Tech the halls

Dear reader,

Congratulations. You’ve almost made it to the end of the year. It is possible that you still have yet to procure a few presents to make your loved ones happy and impressed.

Don't despair, I have a great suggestion for you!

For the person in your life who has everything and is thinking about how to - successfully -? implement? a Machine Learning project in their respective organization, I have the right gift. The best book to help you do just that with a significantly higher chance of success.

There is not a day that goes by where you don't see a headline about AI/ML, even though many who use this acronym rarely understand it or even attempt to explain it.

Every company these days is quickly pivoting to introduce AI/ML into their offering. They are painting a picture of prosperity and everlasting paradise.

The marketing messages from the vendors offering AI/ML solutions seem so convincing. With their AI/ML, you can:

• Support customers, drive sales, and collaborate—all in one beautiful AI-powered app
• Have proprietary AI technology purpose--built for revenue teams
• Use AI to make more accurate predictions, such as with sales forecasting, to help your planning and set your team up for success.

Like I said, it seems irresistible.

Then again, a sucker is born every minute.

That’s because starting with the tool is always the wrong place to start.

A lot of the promise of AI and Machine Learning goes down the drain unless you know how to operationalize it. That’s what this book will help you do.

This book is like a modern Rosetta Stone, simplifying and streamlining communication between business and data teams. The business team provides the context with the objectives for this project. The data team will build the magic technology. Together, they will deliver a successful project.

The book covers six easy steps to follow. (Disclaimer: There’s a lot of work involved, even if you follow these six easy steps.)

I've been involved with technology and running an IT consulting company for over 27 years. The number of very painful mistakes I’ve made over the years would most likely surpass the volume of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

What I've learned over the years is that the technology you think is the key to success is always secondary to the importance of the business. You can build a great technology solution, but if that doesn't translate into profitable business outcomes, it doesn't matter what you've built. I wish I had read a book like this when I started.

And now, without further ado, here I give you the one and only Dr. Eric Siegel and The AI Playbook - Mastering the Rare Art of Machine Learning Deployment. You can also get it as an audiobook. I wish you, dear reader, an enjoyable read and success in your next project. May the success be your recurrent pattern.