What sort of personality makes for an effective data scientist? Definitely curiosity…. The biggest question in data science is ‘Why?’ Why is this happening? If you notice that there’s a pattern, ask, ‘Why?’ Is there something wrong with the data or is this an actual pattern going on? Can we conclude anything from this pattern? A natural curiosity will definitely give you a good foundation.

By 2018, the United States alone could face a shortage of 140,000 to 190,000 people with deep analytical skills as well as 1.5 million managers and analysts with the know-how to use the analysis of big data to make effective decisions.

Deep questions remain about the ability for many areas of government and civil society to identify, cultivate and retain individuals with the necessary skills for success in a world increasingly driven by information technology.

We have tons of data; we are insight poor

Leaders in every sector will have to grapple with the implications of big data, not just a few data-oriented managers.

The shortage of data scientists is becoming a serious constraint in some sectors.

There’s a digital revolution taking place both in and out of government in favor of open-sourced data, innovation, and collaboration.

The world’s national, state and local governments don’t have the right digital skills in the right quantities to meet the challenges of the coming century. This is a Big Problem.