Social and Soft skills required in a Data Scientist

You may have read the definition of Data science in almost every posts related to it, for a change, let us imagine the possible environment of a Data Scientist.

A laptop on a table that is filled with various reports, to-do-lists all around the cubicle or place reading business meeting, client meeting, presentation, report analysis and report submission.

Authentically, a Data Scientist should perform his task of taming down the piles of data which takes skills in different tools and languages, along with which skills like communication, risk management, strong English proficiency and extrovert approach is also necessary. You ask why? it is because the tasks that is listed in the do-list belongs to the non-technical tasks of a Data Scientist, which matter important as equally as the technical aspect. So Lets get to know about it.

Conversing or explaining to your team mates

There should be no difference between conversing and explaining while being one to one with colleagues. Because, Data Science activity happens in a team in where different specialists apart from Data Scientists will be there like Data manager, Data Analyst, Report manager, etc., they work in a pack while one mate will be dependent on the data provided by the other mate, each specialist will be concentrated on respective tasks, there is no necessity for every person in team to know methods beyond their field, here is where the effective conversation matters the most, in the team.

To get any work done by the person in the team, the person must be explained why and what he is being asked for, here the Data Scientists will be expected to be patient and definitive in their approach. A Data Scientist stated that empathy should be their in the air of Data scientist. A good team contributes in best work, but the expectations and responsibilities in field of Data science will provoke one to lose their calm and get hasty, it is important to be self aware about the words and approach while especially working in a Data Science team.

Business approach and selling the ideas

A Data Scientist apart from being expected to be persistent in his/her technical task is expected to be conceptive towards business projects. A good Data Science course will help one to learn the working in technical tools but the Data Scientists will be expected to work even in business related aspects in where dealing the business meetings are a part of it. They should have a good presence of mind while in a business meeting he/she should be able to provide convincing explanation for various queries spread during the business meet. Communication skills, confidence, acuteness are the mandatory skills that works in here.

Presentation skills

As the definition goes by, Data Scientists will process the whole of data to reach to an effective solution for business related problem but the solution they reach to will not be finalized as soon as they reach to it. Team meeting with whole management will takes place in where the idea will be discussed and cross checked if it fits to all of the expectations and concerns of the client, here data visualization skills and great communication skills will be needed as a good presentation could lead directly for the acceptance of the idea.

Technical aspect is the authenticity of a Data Scientist but the non-technical aspect will work as icing on the cake.