The last Data Plus Women London meetup was not so long ago, and it was all about Machine Learning. This was not a typical machine learning event with algorithm and code discussions. Instead, Benedetta Tagliaferri showed us how predictive analysis could be done in Alteryx without a single line of code.

The turnout was amazing and it was nice to see that several men attended the event. Many data schoolers also showed up, who came to listen to Benedetta once again as she previously ran a few predictive Analytics and machine learning training sessions at Data School with very positive feedback. This and the fact that a lot of people were taking notes says everything about the high quality of the content she delivers.

Evening Takeaways

• Machine Learning and Predictive Analytics is fun
• Real-life examples help to grasp complex concepts
• Everyone can make predictions using the right tools

Part I

Before the evening started Emily and Benedetta did last-minute preparations and technical checks. As usual, the event took place in the Tableau London office, and once again we opted for a nice open area instead of a conference room. This setup provided everything for the presentation to run smoothly while creating a friendly and informal atmosphere for socialising with a drink and a slice of pizza.

Part II

Benedetta started her machine learning intro by explaining what machine learning is and provided a few examples of where it is used in real life: web search in Google, Facebook face recognition, spam email filter etc. She then continued into explaining the differences between supervised and unsupervised learning, by predicting the popularity of NY flats and the probability of surviving the Titanic disaster. Benedetta finished her presentation by showing Alteryx, which makes predictive Analytics accessible to users of all types and skillsets. Alteryx eliminates the need for programming and instead offers drag and drop tools, that are built upon the R framework.

Benedetta did a great detailed write up of her talk, which can be found here, so definitely have a read if you missed the event.

Part III

After Benedetta’s talk, everyone was invited to the outdoor rooftop bar located on the 10th floor of the building. This was a perfect place to end the evening, surrounded by a great view and a warm evening breeze.

Next Meetup

The next Data + Women London event is being planned and will soon be announced on Twitter, Meetup and Eventbrite. Meanwhile, get in touch, tweet to @datawomenldn