Live Office Hours
Join datalab.cc founder Barton Poulson for free, live, online office hours, where he shares his experiences and insights, and where your questions are welcome. These once-per-month events are live streamed simultaneously on LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube. Audience members can participate on any platform. The general links are here, along with recordings of previous events:
Each office hour is followed up with an edition of the #DataIsForDoing newsletter on LinkedIn that provides more detail and references on the same topic.
Upcoming events
Gen AI, Data Work, and Relationships
Thursday, 07 December 2023, at 10:00-10:30 AM Mountain Time (UTC -07:00)
Life is inherently relational. This is true even when interactions are through and about generative AI, data science, and other indirect means. Join Barton Poulson, PhD, as he discusses the social and cognitive elements of relationships and relational expectations, and how data work and tech can align with those expectations or contradict them.
Previous events
datalab.cc live office hours are recorded and available to stream for free at any time. The complete sets of recordings can be found on each platform – LinkedIn Events, Facebook Live Videos, and YouTube Live Streams – and embedded videos are below.
Data Science as Service
12 November 2023
Your data work can make the world a better place. It can certainly make your local community more productive and more compassionate. Join Barton Poulson, PhD, as he discusses his experiences with his Data Charrette nonprofit service events and how you can use your own data skills for good.
Creative Coding for Data People
24 October 2023
Art is good for you, but not just in terms of making you cultured. Making art through "creative coding" is a great way to learn new programming skills and to learn to think outside the box. Join Barton Poulson, PhD, as he discusses his own experiences with creative coding and see how you can enhance your data skills by working artistically.
Sturgeon's Law in Data Work
12 October 2023
Science-fiction writer Theodore Sturgeon responded to criticisms of his genre by claiming that "ninety percent of everything is crap," a saying that applies to data work as it does to fiction or anything else. But this is not a cause for hopelessness; rather, this realization should (a) encourage more humility in doing data work; and (b) create greater appreciation for quality work. Join Barton Poulson, PhD, as he discusses the challenges and rewards of working with data in a imperfect world.
Keeping Data Work Simple
19 September 2023
Simple data and simple methods can make for better insights. Join Barton Poulson to discuss how methods like simple means, unweighted factors, and conventional linear regression can give you more robust and generalizable insights into your research questions.
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Data
14 September 2023
The three R's – reduce, reuse, and recycle – apply to data as well as they do to paper and plastic. Join Barton Poulson to discuss ways to be more mindful of how data is created, shared, and applied to get actionable insights without wasting time, money, or goodwill.
Not All Roads Lead to Python
22 August 2023
Join Barton Poulson to discuss the importance of choosing the right data tool for your work, which may be a spreadsheet, an analytics app, a statistical application, a visualization platform, or, just maybe (but maybe not), a programming language like R or Python.
Autodidact Swagger
10 August 2023
Join Barton Poulson to discuss how being an "autodidact," or a person who can learn things on their own, can help you develop "swagger," or the confidence to master new skills and take on new challenges.
#DataIsForDoing Office Hours with Barton Poulson, PhD
29 July 2023
Welcome to the very first live office hour with datalab.cc founder Barton Poulson. We’ll discuss the #DataIsForDoing approach to data work, and how it can give your work greater impact.