Decision science ain't exact science | Joe Shaw | TEDxEustis

Numbers don't lie, or so they say. But monumental failures by big data, like the dot com bubble, the 2008 housing crisis, and recent election polling, have data nerds like Joe Shaw looking for ways to shift decision science. In a world where data is increasingly used to make decisions with far-reaching impacts, Shaw humorously argues that acknowledging issues like bias, bad data, and incomplete conclusions is vital to overcoming the shortcomings of decision science and creating a system that respects the importance of data while retaining the vital human element. Joe Shaw is an author, a speaker, and an analytics engineer. Joe has been counting everything since he was young. The number of paperclips floating around in the junk drawer in his parents kitchen. The number of times his older sister would slam her bedroom door per week. Even the number of times his favorite radio announcers would say the word “and” during Cincinnati Reds broadcasts. Joe counted it all. His love of counting things lead to a career in Technology and Data, where Joe now works in analytics, counting many other interesting things, and using those numbers to help people make important decisions. Joe regularly combines his love of numbers and his love of stories to make sense of the world around us. Joe currently lives in Clermont, Florida with his wife and five children. The Shaw Kids (aka “The SKs”) are a chaotic, eccentric bunch that spin Joe’s head around so much he sometimes loses count of them. But that’s okay. Sometimes losing count is a good thing. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx