According to Gartner, mainstream self-service analytics by business users and the advanced analytics techniques of data scientists are becoming less disparate as sophisticated analysis can be performed without having the skills that characterize a data scientist – coining the term citizen data scientists. They predict that more than 40% of data science tasks will be automated by 2020, leading to significant productivity improvements for data scientists as fewer will be required to perform the same amount of work.
Citizen data scientists, which Gartner defines as a person who creates or generates modules that use advanced diagnostic analytics or predictive and prescriptive capabilities and whose primary job function is outside the field of statistics and analytics, will surpass data scientists in the amount of advanced analysis produced by 2019.
"Access to data science is currently uneven, due to lack of resources and complexity — not all organizations will be able leverage it," said Mr. Tapadinhas. "For some organizations, citizen data science will therefore be a simpler and quicker solution — their best path to advanced analytics."
For more predictions and analysis, Gartner clients can read more in the report: "Predicts 2017: Analytics Strategy and Technology."