Professor Olga Matthias: you have to know how to interact with data

EVENTS and NEWS

2022

04.12.2022: GREEN DIET: Panel Discussion
29.11.2022: GREEN DIET: Keynote speaker #5: Graham Dodge
27.11.2022: GREEN DIET: Presentations of Scientific Papers
23.11.2022: GREEN DIET: Keynote speaker #4: Otto Richard Pukk
15.11.2022: GREEN DIET: Keynote speaker #1 - Linnar Viik
10.11.2022: Dr. Ahmet Esad Yurtsever from Istanbul Gelisim University visited EUAS
07.11.2022: GREEN DIET: Keynote speaker #3 - Hendrik Roosna
28.10.2022: GREEN DIET: Keynote speaker #2 – Andres Sutt
27.10.2022: International education network learns how to teach and study in multicultural environment
11.10.2022: International business and education network learned how to practise environmental awareness from Ülemiste City
28.09.2022: Introducing the speaker in the academic part of the 10th Annual Entrepreneurship and Innovation Conference, Viktorija Priļenska
27.09.2022: Introducing the keynote speaker for the 10th Annual Entrepreneurship and Innovation Conference, Linnar Viik
26.09.2022: Introducing the speaker in the academic part of the 10th Annual Entrepreneurship and Innovation Conference, Inga Uvarova
26.09.2022: Introducing the speaker in the academic part of the 10th Annual Entrepreneurship and Innovation Conference, Marika Eik
22.09.2022: Introducing the keynote speaker for the 10th Annual Entrepreneurship and Innovation Conference, Otto Richard Pukk
21.09.2022: International education innovation project ‘Platform for Co-operation Between Schools and Enterprises’ kicks off at Ülemiste City
20.09.2022: Introducing the keynote speaker for the 10th Annual Entrepreneurship and Innovation Conference, Hendrik Roosna
19.09.2022: The Estonian Entrepreneurship University of Applied Sciences invites you to its Annual Entrepreneurship and Innovation Conference
08.09.2022: New cohort of Erasmus+ students from the University of Valladolid, Spain
23.08.2022: Orientation week for new international students
19.08.2022: Meeting with Kanazawa University
10.08.2022: The EUAS and Ülemiste City welcomed a delegation from Digital Economy Promotion Agency in Thailand
20.06.2022: The international student grabs an Internship at the Hitachi Energy Estonia AS due to Ülemiste smart city Job Shadowing Day.
13.06.2022: ERASMUS+ Staff mobility for teaching. Why go on vacation when work is so much more fun?
01.06.2022: The project “Educational and Entrepreneurial co-operation in Future City” creates the strong link between modern educational system and future business
16.05.2022: Charity opportunities to support Ukrainian students
16.05.2022: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Scholarship 2022 for Postgraduate International Business Administration Master's Programme
09.05.2022: Arcada University visit dissemination
12.04.2022: News for robotics enthusiasts - a new admission for Autumnt Intake to Cleveron Academy has already started
30.03.2022: EUAS participated in the international conference of universities of applied sciences.
29.03.2022: Joakim Helenius - video recording of the lecture
28.03.2022: Scholarships 2022/23 for international students, researchers and academic staff
25.03.2022: Scholarship 2022 for Postgraduate International Business Administration Master's Programme
21.03.2022: Estonia: international students and grads add record €16m in taxes in 2020/21
14.03.2022: Estonian and Japanese students discussed the future of Ülemiste City
28.02.2022: We raise 30 million steps for our schools birthday!
21.02.2022: Job announcement: Erasmus+ and exchange coordinator
14.02.2022: EUAS attended in University of Stavanger visit
24.01.2022: 100 free internships: #Road Trip to Ülemiste City Hub
14.01.2022: Materials of the Conference „Building the Virus-Resistant Company“
10.01.2022: Universities and enterprises: from thoughtful collaboration to more efficient and profitable entrepreneurship
06.01.2022: Highly qualified United States expert recommends that now is the time to dive into entrepreneurship!

2021

20.12.2021: EUAS hosted a study visit from Thomas More University of Applied Sciences in Belgium
29.11.2021: LIVE Webinar: Introduction to EUAS & studying in Estonia 29.11.2021
25.11.2021: Film investment Masterclass with Patrick Fischer (UK)
24.11.2021: New podcast series by EUAS alumni
23.11.2021: Student discounts at MyFitness
22.11.2021: Professor Olga Matthias: you have to know how to interact with data

Olga Matthias, Professor at Leeds Beckett University and director of Capability Gap Ltd., spoke at the “Building the virus-resistant company” science conference about how the less-is-more approach and the skill to take human resources into account bring success when collecting data.
Professor Olga Matthias has dedicated her entire career to the subject of systems and the usage of data – she has done so as a professional in the field, later as a consultant and for the last 15 years as a Professor, initially at Sheffield University and now at Leeds University. At the conference organised by EUAS and Ülemiste City, she spoke about the influence information systems have on businesses and shared recommendations on how to manoeuvre more effectively in the data flow.
Prof. Matthias said that as an academic she started to look at things in a slightly different way. “The process as such took the central position. People's knowledge about the opportunities of different systems is increasing but still lacking. It is important to understand that the entire environment forms an endless chain – impacting on us, our customers, suppliers and so on,” Professor Matthias explained, in mapping the situation.
She focused on big data, showed trends and cited decade(s) old quotations that are still present today despite the fast development of technology. Prof. Matthias illustrated the Four Vs of Big Data: volume, velocity, variety and variability, which describes where the data comes from, how much and how often data is received and how the data is linked.
“This all means that more and more information and technology is around us and at our fingertips. However, as you cannot compare apples and oranges, you have to know how to distinguish them and ensure that apples look like apples and oranges look like oranges. That is a big issue in terms of what we can do with data,” Professor said, in outlining the challenge.
Critical skill ‒ the ability to interact with data
Matthias concluded that when putting together people (or wisdom) and machines (or technology), there is a crossover point where it is only possible to continue with data. Processes are accelerating, competition is increasing, costs are reducing...
“This all seems so simple and logical but in real life it does not quite work this way,” claimed Prof. Matthias. “A small problem in a long supply chain brings the entire process to a stop. The biggest concern is how we are able to work through the ever-growing data flow and manage it to make better decisions and be more efficient.”
The solution does not require discovering the Eighth Wonder of the World. “Collecting a lot of data has become a common practice. So much so, in fact, that new departments are set up for processing this data. Eventually, they drown beneath this mountain of data, fail to resolve the problem and create more problems,” Professor Olga Matthias said, in describing the situation and presenting a solution: “Actually, a very small part of data mass is required. Instead of complexity, simplicity should be sought and the skill to extract this important part should be developed.”
Again, very simple on the surface. But actually...? Should we follow the slogan “less is more” or turn it on its head?
Professor Matthias: “So many data scientists have said that if you process enough data, you will get the nuggets of necessary information. That is not true. The amount is not a defining feature. One has to interrogate the data in a particular way. For that, you have to know precisely what you need and how to ask the right questions. It does not matter what the answer is – it might not be the one you want; however, you have received a particular answer to a particular question. There is no gain in the random selection of information.”

Every program and system is limited
Prof. Matthias assessed the situation using figurative speech, such as “being in a speed loop” and “ploughing through the information”. “You run and run but do not move forward. You spend a lot of time, energy and resources in collecting and managing information, but knowledge and wisdom are left in the background or entirely forgotten when processing the data,” she said, making a comparison. According to Prof. Matthias, it is possible to exit from the loop through creative thinking and adopting the maxim “It’s all about people”.
“Some years ago, the UK Government Communications Headquarters broke a centuries’ old pattern and actively started to hire persons of a different profile. For example, they knowingly started to employ dyslexic people because it has been proven that their ability to detect different patterns is outstanding,” she said, using an example of the thoughtful usage of human resources.
“Digitalisation does not make our work easier nor bring productivity and profit growth to businesses. To achieve these goals, the answers are in people and knowing your business and discerning what is coming along with transformations,” Professor Matthias stated.
“The development of technology is fantastic and offers enormous added value, but this is only so if we remember to think about what we want to gain from the systems and know how to achieve what we want,” she stressed.
Finally, Matthias said: “Leveraging technological innovation in a way that is useful for your business – whether a large or a small business – is a long game. On this road it is definitely important to have some downtime and think things through from time to time.”

Watch the video of the presentation by Olga Matthias HERE https://youtu.be/lkwDOrktg0E
18.11.2021: LIVE Webinar: Introduction to EUAS & studying in Estonia
15.11.2021: Japanese professor: the future belongs to companies that are changing the direction of their business, not start-ups
04.11.2021: Patrick Fischer's Masterclass for Film and Investment Enthusiasts
04.11.2021: Emöke Sogenbits: bulletproof due to the crisis
02.11.2021: Tarmo Tael: a business continuity journey ensures the development of a company
26.10.2021: Web Technician Edward Reeds: I got to learn what is really needed in the field
26.10.2021: Film investment Masterclass with Patrick Fischer (UK)
14.10.2021: Indian IT student Arpan Dutta on studying in Estonia: I can study what I like here
13.10.2021: Through scientific approaches and practices, conference ‘Building a virus-resistant company’ offers opportunities for preventing and coping with crises
13.10.2021: EUAS hosted multicultural classroom project partners meeting
01.10.2021: EUAS invites to 9th Annual Entrepreneurship and Innovation Conference
02.09.2021: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Scholarship 2022 for Postgraduate International Business Administration Master's Programme
30.08.2021: Check out the EEK Mainor app!
27.08.2021: Opening ceremony of the academic year
17.08.2021: Ülemiste City Future Forum 2021
13.08.2021: Call for vaccination against COVID-19
07.07.2021: Student Story: Melvin Andulile Mwakitwange
25.06.2021: Study centre department opening hours during summer period
22.06.2021: The 31st class of the Estonian Entrepreneurship University of Applied Sciences
19.06.2021: EUAS Graduation Ceremony
14.06.2021: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Scholarship 2021 for Postgraduate International Business Administration Master's Programme
14.06.2021: EUAS successfully passed institutional accreditation
13.06.2021: Team Plyke won the green deal category
31.05.2021: STARTERtallinn programme winners
27.05.2021: Guest lecture "The Psychology of Agile Development" by Meelis Lang held on 25.05.2021
26.05.2021: EUAS Student Story: Mamta
14.05.2021: Distance learning will continue with some exceptions until the end of the spring semester (updated)
06.05.2021: LIVE Webinar: Introduction to EUAS & studying in Estonia, 06.05.2021
30.04.2021: Changes in the study process will continue until 10.05.2021
27.04.2021: Webinar Three Universities Exchange: Entrepreneurship
23.04.2021: “Women in Technology”: Faith, Passion and Courage to Help Break Outdated Stereotypes
22.04.2021: Virtual conference
14.04.2021: Changes in the study process will continue till 25.04.2021
05.04.2021: A joint project between EUAS and Oita University in Japan paves the way for cooperation between Estonian and Japanese students
30.03.2021: EUAS Student story: Kazuhisa Noguchi
30.03.2021: Changes in the study process will continue till 11.04.2021
22.03.2021: Japan x Estonia, Global Business Pitch 2021
17.03.2021: International Social Entrepreneurship Competition 2021
18.02.2021: Public Online Lecture by Sabine Rau-Oberhuber
15.02.2021: Changes in the study process since 16.02.2021
10.02.2021: Seminar “Japanese Economy, Market Features and Business Culture”
05.02.2021: Welcome to our University!
29.01.2021: Digital Cleanup Day
27.01.2021: Global Game Jam Online
27.01.2021: Workshop by Dr. Robin Lincoln Wood
09.01.2021: The graduation ceremony for the 30th graduating class from EUAS

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