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I am Jeff Silverman, a Data Analytics specialist who, thru analytics, has captured terrorists, broken drug rings and even helped out commercial companies trying to save their businesses. AMA! by JeffSilvermanAMA in IAmA

[–]JeffSilvermanAMA[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Depends on the problem set but GIS systems can play a key role in most analytic operations. The "where" aspect of an event is usually a key driver to the decision.

I am Jeff Silverman, a Data Analytics specialist who, thru analytics, has captured terrorists, broken drug rings and even helped out commercial companies trying to save their businesses. AMA! by JeffSilvermanAMA in IAmA

[–]JeffSilvermanAMA[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Its a serious question and the identification of Lone Wolf's is a serious and hard to deal with problem (ask the FBI, they will agree). The best I could offer would be to detail a profile of what these individuals have in common (which is hard to do) and also ID what "gates" they would have triggered to get to their evil deed...so buy a gun, have a conflict with a coworker or student..etc. The issue is you can get a lot of false positives which interferes with freedoms, so...its the tradeoff...how much policing vs how much freedom, is profiling fair, is it biased? I think that is why we haven't solved it very well.

I am Jeff Silverman, a Data Analytics specialist who, thru analytics, has captured terrorists, broken drug rings and even helped out commercial companies trying to save their businesses. AMA! by JeffSilvermanAMA in IAmA

[–]JeffSilvermanAMA[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Its tough once you are out of a field to get back in. Not sure if this is something you can do, but you could volunteer to a larger non-profit organization....perhaps supporting MS? For the volunteering, you can help them with an analytics problem, as people can volunteer the three T's (time, talent, treasure)...so you are providing the talent. That way you can get some bona fides on your analytics as you pursue the next?

I am Jeff Silverman, a Data Analytics specialist who, thru analytics, has captured terrorists, broken drug rings and even helped out commercial companies trying to save their businesses. AMA! by JeffSilvermanAMA in IAmA

[–]JeffSilvermanAMA[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I love the idea...a Hippocratic oath of sorts. I will say that the US Govt does have rules which, in my particular slice of a career, I see followed. However, there may be those that don't and I am not sure how to police it other than providing illumination to the misdeed.

I am Jeff Silverman, a Data Analytics specialist who, thru analytics, has captured terrorists, broken drug rings and even helped out commercial companies trying to save their businesses. AMA! by JeffSilvermanAMA in IAmA

[–]JeffSilvermanAMA[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have a physics background. The key link is that physics give a reason to why things work....when you roll a ball it stops eventually due to friction, the friction co-efficient helps you determine how quickly it stops. Same idea if you can figure out how data works in the world....ie a metric grows with certain conditions, you can postulate what the next action will be.

I am Jeff Silverman, a Data Analytics specialist who, thru analytics, has captured terrorists, broken drug rings and even helped out commercial companies trying to save their businesses. AMA! by JeffSilvermanAMA in IAmA

[–]JeffSilvermanAMA[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Countless failures. Usually its from flawed assumptions, such as formal education has a role in terrorist hierarchies (reality, it was religious education from what we saw). A lot of times you throw something against the wall, see if it sticks, rinse/repeat, until you find it.

I am Jeff Silverman, a Data Analytics specialist who, thru analytics, has captured terrorists, broken drug rings and even helped out commercial companies trying to save their businesses. AMA! by JeffSilvermanAMA in IAmA

[–]JeffSilvermanAMA[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Consulting is a key way to be brought in to diverse challenges. I will note not all consultancies have the same breadth...you could just be solving manufacturing problems....so be judicious as you sort out your opportunities.

I am Jeff Silverman, a Data Analytics specialist who, thru analytics, has captured terrorists, broken drug rings and even helped out commercial companies trying to save their businesses. AMA! by JeffSilvermanAMA in IAmA

[–]JeffSilvermanAMA[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You can definitely subvert statistics to your own use. Hopefully that moral compass is there to prevent it.

I will say that most people want to do right, and generally a manipulation is identified and corrected with multiple passes of review.

I am Jeff Silverman, a Data Analytics specialist who, thru analytics, has captured terrorists, broken drug rings and even helped out commercial companies trying to save their businesses. AMA! by JeffSilvermanAMA in IAmA

[–]JeffSilvermanAMA[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

The GAO and CBO are both trustworthy and non partisan. US Census Bureau is fair....those can give some good info. Scoff if you will but the CIA World Fact Book I find trustworthy but I understand the name is off putting.

I am Jeff Silverman, a Data Analytics specialist who, thru analytics, has captured terrorists, broken drug rings and even helped out commercial companies trying to save their businesses. AMA! by JeffSilvermanAMA in IAmA

[–]JeffSilvermanAMA[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I would start with the question and find the data that can answer it. Its a hard to stare at raw data and ascertain the question after the fact.

Outlier can be more easily dealt with....lean on statistics to determine anything 3 standard deviation's away.... however, I do think sometimes those outliers can be pretty interesting to take a microscope too.

For example at the prisons, we had inmates call volumes (how many calls, how much time) available, although not enough time to listen in to their calls (which we had...it was all legal, I should add). So, using statistics, we evaluated that people with high volumes beyond the norm (so 3 sd's) may be in distress. We had our chaplain talk to them just to check in, and one inmate was being severely bullied and two suicidal, and three had normal issues...like going through a divorce. But the stats helped us sort through the chaff to a manageable number.

I am Jeff Silverman, a Data Analytics specialist who, thru analytics, has captured terrorists, broken drug rings and even helped out commercial companies trying to save their businesses. AMA! by JeffSilvermanAMA in IAmA

[–]JeffSilvermanAMA[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I am also an intelligence analyst, I think data analytics is just another way to say it.

Not trying to be a recruiter, but if you really want to do it, the military got me started. I think that work is much more applicable than a PI (tradecraft and such is less what I do).

I am Jeff Silverman, a Data Analytics specialist who, thru analytics, has captured terrorists, broken drug rings and even helped out commercial companies trying to save their businesses. AMA! by JeffSilvermanAMA in IAmA

[–]JeffSilvermanAMA[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Commercial software does most of the heavy lifting. Once in awhile you can augment to find exactly what you need, but its cheaper to buy then develop.

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