#191 Part 2: Product design and development with Sarah Dods, formerly Head of Advanced Analytics at AGL

#191 Part 2: Product design and development with Sarah Dods, formerly Head of Advanced Analytics at AGL

Author: Felipe Flores June 1, 2022 Duration: 32:58

In this second podcast with the visionary data scientist, entrepreneur and business leader, Sarah Dods, we dive into the details around product development and the role of data science.

Across her career, from NICTA and CSIRO, through to AGL, Telstra Health, RMIT University and Gerson Lehrman, Sarah has had a long history in bringing innovation to market.

One thing she says is that business leaders should not lose sight of how data science needs to work. It’s a team sport, in the same way that building a car requires more than someone to design and build the engine.

“So, what do you need to make a solution supportable, sustainable and safe?” Sarah asks, before going on to note that another challenge that data science teams need to be cognizant of is that data science models fail silently. The application could be bringing garbage in, and pushing garbage out, and it will happily keep working, producing outputs that will no longer mean what you want them to. So teams need to think about your feedback loop.

This is where agile comes from, in encouraging an iterative process in which the MVP is produced as quickly as possible, and then iterated on indefinitely as opportunities for ongoing development arise.

Stay tuned for some deep insights from Sarah about the opportunities for data science to drive next-level product innovation.

Enjoy the episode!

Read the full podcast episode summary here.

Thanks to our sponsor, Talent Insights Group

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In a field dominated by discussions of algorithms and infrastructure, Data Futurology carves out a different, crucial space. Host Felipe Flores guides conversations toward the human-centric challenges that ultimately determine whether an AI initiative succeeds or fails. This isn't a technical deep dive into model architectures; it's a series of dialogues about strategy, organizational change, and the practical leadership required to bridge the gap between potential and real-world impact. You'll hear from practitioners and executives who have navigated the complex last mile of deployment, where the real work of integrating technology into business processes and culture happens. The podcast explores how to select the right problems, build effective teams, and cultivate an ethical, forward-thinking approach to data science and machine learning. For leaders, managers, and anyone responsible for steering their organization through the adoption of these powerful tools, Data Futurology offers grounded insights and actionable perspectives. It’s about moving beyond the hype to create sustainable value, ensuring that the rapid pace of advancement in artificial intelligence is matched by thoughtful and effective human leadership. Tune in for a necessary complement to the more code-focused shows in your feed.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Data Futurology - Leadership And Strategy in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science
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