After completing the Data Mining course, I found it was much less complicated and technical than I expected. While the core algorithms that make data mining are complex, it is possible to generate value out of data mining from understanding when to apply the proper process and executing. This is valuable information as it may be a skill more easily taught than expected in corporate settings.
I learned that patterns discovered through data mining can generate amazing impacts on the organization. Seeing through the seemingly useless data collected, connecting dots that cannot be seen, and using information that customers may not even be aware is valuable to a marketing or operations teams is an amazing skill and technique.
I was also pleased to learn that while data mining is extremely valuable, it is also a victim of the hype machine. Each organization is looking at data mining right now and building or expanding their DM teams so that they can determine their value. While this is a gold rush era of DM, it will soon be uncovered that DM is limited, and does not bring all of the answers or solve all of the problems.
I plan to use what I’ve learned in the data mining course to dig a little deeper during my research stage of any project. The upfront metrics are vital to understanding the project; however, data mining offers me the chance to look at numbers that appear like they won’t matter and create a pattern. Changes like this make projects more targeted, more efficient, and allow for creative solutions based on data driven decisions.
Nicholas Sherren's Journey to Mastery 