Surviving the dangerous data jungle in the Odenwald – this was the goal pursued by blink.it founder Konstantin Ristl during this year's summer camp. There, a special challenge awaited us Blinkies: Within 4 hours create our own blink.it course. Konstantin fought against data bias in the wild in his online course. Today, we present this course to you. Find out now what survival hacks can help you in data analysis!

This year's summer camp held many different challenges for us Blinkies. In addition to fun team activities, we worked intensively with the blink.it platform and put ourselves in your shoes as course creators. This helps us recognize potential for the platform so we can improve it even more!

Info: Once a year, all Blinkies meet for three days for a joint team event at the summer camp. This year we met from 08/23 – 08/25/22 in the Odenwald. During these three days, we worked on both cohesion within the team and on the blink.it platform: All Blinkies created their own online course within 4 hours and then presented it to the team. Today, we present one of those courses:

Konstantin's blink.it Course: What is Data Bias?

Konstantin welcomes all participants to the Data Bias Survival Training // Source: blink.it

Do you understand the term Data Bias? Don’t worry, you don’t need to be a data scientist for this article! We will explain the basic terms:

Today, data is constantly present. It is becoming increasingly difficult to interpret data objectively. Because of our own biases and prior knowledge, data can be distorted and objective analysis becomes impossible. This also applies to machine learning.

Info: Machine learning enables computer systems to process data and learn independently. Therefore, it is crucial to avoid potential errors in data collection from the beginning.

For this reason, it is important to think about your own biases. Only then can we avoid systematic errors in AI systems! Konstantin's Data Bias Survival Training provides us with a four-step guide on how to navigate the data jungle and objectively assess data:

Overview of the Data Bias Survival Training // Source: blink.it

1. Try to keep an overview

Have you ever wanted to test a hypothesis based on data but couldn’t find the right data foundation? Every day, so much data swirls around us that even professionals can lose track.

When I look at things that are too similar, and I can’t find my way out, everything looks the same.
– Konstantin from blink.it

Does the following scenario sound familiar? You want to approach a problem using existing data. But this data doesn’t contain the necessary information or is incomplete. Your data evaluation doesn't lead anywhere. But don’t give up too quickly and don’t be misled in this situation! Check what data you have still collected. The diversity of your data will provide different perspectives on a problem, allowing you to solve it with the right data basis.

That’s why it’s worth looking around and thinking: What data do I still have? – Konstantin from blink.it

2. Trust your intuition! Or maybe not?

Data can mislead us. But our intuition can do the same! Unlike computers, humans are driven by emotions. This has a disadvantage: We develop prejudices over our lives to process the volume of daily information. This can impact data interpretation because they can be distorted during analysis. Therefore, you should always ask yourself: How much can you trust your intuition? Always check the origin of your data to avoid errors in analysis:

Your intuition is both a curse and a blessing! // Source: blink.it

3. Sharpen your intuition!

Your “gut feeling” regarding the interpretation of data can be misleading. The following tips help you sharpen your intuition and analyze data more objectively:

1. Learning by doing

Train your intuition in the moment when you need it! Therefore, intentionally place yourself in situations where you must apply your intuition. This way, you can learn from these situations and apply your knowledge in the future.

2. Experience shares are super boosters

Work with people who have experience with data! This helps you benefit from the know-how of others and learn more about the significance of your own data.

3. Self-reflection is key:

Ask yourself: Can I trust my intuition at this moment? If you are uncertain, seek a second opinion! Alternatively, you can approach the problem the next day with a fresh perspective.

We have learned: Your intuition can help with data analysis. However, it has weaknesses when trained incorrectly or insufficiently. Therefore, practice applying your intuition correctly, ideally in practice!

Another aspect you should not forget when analyzing your data: Check the source of your data. Is your data tower built on a stable foundation? Konstantin explains in the following video how important a stable foundation is:

If you don’t check your foundation, it will be shaky // blink.it

If your data foundation is unstable and has errors, it undermines the validity of your analysis! Therefore, regularly check your data basis to obtain objective analyses! The following example clarifies how crucial a solid data foundation is:

Example study: If data in a study is only collected from a specific group of people, the data applies only to that group. Therefore, it cannot be generalized to the entire society. For instance, if a study only surveys German male students under 30, the results cannot be applied to the general population. In such a case, the representativeness of the data basis is questioned in science.

Konstantin shows us with his survival training how we can navigate the data bias jungle and become more experienced in handling data. Keep an eye on your data and train your intuition so you can apply it correctly! But most importantly, regularly check the foundation of your data tower: No matter how beautiful the view from the tower may be – if the foundation is not stable, it falls apart and no longer provides solid data.

To be successful with your online course, you don’t need to flee from data bias. Actively involve your participants in your online course! This can be achieved through different media formats: Konstantin used videos in his course to give us insights into the dangerous data jungle. Additionally, he used quizzes and surveys to make his blink.it course even more interactive. Reminder emails kept the entire team informed to complete their survival training.

Did you enjoy the glimpse into Konstantin's data journey, and are you curious about how you can further design your online courses with blink.it? Then schedule your appointment for a free demo now and learn more about the blink.it platform!

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