decisions and take action. They specialize in using statistics and machine learning to deliver actionable business insights.

Let’s chat about how AI and machine learning can help your business.

Last updated: 2/4/2025
Image sources: Pexels.com, Pixabay.com