Data Science Team Lifecycle Management

Introduction

• How to recruit, develop, and retain data scientists

1. Start with Business Goals

• How to determine the need for data scientists
• Practical examples of the types of projects data scientists work on
• How to justify increasing the headcount for your company

2. Recruiting

• How to determine what level of data scientist you need and how many
• What are the skills to prioritize when hiring data scientists
• Recruit with DEI in mind
• How to craft a job description that resonates
• How to create a more robust and efficient interview process
• How to decide on hiring vs. using automation software

3. Onboarding

• How to onboard new employees
• How to announce a new employee hire
• Get your hands dirty: Which activities to focus on in the first 30 days
• How to create a skills rubric and assess skills
• How to choose an onboarding model: The surveyor vs. the understudy

4. Day-To-Day Management

• How to choose a management model that works for you
• How to manage in-office workers vs. remote workers
• Key principles for managing data scientists for a small company
• Key principles for managing data scientists for a mid-sized company
• Key principles for managing data scientists for a large company
• How to determine the appropriate processes to incorporate
• How to avoid the Player/Coach trap
• How to set priorities for the team: A three-layer approach

5. Career Pathing and Development

• Align an employee's personal goals to the goals of the business
• How to help data scientists improve soft skills and hard skills
• How to determine when a data scientist should acquire more schooling
• Develop an individual data scientist vs. the team as a whole
• When to move a data scientist into a different role

6. Promotions

• How to create a pathway to promotion
• How to assess whether or not an employee deserves a promotion
• How to communicate your plans to promote to the larger organization

7. Retention

• How to prevent burnout
• When to fight for an employee and when to let go
• Make space for new ideas
• What to do when all else fails

8. Mentoring vs. Teaching

• Mentorship and teaching
• How to determine when to mentor and when to teach
• Mentor outside of your immediate team

9. Employee Termination

• How to avoid unnecessary termination
• Which steps should you take before considering terminating an employee
• Tips for terminating employees confidently and humanely

Conclusion

• Next steps and additional resources