What are people trying to do with data? JTBD and DMCA

Why do people want data? What do people use it for? What are they trying to do, really? Put simply, four verbs: Decide, Monitor, Create, and Automate. Let’s first look at something called the JTBD framework. JB.. what? Jobs-to-be-done. Here’s a good description: https://www.productplan.com/glossary/jobs-to-be-done-framework/ The jobs-to-be-done framework is an approach to developing products based on…

Different levels of readiness when embarking on web data projects

I know I said we will look at different ways people use web data this week, but I realised there’s one other thing related to the six challenges worth discussing before moving on. It is the different levels of readiness / maturity when people embark on web data projects. I call it: “data-needs journey”. By…

The curse of freedom

Unbounded freedom, infinite possibilities, and illusive empowerment can make the best prison. What do I mean by that? One example: The things I’m currently insecure about are things I think I can change: thinning hair, protruding belly, and verbal communication skill, to name a few. While my flat-bridged nose or square jaw feel more “it…

Scaling: The Third Challenge in Web Data Acquisition Project

Sometimes you find that your current setup doesn’t give you the sufficient data to achieve your business goals. You might feel the need to increase the frequency, add the breadth of the data collection parameters for example keywords, zipcodes, categories, or add new data sources. You need to scale the project. What do you need…

I’m retired (for now) – Part 1: Mindset shifts

Hello friend, I’m reporting back 7 weeks into this mini retirement and I just want to say that I finally begun to feel more rested. I resigned mid May, interestingly one year since I published the “I can retire but I don’t” post. I survived the excruciating 2.5 months of extended notice period till the…

6 Challenges in Web Data Acquisition Projects

Let’s talk about the six common challenges I see people face in data acquisition projects. Setup Banning Scaling Maintaining Cost Quality (of service and/or of data) Before diving in, the definition and scope of “data acquisition project” here is when the data you need exists on a website / other HTTP-accessible resources. This type of…

Social Media and I (part 2)

my social media usage is not a function of how much social interaction I need but simply whether or not i have the apps installed on my phone not having the apps makes it less convenient to spend hours on it. the web versions are just clunky, not as snappy, and doesn’t support posting stories,…