As we navigate the dynamic landscape of data and analytics, ethical considerations become paramount. Marsha Parker, the Strategist & Technology Leader at the Ford Motor Company, concludes her comprehensive 4-part blog series on data and analytics by shedding light on the ethical use of data. In this article, we explore the code of conduct that data scientists should embrace in their professional journeys, focusing on data ethics, privacy practices, and integrity standards.
Chapter 1: Data Ethics Unveiled
Defining Data Ethics:
The bedrock of ethical data practices lies in establishing norms and standards for behavior related to data. Marsha underscores that data ethics is about accountability in collecting, analyzing, storing, and managing data, with the aim of minimizing risks to companies, individuals, and society.
Key Tenets of Data Ethics:
Data ethics, as outlined, encompasses various key principles:
Treating data as a strategic asset
Creating transparency through data democratization
Identifying credible sources of data
Providing context to ensure data integrity
Building trusting partnerships
Acting with integrity in shaping and communicating insights
Chapter 2: The Code of Conduct for Data Professionals
Guiding Data Professionals:
A code of conduct serves as the backbone for data professionals, ensuring adherence to acceptable behavior and standards for data sharing and collaboration. Gideon Mann of Bloomberg emphasizes that when entrusted with sensitive data, data scientists must work to deserve the trust placed in them.
Roles Defined by the Code:
The code of conduct focuses on developing data professionals in roles such as:
Trusted advisor
Relationship builder
Gatekeeper
Innovator
Ethical change agent
Chapter 3: Roles Defined by the Code
Trusted Advisor:
As a trusted advisor, data professionals aim to earn the trust of their colleagues by aligning business decisions with data insights. Building credibility involves understanding business needs, forecasting trends, and guiding colleagues on the optimal use of data, fostering a sense of community.
Relationship Builder:
Building relationships through effective data storytelling is crucial. Marsha emphasizes the need for clear and concise communication of data findings. Data storytelling involves tailoring information to the audience, articulating a data point of view, creating a compelling story, and developing visuals that complement the narrative.
Gatekeeper:
Gatekeepers ensure sound practices in data collection, storage, analysis, and distribution. Transparency and setting boundaries are paramount. As gatekeepers, data professionals confirm data limits, uphold ethics and standards, and maintain data integrity, serving on internal and external governance boards.
Innovator:
Innovation in data and analytics is key to addressing evolving business challenges. Innovators explore the evolution of big data, drive improvement in tools and technology, shape community views of data, and build data literacy within the community.
Ethical Change Agent:
Serving as ethical change agents, data professionals focus on maintaining data privacy, minimizing biases, and avoiding conflicts of interest. By evangelizing data needs, driving internal process changes, and applying statistics to improve quality, they contribute to ethical data practices.
Chapter 4: Data Practices for Ethical Governance
Data Privacy Practices:
Data privacy, a branch of data security, involves proper handling of data. Companies must manage, store, collect, and share data ethically. Practices should align with regulatory guidelines such as GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA.
Data Protection:
Data protection safeguards information from corruption, compromise, or loss. Practices include data lifecycle management, governance councils, and adherence to standard data operations practices.
Data Integrity Standards:
Data integrity, focusing on accuracy, completeness, and validity of data, instills confidence in data stories and insights. Ensuring stability and performance through common practices enhances decision-making and builds confidence in insights.
Chapter 5: Upholding Ethical Principles
Final Words:
Marsha concludes by reiterating that ethical attributes and data science ethics practices are imperative for driving ethical data-backed decisions. A culture of trust in people and data is cultivated by upholding ethical principles, guiding the delivery of business value while ensuring due data diligence.
The journey continues as organizations strive to implement new data processes that serve their evolving needs. This 4-part data analytics series on the Vishal blog stands as a comprehensive guide for navigating the complexities of the data-driven world while adhering to ethical standards.