The Power of Mental Models in Data - Ashish Singru - Making Better Decisions - Episode #31

Making Better Decisions: Leaders in Data

In this episode of Making Better Decisions, analytics consultant Ashish Singru joins to discuss optimizing decision-making using data. Ashish shares his extensive experience across various multinational companies and emphasizes the importance of understanding business contexts and mental models in data analysis. He elaborates on the significance of blending technical expertise with business insights, drawing from his background in engineering and analytics. Additionally, Ashish offers valuable advice on leveraging India's technical talent and the benefits of trial and error approaches in root cause analysis. The conversation also explores Ashish's personal interests in travel, history, and bird watching, emphasizing the importance of balancing technical work with personal passions.

Key Takeaways:

• Clarify the Problem Before Diving into Data: Ensure that your team is aligned on the business objectives to be addressed by the data.
• Bridge the Gap Between Technical and Business Teams: Invest time in finding or training individuals who can communicate effectively between the technical and business domains.
• Provide Business Context to Technical Teams: Establish routines where technical teams regularly participate in business meetings to understand the business language and context.
• Encourage the Development of Citizens Data Scientists: Train and empower non-technical staff to use data tools. This democratizes data analysis and can uncover unexpected talents within the organization.
• Prioritize Agile Analytics: Encourage agile practices within the analytics team to keep pace with dynamic business needs.

Quote of the Show:

• “It's cool to tell others that I'm using data to solve my problems, but make sure you are clear in your own mind about how you want to use data to solve problems because it's only going to be as good as the problem that needs that data to be solved.” - Ashish Singru

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishsingru/
• Website: https://www.ebayinc.com/

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PpvYXoXjAYl8auDpmShYi
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