The Future of Data Education - Joe Dery, VP & Dean of the School of IT @WGU

By Andrew C. Madson , Developer Advocate and Evangelist at Dremio - Try Dremio today! https://bit.ly/DremioGetStarted

Joe's Background and Role at WGU

• Joe Dery, the Vice President and Dean of the School of Technology at Western Governor's University, has a background in decision science, data analytics, and software engineering.
• He previously worked for EMC and Dell Technologies, leading roles in decision science, data science, and advanced analytics.
• At WGU, he oversees data analytics, computer science, and software engineering programs, emphasizing the importance of decision-making processes.

"I'm based in the Boston, Massachusetts area... at WGU as the VP and Dean of data analytics computer science and software engineering for two years... I spent about 11 years between EMC and Dell Technologies leading decision science data science Advanced analytics"

Keeping Curriculum Relevant and Valuable

• WGU focuses on building a foundational understanding that includes algorithmic thinking and exposure to programming languages to enable students to adapt to different languages and technologies.
• You must understand how to translate between languages and effectively use resources like search engines to fill knowledge gaps.
• Joe aims to teach students how to think critically, build mathematical foundations, and apply their knowledge to solving real-world business problems.

"We want to teach people how to fish. How to think through it. We want to build the mathematical foundations right and then we want to start to help folks think through how to influence the business and how to bring this together in a life that is going to really be able to show that ROI."

Adapting to Technological Advancements

• Acknowledge the rapid evolution of technologies, highlighting the need for a strong foundation despite changing trends.
• Technological advancements have a cyclical nature, citing examples like the shift from random forests to decision trees for explainability.
• Starting with explainable algorithms and gradually progressing to more complex models based on the project requirements.

"So guess what a lot of companies did. They reverted back to decision trees, they reverted back to regressions because they were explainable, and what I want to educate students on is okay, well if explainability becomes a requirement in that process maybe you start by using an algorithm that's very explainable."

Transparency in Higher Education

• Transparency in higher education institutions is critical to regaining public trust, emphasizing open communication about decision-making processes and initiatives.
• educational offerings must align with individual students' goals and be transparent about the educational journey and goals.
• Universities must share data, even if it reveals challenging aspects like rising costs or employment rates, to provide realistic expectations for students.

"My plea out to higher ed as a whole is transparency, it's trying to understand the intentionality and the journey that students are on in a personalized way."

Importance of Soft Skills in Building a Competitive Profile

• Non-traditional experiences, such as being a bartender on a resume, can showcase valuable soft skills like communication and adaptability.
• Life experiences alongside degrees and certificates can help individuals stand out in job applications.

"I talked about being a bartender because it showed that I could talk to people."

The Impact of Improv on Communicating Technical Concepts

• Improv training was pivotal in helping the speaker communicate technical information effectively by teaching agility and the ability to adapt to unexpected situations.
• Improv helped the presenter focus on engaging with the audience's needs rather than solely relying on technical details.

"Improv embraced agility, a philosophy of 'yes and,' so I would take whatever the sales executive or Finance executive was saying and I'd build off of it."

Embracing Storytelling in Data Presentations

• The integration of storytelling in presentations, both in academia and the corporate world, focuses on understanding the audience's perspective, empathizing with their needs, and communicating the relevance of data insights effectively.
• Prioritizing storytelling in educational programs aims to equip students with technical skills and the compelling ability to convey insights.

"We want to make sure the students coming out can actually tell those stories."

Navigating Technical Trends and Data Management

• Discussions at conferences like CDAO events highlight the importance of balancing new technologies like AI with traditional data management practices, such as data lineage and documentation.
• The emphasis on understanding data quality upfront to avoid the "garbage in, garbage out" scenario in faster deployment processes is crucial in the current tech landscape.

"You now need to think about that very much upfront."

Importance of Data Storytelling in Business Strategy

• Effective data storytelling is crucial to communicating the value of new technologies within a broader business strategy.
• Storytelling helps to evoke emotions, frame narratives, and engage stakeholders effectively.
• Incorporating storytelling elements like rising action, climax, and resolution into data presentations ensures a complete and compelling narrative for decision-makers.

Stories are meant to bring joy, create fear and suspense, and evoke optimism, ultimately helping to frame discussions around complex data in a relatable and engaging manner.

The Role of Transparency and Empathy in Data Storytelling

• Transparency in data storytelling involves being honest about biases and minimizing or omitting data points, thereby building credibility.
• Empathy is crucial in presenting challenging data points respectfully without blaming but focusing on understanding and addressing the issues at hand.
• Balancing accuracy and presentation effectiveness is key for data professionals to convey insights clearly and drive impactful decisions within organizations.

"Don't blame, talk about what it means and what you're going to do about it."

Navigating Unexpected Data Outcomes and Their Impact

• Unexpected data outcomes provide opportunities for learning and adaptation in business strategies.
• Handling unexpected results requires quick assessment, decisive actions, and a focus on readjusting strategies promptly.
• A shift in data outcomes can challenge existing business beliefs and lead to profound changes in strategies and decision-making processes.

"When a hypothesis goes sideways, it gives us an opportunity to realize that we didn't know something as well as we thought we did."

Lightning Round: Quick Preferences

"I'll die on this hill; it's Mike's Pastry!"

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