News, views, & tips to do data science in byte-sized drabbles about my daily life as a data professional.
Get Smarter About…
What Counts As “Data Work”
What does data work look like? I remember a SAA (Society of American Archivists) conference theme a while back was "what counts" and I still think about it. What counts as data work? Who is a data professional? And how do we care for each other in this environment?
Women have historically been underrepresented in data work (e.g. archives, UX design, computer science, development, programming, research). In Archives - which span all job sectors around the world - the profession is increasingly more women-dominated, highly educated, and aging. Per Statista, women employed in computing-related occupations in the US from 2000-2021 ranged from half to less than a fourth of the workforce in jobs like operations research analysts, web developers, and database administrators.
The greatest data skill we can have is the ability to say "I don't know" and then follow that up with "but I'll find out." We all experience imposter syndrome at some point. It's usually because society or individuals we meet on our career path/education treat us without dignity and respect.
There is no direct career path we need to follow for data work. Data work is not limited to a job title, field, sector, or education/training background. Our tech stacks, databases, workflows are constantly changing. We can't sustainably keep up with tech advancements and socio-economic-political changes that affect our work, especially now. Emotions and emotional labor are a part of our jobs. It's not realistic to expect to know how to do everything for everyone all at once. Fancy job titles don't add value to your expertise.
So what counts to you?
Behind the Scenes: What is Dana Working On?
Screenshot of my game assets in Godot. I started adding art assets into Godot and working on a storyboard for the opening sequence in my Dungeons-and-Dragons-style turn-based video game Don't Talk To Me.
Screenshot of the storyboard. I decided to make a storyboard for my opening animation that plays before you select your DnD character class to help plan out the plot, Janice's placement, and what will be quick and easy for doing in engine.
I'm writing a book on Archives and the Politics of Tribal Sovereignty Violence in the US with Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited.
I’m presenting a paper on Gen Z's connection to Billy Joel's song "Vienna” for the Billy Joel Symposium in June.
Get Involved
The Still Image Authenticity Use Case Survey is Open Until May 12, 2026.
Do you work with still images? Tell me about it. The Digital Object Authenticity Working Group is doing a survey from March 10 - May 12, 2026 looking at still image authenticity. We’re collecting use cases/user stories to be included in the Appendix of a white paper on the subject. Feel free to share widely and email me at [email protected] with questions.
I’m freelancing as the Online Program Coordinator for the Western Archives Institute. I’ll be attending class with you and helping troubleshoot any tech issues as they arise.
Come learn core archival skills with me at the Western Archives Institute (WAI). As a freelancer for WAI, I'll be attending class with you and helping troubleshoot any tech issues as they arise. WAI is $950 and there's one scholarship available (you apply to it through the general application). It runs on PST from 8:30am - 3:30 pm PST (11:30am - 6:30pm EST) on July 20-31st. Learn more about WAI on their website at https://calarchivists.org/WAI. Applications are open until April 10th.
I’m Open to Work
My books for 2026 are open. I’m looking for remote freelance/consulting, contract, and part-time work doing database migrations, data assessments, digital projects, development/programming, digital asset management, analytics, narrative design, or data storytelling.
Have a cool project/kind of work not listed here in mind for me? DM me anyway!
Portfolio: https://www.decolfutures.com/
Email me: [email protected]
