Is Tableau (Data Visualization) Worth it ?

[cguy]

This is even less relevant (also: since you mention a percentage - what is it and where have you derived it from?)

You can look at the degree demographics on Wallstreet or Silicon Valley for one thing. It should also be self evident that people who have been trained in Linear Algebra, Stats, Applied Maths and/or Computer Science have a significant advantage.

Data scientists are highly educated – 91% have at least a Master’s degree and 48% have PhDs

The typical data scientist profile is as follows: He is a male who speaks one foreign language, has four and a half years of overall work experience (median), works with R and/or Python, and holds a Master’s and/or a PhD degree.

Your assertion is that degrees are needed for Data Scientists.

I'm saying that they prove nothing.

This above two lines aren't inconsistent, yet for some reason you think they are.

Problem solving skills (creativity is severely lacking in rote learners IMO) and coding skills are far more valuable in my experience (which is 'extensive' given that this is an emergent field.)

Your whole argument appears to hinge on the idea that people with degrees are rote learners, are less inclined to be creative and have weaker coding skills. This is patently false.

You need the understanding of the principles and the ability to implement them, a BSc does not equate to this. The ability to do this is mutually exclusive from any degree. That is my assertion.

Your first sentence is correct, but your second sentence is quite simply nonsense.

Out of interest: how long have you been in out of university and in the workforce?

A little north of 20 years.

0.

And how many total permanent DS's?

 

[f22raptor]

I run a DS consultancy. Have worked with various big players locally in telecoms, financial services and retail. Several successful implementations (I sound like Trump now ffs.)

Would you hire someone who just know Tableau in and out and nothing else ?

 

[cguy]

Would you hire someone who just know Tableau in and out and nothing else ?

@f22raptor, I realize that you've been given two very differing opinions. I am personally quite shocked at the level of ignorance shown by SlinkyMike. I strongly encourage you to simply go to a few job web sites, search for Data Scientist, and look at the requisite qualifications. If you're on LinkedIn, do the search there too. The results will speak for themselves.

PNet results
Career Junction results

 

[kripstoe]

One is not inherently better than the other, there are trade offs and compromises either weay you go. Your post doesn't really make sense.

Where did I say one is better than the other? I said the one is overkill for starting out. Not that's is better or worse. PowerBI you can start using with minimal associated costs and setup.

 

[f22raptor]

@f22raptor, I realize that you've been given two very differing opinions. I am personally quite shocked at the level of ignorance shown by SlinkyMike. I strongly encourage you to simply go to a few job web sites, search for Data Scientist, and look at the requisite qualifications. If you're on LinkedIn, do the search there too. The results will speak for themselves.

PNet results
Career Junction results

I hear you but isn't data visualizations a discipline on its own were they rely on data scientists but it does not make their jobs less important like what nurses are to doctors or draughtsman are to engineers. Maybe there are no funds to pursue a Bsc hence i was thinking of her to master tableau and maybe get a job that pays R15k a month.

 

[cguy]

I hear you but isn't data visualizations a discipline on its own were they rely on data scientists but it does not make their jobs less important like what nurses are to doctors or draughtsman are to engineers. Maybe there are no funds to pursue a Bsc hence i was thinking of her to master tableau and maybe get a job that pays R15k a month.

Apologies - when you said “looking to get into data science”, I leapt to “Data Scientist”, which is much more ambitious. For visualization, there is much more of spectrum - more studies here means more autonomy, and likely, more income, but wherever she wants to draw the line is up to her.

Also, just to be clear - the point of the analogy was not to say that nurses are less important, but just that it’s not a stepping stone to becoming a doctor if that’s what one wants to be.

 

[SlinkyMike]

Would you hire someone who just know Tableau in and out and nothing else ?

No. You'd need a broader range of skills but my business is a small one so specialisation isn't very common. There is a market for Tableau skills, having some SQL would probably be good in ally to that. I know that down here in CT Slipstream are a licensed reseller for Tableau and they employ Tableau consultants, lovely people too.

@f22raptor, I realize that you've been given two very differing opinions. I am personally quite shocked at the level of ignorance shown by SlinkyMike. I strongly encourage you to simply go to a few job web sites, search for Data Scientist, and look at the requisite qualifications. If you're on LinkedIn, do the search there too. The results will speak for themselves.

PNet results
Career Junction results

Differing opinions do not equal ignorance in one side.

Clearly you think you're right, the only circumstance that supports that belief is my being ignorant. You are very closed minded for a scientist tbh.

I'm amazed that someone your age has such a blinkered, narrow view of things but that's your indaba. To my mind it is preposterous to assert that one needs a BSc to design, build and implement ML solutions (for instance.) It's even more ridiculous that all of your cited sources suffer from obvious bias and correlation/causation issues (didn't they teach you about this at uni?)

Anyway, good day to you sir.

Where did I say one is better than the other? I said the one is overkill for starting out. Not that's is better or worse. PowerBI you can start using with minimal associated costs and setup.

You didn't. I made an assumption that you were referencing the capabilities of each tool which is wrong. I agree with you on costs and setup, 100%.

 

[cguy]

Differing opinions do not equal ignorance in one side.

Clearly you think you're right, the only circumstance that supports that belief is my being ignorant. You are very closed minded for a scientist tbh.

I'm amazed that someone your age has such a blinkered, narrow view of things but that's your indaba. To my mind it is preposterous to assert that one needs a BSc to design, build and implement ML solutions (for instance.) It's even more ridiculous that all of your cited sources suffer from obvious bias and correlation/causation issues (didn't they teach you about this at uni?)

Anyway, good day to you sir.

Your arguments and what you think both you and I are asserting all hinge on your arbitrary conflation of the basic concepts of sufficiency, necessity and expectation. To be frank, I don't think that you have the faculties to move away from that first part of the Dunning-Kruger curve. Enjoy the view.

 

[kripstoe]

You didn't. I made an assumption that you were referencing the capabilities of each tool which is wrong. I agree with you on costs and setup, 100%.

Cool. Yeah, the capabilities are quite different.

 

[SlinkyMike]

Your arguments and what you think both you and I are asserting all hinge on your arbitrary conflation of the basic concepts of sufficiency, necessity and expectation. To be frank, I don't think that you have the faculties to move away from that first part of the Dunning-Kruger curve. Enjoy the view.

I said good day.

 

[kripstoe]

You can start tableau with zilch

Power BI also. When it comes to paying for it, PowerBI ($9) is still cheaper than Tableau ($35).