Pros
The flexibility, benefits, and independence for data scientists are all great. There is also a core group of highly motivated and collaborative technical professionals who strive to make positive changes and maintain a priority on intellectual development. This group truly is the engine driving the successes at Capital, and working with them has been incredibly rewarding.
Cons
The political narrative is the single greatest barrier to being data driven. It seems like everyone is afraid to communicate results and outcomes that conflict with a leader's wishes or preconceived beliefs. Rather, results that contradict expectations are either ignored or "recalculated" by someone on the business side using elementary math. Little to no effort is spent on understanding the capabilities of seasoned data scientists and the ways in which their methodological and statistical applications can provide actionable insights to operations. There are a few exceptions to this, but I'm trying to represent the most likely experience. There is great potential for Capital to become an organization that prioritizes data-driven decision making and best practices, but the constant focus of leaders seeking spotlight and praise stifles this very achievable outcome.
