Beyond Two Cultures: Cultural Infrastructure for Data-driven Decision Support

• Published in: Observational studies Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 77 - 94
• Main Authors: Freeman, Nikki L. B, Sperger, John, El-Zaatari, Helal, Kahkoska, Anna R, Lu, Minxin, Valancius, Michael, Virkud, Arti V, Zikry, Tarek M, Kosorok, Michael R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States University of Pennsylvania Press 01.07.2021
• Subjects: Two Cultures; Machine Learning; Decision Support; Precision health
• ISSN: 2767-3324; 2767-3324
• DOI: 10.1353/obs.2021.0024

In the twenty years since Dr. Leo Breiman's incendiary paper was first published, algorithmic modeling techniques have gone from controversial to commonplace in the statistical community. While the widespread adoption of these methods as part of the contemporary statistician's toolkit is a testament to Dr. Breiman's vision, the number of high-profile failures of algorithmic models suggests that Dr. Breiman's final remark that "the emphasis needs to be on the problem and the data" has been less widely heeded. In the spirit of Dr. Breiman, we detail an emerging research community in statistics - data-driven decision support. We assert that to realize the full potential of decision support, broadly and in the context of precision health, will require a culture of social awareness and accountability, in addition to ongoing attention towards complex technical challenges.