Interest in data science has tremendously grown over the last five years. Today, different services in the market fall under the data science umbrella, and for an industry built on a blueprint, technical terms can be surprisingly sketchy.
Data science consultancy and data science solutions may appear discrete at a glance, but there is a thin line between the two in real life. Cutting through the difference between these domains is essential in establishing robust competitive differentiation techniques as a company and setting realistic expectations from your vendor.
Let’s walk you through the definition of data science as a whole before diving into the difference between a data science consulting company and a data science solution provider.
What is data science?
Data science is a domain that blends multiple fields such as statistics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to unmask hidden patterns and derive meaningful information from raw data, helping businesses make meaningful decisions. It has become an essential part of every industry today.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DATA SCIENCE CONSULTING COMPANY AND A DATA SCIENCE SOLUTION PROVIDER
As an organization, you will need data science professionals to tend to your data needs in one way or another. These pros could either be members of your staff, or you work with them on a freelance basis. Whichever the case, knowing whether you need a data science consultant or a data science service provider is the best foot forward towards getting the most relevant data science expertise.
Let’s delve into brief definitions of data science consulting and data science services before we further spell out the differences between the two.
What is data science consulting?
Data Science consulting refers to the process of enlightening clients on different aspects of data and modern technology. It aims to effect change by stepping up the client’s analytical skills and understanding of their business’s machination. Consultants use their knowledge and experiences to help businesses get their ducks in a row.
What are data science solutions?
Data science as a service allows businesses to quickly embrace data science and use it to make meaningful business decisions. If you don’t have an in-house data science team or if your team is overcapacity, a data science solution provider can help you handle the heavy lifting. They will collect and analyze your data and ramp up your machine learning capabilities while you focus on driving business results.
Now that we know what data science consulting and data science solutions are, we can take a deeper dive into the differences between the two.
DATA SCIENCE CONSULTANTS CAN BE MORE LIMITED IN WHAT THEY DO THAN SOLUTION PROVIDERS
In short, data science solution providers do the dirty work. You go to them with your business challenges, and they work their magic on your data to help you draw informed insights from it. Data Science consulting companies, on the other hand, help you in the first half of your plan towards achieving data science advancements. They can’t do it all. Their role is just to point you in the right direction, and their scope of work is somewhat limited because they usually have more business than data science skills.
DATA SCIENCE CONSULTING COMPANIES ARE MORE FOCUSED ON STRATEGY BUILDING
When you sit down with a data science consultant, your conversation will most likely revolve around how you can create or upgrade your company’s data strategy. Whether your plans are long-term or short-term, they will walk you through each step until you tick off all the boxes on your list. This part requires adequate knowledge about the use case at hand. Depending on your industry, the data collection techniques and objectives can be entirely different.
That, however, is not an implication that data science solution providers are not involved in consulting as a part of your strategy. They participate in all the major decisions, such as data security measures that you should take. But if you need assistance in collecting unstructured data sets or communicating findings to your stakeholders by visualization and other means, a data science service provider would be better positioned to help out. This is a data science service and is not considered as a part of the strategy.
DATA SCIENCE CONSULTING COMPANIES ARE MORE FOCUSED ON BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS THAN DATA SCIENCE SOLUTION PROVIDERS
Why would you stick to one barber even though several others are probably cheaper and skilled than your regular one? It could be because they understand how your hair acts as it grows or is in a better position to help you achieve your desired look. The same applies to the relationship between a data science consultant and their clients. It has to be warm and cordial. After all, they want to be the only person their client reaches out to when they have pressing data science concerns. It’s hard to reach out to your consultant if you have a rocky relationship, and you might end up discontinuing their services altogether.
This, however, does not mean that data science solution providers don’t need to invest in building professional relationships. It’s just that their success is not entirely dependent on it to the extent that data science consulting companies are.
DATA SCIENCE CONSULTING COMPANIES LAY OUT THE BLUEPRINT WHILE DATA SCIENCE SOLUTION PROVIDERS EXECUTE THE PLAN
Consultants thrive when it comes to communications and management. They have mastered the advisory and technical languages and are more business-oriented than their counterparts. While they are of great help in laying out your data science strategy, they can’t carry out every element. However, they may work with third parties such as freelance data science service providers to give you the services you require under one roof.
Data science consultants and service providers are intertwined together. It’s hard for one to function without the other. A data science service provider helps you succeed in your data science goals through a data science consulting company’s advice. At Addepto, we perfectly understand this relationship. That’s why we can provide you with both consulting and execution capabilities so that you have one reliable partner helping you to make the most of the data you process in your company. Drop us a line for details!
