Importance of Capstone Projects

I have been a data science mentor at Springboard for almost three years. During that time, I have helped a number of people start their careers in data science. For people enrolled in Springboard’s program, they are required to finish two capstone projects. These capstone projects are commonly found in similar bootcamps and professional degree programs as well. In this blog post, I will discuss the importance of these projects and how to select topics for them.

Before we discuss picking a topic and the corresponding data set, we need to first understand the purpose of doing a data science project for prospective data scientists. In general, people in these bootcamps or degree programs lack the expertise, skills, and experience to be data scientists. Otherwise, they would already be working in the field. These capstone projects provide the learners opportunities to

1. gain skills and experience by solving practical problems, and
2. demonstrate their competencies in data science.

Gaining Skills

Statistics, computer science, machine learning, and data visualization are just a few topics that are commonly found in a typical data science program. The capstone project is likely the first opportunity that the prospective data scientist gets to combine all of their new knowledge in one setting. Mixing these different disciplines together cohesively is a nontrivial task and it requires a high level of skills. Like any other discipline, these skills can only be acquired through practice. In this case, the capstone project is the perfect setting for the data scientist to gain experience.

Demonstrating Competencies in Data Science

A documented Git repo, a written report and a slide deck are standard requirements for finishing a capstone project. These different parts are useful for the interview process. In applying for data science positions, applicants are encouraged or even required to submit their Github profile along with their resume. Many employers screen for code quality and communication skills before having any candidate on site. For many applicants, the capstone projects represent the entirety of their data science experience. These capstone projects are the deciding factors on whether or not the applicants would get through to the in-person interviews.

Final Thoughts

I hope I have convinced you that capstone project is important for learning and getting a job. Now that we understand its importance, we need to pick the proper topic and data sets for the project. We will cover these topics in future posts