THE WORLD WE LIVE IN 
Speaker 4 of 17 
Gary Hope 
@GaryHope 
Machine Learning – It’s Not as Hard as You Think 
Followed by 
Gillian Staniland
What is Machine Learning? 
Data and Decisions 
Data Science Workflow for 
Machine Learning 
Data Science Workflow for 
Machine Learning
What is Machine Learning? 
Delivering on one of the old dreams 
of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates: 
Computers that can see, hear 
and understand. 
John Platt 
Distinguished scientist at 
Microsoft Research 
A breakthrough in machine 
learning would be worth ten 
Microsofts. 
Bill Gates 
Predictive computing systems that become 
smarter with experience 
“ 
“ 
” ”
Me, Microsoft & Machine Learning 
15 years of realizing innovation 
1999 2004 2005 2008 2010 2012 2014 
SQL Server 
enables 
data mining 
Computers 
work on users 
behalf, filtering 
junk email 
Microsoft 
Kinect can 
watch users 
gestures 
Microsoft 
launches 
Azure Machine 
Learning 
Microsoft 
search engine 
built with 
machine 
learning 
Bing Maps 
ships with ML 
traffic-prediction 
service 
Successful, 
real-time, 
speech-to-speech 
translation 
John Platt, 
Distinguished scientist at 
Microsoft Research 
Machine learning is pervasive throughout 
“ Microsoft products. ”
Why the resurgence in 
predictive analytics?
When presented with information we tell 
ourselves stories, we have biases and we 
have a very low level of intuitive 
understanding of statistical information 
(that’s not to say we cant spend the effort to analyze)
Any sufficiently advanced technology is 
indistinguishable from magic.. 
Arthur C. Clarke, 1961 If and to what 
extent the magic of 
Machine Learning 
changes YOUR 
world depends on 
how YOU use it! 
“ ” 
If you not actually using the 
data available to make 
systematic decisions in your 
business you will mostly be 
guessing or at best relying 
heavily on potentially biased 
intuition
The United States Postal Service 
processed over 150 billion pieces 
of mail in 2013—far too much for 
efficient human sorting. 
But as recently as 1997, only 
10% of hand-addressed mail was 
successfully sorted automatically.
The challenge in automation is 
enabling computers to interpret 
endless variation in handwriting.
By providing feedback, the Postal 
Service was able to train 
computers to accurately read 
human handwriting. 
Today, with the help of machine 
learning, over 98% of all mail is 
successfully processed by 
machines.
How Does Machine 
Learning Work? 
1 1 5 4 3 
7 5 3 5 3 
5 5 9 0 6 
3 5 2 0 0
Smart Buildings: IoT and ML example 
The Center for Building Performance and 
Diagnostics uses weather forecasts, real-time 
temperature reads, and behavioral research data 
to optimize building heating and cooling systems 
in real-time. 
Key Benefits 
• User friendly set up and integration with 
The ease of implementation 
makes machine learning 
accessible to a larger number 
of investigators with various 
backgrounds—even non-data 
scientists. 
Bertrand Lasternas 
Carnegie Mellon 
existing systems 
• Seamless data handling 
• Accessible and easy to use across 
backgrounds 
• Quickly compare algorithms 
“ 
”
Using past data to predict the future 
Imagine what 
machine learning 
could do for your 
business. 
Churn 
analysis 
Equipment 
monitoring 
Spam 
filtering 
Ad 
targeting 
Recommendation 
Fraud 
detection 
Image 
detection & 
classification 
Forecasting 
Anomaly 
detection
Common Classes of Problems 
Classification Regression Recommenders Anomaly 
Detection
Some quick theory: Linear Models
Machine Learning Problem Requirements 
Available data 
• Related to the decision 
• Historical 
• Outcomes 
Valuable business problem 
involving a decision 
– Existing process 
– Metrics
Universal Machine Learning Flow 
• Define Objective 
• Measurable and has supporting data 
• Collect & Prepare Data 
Define 
Objective 
• Flatten schema, 
• normalize and common scale 
• Feature selection 
• Sample and split 
• Train Model 
• Algorithm selection 
• Parameter Sweeping 
• Analyze Results 
• Score, evaluate and visualize 
Collect & 
Prepare 
Data 
Train 
Model 
Analyze 
Results
Put ML into Production 
Technically make available as 
a published service 
Share usage and outcome 
information inside of the 
organization. 
Define 
Prepare 
Train 
Analyze 
Publish 
Use 
Monitor
Gary Hope - Machine Learning: It's Not as Hard as you Think

Gary Hope - Machine Learning: It's Not as Hard as you Think

  • 1.
    THE WORLD WELIVE IN Speaker 4 of 17 Gary Hope @GaryHope Machine Learning – It’s Not as Hard as You Think Followed by Gillian Staniland
  • 2.
    What is MachineLearning? Data and Decisions Data Science Workflow for Machine Learning Data Science Workflow for Machine Learning
  • 3.
    What is MachineLearning? Delivering on one of the old dreams of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates: Computers that can see, hear and understand. John Platt Distinguished scientist at Microsoft Research A breakthrough in machine learning would be worth ten Microsofts. Bill Gates Predictive computing systems that become smarter with experience “ “ ” ”
  • 4.
    Me, Microsoft &Machine Learning 15 years of realizing innovation 1999 2004 2005 2008 2010 2012 2014 SQL Server enables data mining Computers work on users behalf, filtering junk email Microsoft Kinect can watch users gestures Microsoft launches Azure Machine Learning Microsoft search engine built with machine learning Bing Maps ships with ML traffic-prediction service Successful, real-time, speech-to-speech translation John Platt, Distinguished scientist at Microsoft Research Machine learning is pervasive throughout “ Microsoft products. ”
  • 5.
    Why the resurgencein predictive analytics?
  • 8.
    When presented withinformation we tell ourselves stories, we have biases and we have a very low level of intuitive understanding of statistical information (that’s not to say we cant spend the effort to analyze)
  • 9.
    Any sufficiently advancedtechnology is indistinguishable from magic.. Arthur C. Clarke, 1961 If and to what extent the magic of Machine Learning changes YOUR world depends on how YOU use it! “ ” If you not actually using the data available to make systematic decisions in your business you will mostly be guessing or at best relying heavily on potentially biased intuition
  • 10.
    The United StatesPostal Service processed over 150 billion pieces of mail in 2013—far too much for efficient human sorting. But as recently as 1997, only 10% of hand-addressed mail was successfully sorted automatically.
  • 11.
    The challenge inautomation is enabling computers to interpret endless variation in handwriting.
  • 12.
    By providing feedback,the Postal Service was able to train computers to accurately read human handwriting. Today, with the help of machine learning, over 98% of all mail is successfully processed by machines.
  • 13.
    How Does Machine Learning Work? 1 1 5 4 3 7 5 3 5 3 5 5 9 0 6 3 5 2 0 0
  • 14.
    Smart Buildings: IoTand ML example The Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics uses weather forecasts, real-time temperature reads, and behavioral research data to optimize building heating and cooling systems in real-time. Key Benefits • User friendly set up and integration with The ease of implementation makes machine learning accessible to a larger number of investigators with various backgrounds—even non-data scientists. Bertrand Lasternas Carnegie Mellon existing systems • Seamless data handling • Accessible and easy to use across backgrounds • Quickly compare algorithms “ ”
  • 15.
    Using past datato predict the future Imagine what machine learning could do for your business. Churn analysis Equipment monitoring Spam filtering Ad targeting Recommendation Fraud detection Image detection & classification Forecasting Anomaly detection
  • 16.
    Common Classes ofProblems Classification Regression Recommenders Anomaly Detection
  • 17.
    Some quick theory:Linear Models
  • 18.
    Machine Learning ProblemRequirements Available data • Related to the decision • Historical • Outcomes Valuable business problem involving a decision – Existing process – Metrics
  • 19.
    Universal Machine LearningFlow • Define Objective • Measurable and has supporting data • Collect & Prepare Data Define Objective • Flatten schema, • normalize and common scale • Feature selection • Sample and split • Train Model • Algorithm selection • Parameter Sweeping • Analyze Results • Score, evaluate and visualize Collect & Prepare Data Train Model Analyze Results
  • 27.
    Put ML intoProduction Technically make available as a published service Share usage and outcome information inside of the organization. Define Prepare Train Analyze Publish Use Monitor