guest lecture for columbia undergraduate audience on data science, using NYT as an example, 2015-01-22

1. data science @ The New York
Times
and how a 163-year old content company
became data-driven
chris.wiggins@columbia.edu
chris.wiggins@nytimes.com
@chrishwiggins

2. 1. the path

3. biology: 1892 vs. 1995
biology changed for good.

4. genetics: 1837 vs. 2012
ML toolset; data science mindset

5. becoming a data science culture
- drew conway, 2010

6. data science: web scale

7. example:
163 yr old

8. bit.ly/nyt-
interactive-2013

11. example:
millions of views per hour

14. data science: the web

15. data science: the web
is your “online presence”

16. data science: the web
is a microscope

17. data science: the web
is an experimental tool

18. data science: the web
is an optimization tool

19. 1. the path

20. learnings
- supervised learning
- unsupervised learning
- reinforcement learning

21. supervised learning, e.g.,

22. supervised learning, e.g.,
“the funnel”

23. interpretable supervised
learning
supercoolstuff

24. supervised learning, e.g.,
“logistics”

25. unsupervised learning, e.g,
“segments”

26. unsupervised learning, e.g,
“segments”

27. unsupervised learning, e.g,
“segments”
argmax_z p(z|x)=14

28. unsupervised learning, e.g,
“segments”
“baby boomer”

29. reinforcement learning

30. reinforcement learning
aka “A/B testing”;
RCT

31. reinforcement learning

32. reinforcement learning
img: MSR SV (RIP)
e.g., multi-armed bandits

33. data science:
- people,
- process,
- technology

34. 2. data science:

35. “data”:

36. “data”:
“metrics”
“business analytics”
“Excel”
“reporting”

37. Reporting

38. Reporting
business as
usual

39. Reporting
Learning
business as
usual

40. Reporting
Learning
(esp.
supervised)
business as
usual

41. supervised learning, e.g.,
“the funnel”

42. Reporting
Learning
Test
business as
usual
(esp.
supervised)

43. Reporting
Learning
Test
aka “A/B
testing”;
business as
usual
(esp.
supervised)

44. Reporting
Learning
Test
aka “A/B
testing”;
business as
usual
(esp.
supervised)
Some of the most recognizable personalization in our service is the collection of “genre”
rows. …Members connect with these rows so well that we measure an increase in
member retention by placing the most tailored rows higher on the page instead of
lower.

45. Reporting
Learning
Test
aka “A/B
testing”;
business as
usual
(esp.
supervised)

46. Reporting
Learning
Test
Optimizing
aka “A/B
testing”;
(esp.
supervised)
business as
usual

47. Reporting
Learning
Test
Optimizing
aka “A/B
testing”;
(i.e.
reinforcement
(esp.
supervised)
business as
usual

48. Reporting
Learning
Test
Optimizing
Explore
aka “A/B
testing”;
(i.e.
reinforcement
(esp.
supervised)
business as
usual

49. Reporting
Learning
Test
Optimizing
Explore
aka “A/B
testing”;
aka
“segmenting”
(i.e.
reinforcement
(esp.
supervised)
business as
usual

50. Reporting
Learning
Test
Optimizing
Explore
aka “A/B
testing”;
aka
“segmenting”
(i.e.
reinforcement
(esp.
supervised)
business as
usual

51. “segments”
Explore
aka
“segmenting”

52. “segments”
“z=14”
Explore
aka
“segmenting”

53. “segments”
“baby boomer”
Explore
aka
“segmenting”

54. Reporting
Learning
Optimizing
tech company

55. Reporting
“model” company

56. Reporting
fake company

57. Reporting
Learning
Test
Optimizing
Explore
startups:

58. “a startup is a temporary organization in search of a
repeatable and scalable business model” —Steve Blank

59. every publisher is now a startup

60. data science:
- people,
- process,
- technology

61. chris.wiggins@columbia.edu
chris.wiggins@nytimes.com
@chrishwiggins
your
questions?