In the previous post in this series, we set out the basic Python code required to simulate a single game of snakes and ladders. In order to analyse the game in more detail we will be required to simulate multiple random games so that we can look at certain properties, such as expected game lengths, […]
Snakes and Ladders (Part 1 of 3): Analysing the classic children’s game
In this short series of three blog posts we show how easy it can be to take an everyday activity and analyse it using Python, gaining insights that might illuminate or in some cases even surprise… Anyone who has ever played games against young children knows that they absolutely must go first, and my daughter Eva is […]
Data guidelines: A set of recommendations for clean and usable data
The extent to which a dataset follows a set of commonly expected guidelines will often determine how much time you have left to spend thinking about your analysis. Ideally, you might intend to spend 20% of your time cleaning the data for a project, and 80% planning and carrying out your actual analysis. But often, […]
The Data Lab launches CPD & Training Programme
The Data Lab has launched its CPD and Training Programme for 2017 this week. Building on the success of previous modules, The Data Lab will be offering courses ranging from data visualisation to statistics. Andy Kirk from Visualising Data will return to Edinburgh in November to deliver a one day course as part of the […]
LA maps of crime: Using R to map criminal activity in LA since 2010
I’ve recently come across data.gov — a huge resource for open data. At the time of writing, there are close to 17,000 freely available datasets stored there. Interestingly, this dataset includes almost 1.6M records of criminal activity occurring in LA since 2010 — all of them described according to a variety of measures. Using information like the date and time […]
Scotland Can Do SCALE 2017: World Class Business Growth Training
Are you an ambitious, innovative entrepreneur who wants to grow your business in the UK and internationally? Or are you a business founder who has seen your growth stall and need to be re-energised? Perhaps you are a corporate innovator leading a product development team and need a structured approach to achieve scale on a […]
Winning Pub Quizzes with pandas
I was in my local pub quiz recently when as usual we were faced with the anagram speed round. The quiz-master Dr Paul reads out a collection of words with a clue to a mystery person’s identity, and the first team to correctly shout out the answer wins a spot prize. It’s often a box […]
New Data-driven Innovation Help for Scottish Businesses
Scottish Enterprise, The Data Lab and ScotlandIS are joining forces to create a programme of activities and support for business to help them understand and take advantage of the massive benefits of data-driven innovation. This next wave of innovation will disrupt existing markets and create new business models that are built on having better access […]
CoderDojo at Storm ID – Learn to Code in Edinburgh
Guest post by StormID Digital Skills for Everyone We’re excited to officially kick off a series of monthly coding lessons for children and teenagers interested in the world of digital, commencing this April! Members of Storm ID and Storm Ideas (full of knowledge about coding and equally full of enthusiasm to pass this knowledge on […]
openSIMD: Opening up the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
by Maike Waldmann and Roman Popat — You have heard of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) but wonder how it was calculated? You want to use SIMD but without all the health data in it? You want a rich dataset to play with in R? You want to calculate your own composite index […]