Prayson Wilfred Daniel, Director Of Transformation Lab At NTT Data Solutions Discusses Ethical Data And Digital Innovation with Dinis Guarda
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In a conversation with Dinis Guarda, Prayson Wilfred Daniel, Director of the Transformation Lab at NTT DATA Business Solutions Nordics, addressed common misconceptions about data quantity, stressing the need for a question-driven approach and ethical considerations in data usage. He also discussed the potential of digital twins, highlighting the importance of creating these virtual counterparts responsibly to avoid perpetuating biases. The podcast is powered by Businessabc.net and citiesabc.com.
Prayson Wilfred Daniel is the Director of the Transformation Lab at NTT DATA Business Solutions Nordics, a role he has held since December 2023. With over a decade of experience in data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, Prayson is dedicated to leveraging these technologies to drive business transformation, enhance customer and employee loyalty, and boost operational efficiency.
In his leadership role, Prayson mentors teams across Data Science, MLOps, and DevOps, guiding the integration of cutting-edge technologies such as Natural Language Processing (NLP), Computer Vision, and Bayesian decision-making into diverse business applications. His expertise extends to multiple programming languages and tools, including Python, Rust, C++, Terraform, Docker, and Kubernetes.
During the interview, Prayson Wilfred Daniel told Dinis about the transformative power of data:
"Data alone is just numbers, capable of telling any story. It's the people who work with it and apply their insights that truly unlock its value. When combined with a brilliant mind, data transforms into something truly meaningful and impactful."
Balancing data quantity with ethical considerations
Prayson Wilfred Daniel told Dinis about the misconception that having a large amount of data alone leads to valuable results. He asserts:
“There's a common misconception that if you have a large amount of data, simply feeding it into a model will yield valuable results. Instead, the more effective approach is to start with the question you want to answer and then determine what data is needed to address that question. For example, recently, I led a team where we faced a prediction task. While my team initially used all available features, I opted to use only two features and achieved similar results.
This approach not only simplified data management but also addressed ethical concerns by avoiding the inclusion of sensitive attributes. It highlights that focusing on the question and understanding what data is necessary is far more effective than just working with an abundance of data. Ultimately, my human-centric perspective emphasizes that while data is important, it's the people and the questions they ask that drive meaningful insights—making data a secondary consideration.”
Creating ethical digital twins: Balancing innovation with responsibility
Prayson Wilfred Daniel told Dinis about the development of digital twins, where his digital counterpart could manage tasks and alert him to issues. He said,
“I'm excited about the potential of building my digital twin. I envision a future where my digital self manages tasks and informs me of any issues, allowing me to enjoy my dinner without worrying about ongoing problems. This concept holds immense potential, but it also underscores the need to be vigilant about what we're creating.
As we shape this new digital world, we must carefully consider the ethical implications and potential biases that our digital twins might inherit. It's crucial to ensure that our digital counterparts do not amplify the flaws or biases of their human originals. By understanding and addressing these issues, we can better shape a digital presence that accurately reflects and improves upon our real selves, rather than perpetuating our limitations.”
The digital transformation lab at NTT Data
Prayson Wilfred Daniel emphasises the importance of focusing on the human aspects of transformation in their work at the transformation lab in the interview. He also highlighted that their approach begins with understanding the goals of the people involved and continues by actively engaging them throughout the development process. He tells Dinis:
“Whenever people talk about human aspects in transformation, they’re touching on something crucial. At our transformation lab, we always start by focusing on people—understanding what we are trying to achieve. However, it doesn’t end there. We actively involve them in the entire process, from extracting their domain expertise to incorporating their input throughout development. We begin by identifying who the domain experts are and how their knowledge can inform our approach.
The key is to engage the people we aim to assist in every stage of development. They should not only contribute but also understand what is being built and why. This involvement ensures they feel a sense of ownership and that their insights and expertise are integral to the final product. They should see the tool as something they helped create, rather than just a byproduct of someone else's work.
Involving them fully means they are aware of the answers the tool is designed to provide, the ethical implications, and the opportunities and limitations of the technology. When people are part of the development process from start to finish, we’re speaking the right language. We’re transforming data into something valuable by blending people’s insights with technology to address their specific problems and needs.”
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