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Dec 8, 2016 · 25m · mad

Becoming an Internet Company // Raymie Stata, Altiscale [FirstMark's Data Driven]

Raymie Stata · 21m spoken Matt Turck · 32s spoken
0:00 / 0:00
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gold bands on the timeline = statements, start to end. Hover to read, click to jump. CC turns on captions

In this Data Driven NYC talk, former Yahoo CTO Raymie Stata outlines how traditional enterprises can transform into data-driven internet companies through data instrumentation, agile experimentation, and backstage architecture. He discusses real-world case studies from Yahoo alongside organizational strategies for overcoming digital transformation roadblocks.

How this conversation actually went

Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. Matt holds 2.9% of the talking time here. How this is scored →

Matt as informed peer 0.6 Guest teaching 0.6 Guest disagreement 0.2 Matt pushing back 0.2
05100:0010:0020:000:18–4:23 · Matt as informed peer 0/10 Defining Internet Companies & Shifting Data Focus Outward This is a solo presentation segment where Raymie Stata defines internet companies around real-world instrumentation and continuous feedback loops. The host does not participate.4:23–7:39 · Matt as informed peer 0/10 Architecture of Internet Companies & Backstage Infrastructure Raymie presents the high-level architecture of internet companies, contrasting onstage user experiences with backstage operational infrastructure. The host is not involved in this monologue.7:39–11:59 · Matt as informed peer 0/10 The Agile Approach to Big Data & Experimentation Ladders Raymie outlines an agile experimental process and the concept of ladders of experimentation. The segment is a solo keynote talk with zero host interaction.11:59–14:57 · Matt as informed peer 0/10 Case Study: Human Editorial vs. Click Algorithms at Yahoo Raymie shares a Yahoo case study comparing human editorial curation with algorithmic click prediction and reinforcement learning. The host is absent during this monologue.14:57–25:43 · Matt as informed peer 3/10 Backstage Dashboards & Key Transformation Obstacles Matt Turck opens the Q&A by asking about Altiscale's origins and enterprise cloud reluctance, demonstrating domain understanding. Raymie provides informative answers about regulatory and organizational roadblocks before taking audience questions in a collaborative environment.0:18–4:23 · Guest teaching 0/10 Defining Internet Companies & Shifting Data Focus Outward This is a solo presentation segment where Raymie Stata defines internet companies around real-world instrumentation and continuous feedback loops. The host does not participate.4:23–7:39 · Guest teaching 0/10 Architecture of Internet Companies & Backstage Infrastructure Raymie presents the high-level architecture of internet companies, contrasting onstage user experiences with backstage operational infrastructure. The host is not involved in this monologue.7:39–11:59 · Guest teaching 0/10 The Agile Approach to Big Data & Experimentation Ladders Raymie outlines an agile experimental process and the concept of ladders of experimentation. The segment is a solo keynote talk with zero host interaction.11:59–14:57 · Guest teaching 0/10 Case Study: Human Editorial vs. Click Algorithms at Yahoo Raymie shares a Yahoo case study comparing human editorial curation with algorithmic click prediction and reinforcement learning. The host is absent during this monologue.14:57–25:43 · Guest teaching 3/10 Backstage Dashboards & Key Transformation Obstacles Matt Turck opens the Q&A by asking about Altiscale's origins and enterprise cloud reluctance, demonstrating domain understanding. Raymie provides informative answers about regulatory and organizational roadblocks before taking audience questions in a collaborative environment.0:18–4:23 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Defining Internet Companies & Shifting Data Focus Outward This is a solo presentation segment where Raymie Stata defines internet companies around real-world instrumentation and continuous feedback loops. The host does not participate.4:23–7:39 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Architecture of Internet Companies & Backstage Infrastructure Raymie presents the high-level architecture of internet companies, contrasting onstage user experiences with backstage operational infrastructure. The host is not involved in this monologue.7:39–11:59 · Guest disagreement 0/10 The Agile Approach to Big Data & Experimentation Ladders Raymie outlines an agile experimental process and the concept of ladders of experimentation. The segment is a solo keynote talk with zero host interaction.11:59–14:57 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Case Study: Human Editorial vs. Click Algorithms at Yahoo Raymie shares a Yahoo case study comparing human editorial curation with algorithmic click prediction and reinforcement learning. The host is absent during this monologue.14:57–25:43 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Backstage Dashboards & Key Transformation Obstacles Matt Turck opens the Q&A by asking about Altiscale's origins and enterprise cloud reluctance, demonstrating domain understanding. Raymie provides informative answers about regulatory and organizational roadblocks before taking audience questions in a collaborative environment.0:18–4:23 · Matt pushing back 0/10 Defining Internet Companies & Shifting Data Focus Outward This is a solo presentation segment where Raymie Stata defines internet companies around real-world instrumentation and continuous feedback loops. The host does not participate.4:23–7:39 · Matt pushing back 0/10 Architecture of Internet Companies & Backstage Infrastructure Raymie presents the high-level architecture of internet companies, contrasting onstage user experiences with backstage operational infrastructure. The host is not involved in this monologue.7:39–11:59 · Matt pushing back 0/10 The Agile Approach to Big Data & Experimentation Ladders Raymie outlines an agile experimental process and the concept of ladders of experimentation. The segment is a solo keynote talk with zero host interaction.11:59–14:57 · Matt pushing back 0/10 Case Study: Human Editorial vs. Click Algorithms at Yahoo Raymie shares a Yahoo case study comparing human editorial curation with algorithmic click prediction and reinforcement learning. The host is absent during this monologue.14:57–25:43 · Matt pushing back 1/10 Backstage Dashboards & Key Transformation Obstacles Matt Turck opens the Q&A by asking about Altiscale's origins and enterprise cloud reluctance, demonstrating domain understanding. Raymie provides informative answers about regulatory and organizational roadblocks before taking audience questions in a collaborative environment.

speaking balance: gold is Matt, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)

0:00 · Matt 0% · guest 100%0:00 · Matt 0% · guest 100%3:00 · Matt 0% · guest 100%3:00 · Matt 0% · guest 100%6:00 · Matt 0% · guest 100%6:00 · Matt 0% · guest 100%9:00 · Matt 0% · guest 100%9:00 · Matt 0% · guest 100%12:00 · Matt 0% · guest 100%12:00 · Matt 0% · guest 100%15:00 · Matt 14.4% · guest 85.6%15:00 · Matt 14.4% · guest 85.6%18:00 · Matt 9.9% · guest 90.1%18:00 · Matt 9.9% · guest 90.1%21:00 · Matt 1% · guest 99%21:00 · Matt 1% · guest 99%24:00 · Matt 1.7% · guest 98.3%24:00 · Matt 1.7% · guest 98.3%
Sharpest disagreement ▶ 7:50 Rejecting 'Data, Insight, Action' paradigm

Raymie strongly dismisses the traditional data-insight-action framework as an ineffective aphorism that merely produces useless PowerPoint decks.

 Hardest push from Matt ▶ 18:35 Host probing on enterprise cloud reluctance

Matt Turck gently pushes back against seamless cloud adoption assumptions by asking about large enterprise reluctance to place data in the cloud.

 Biggest teaching moment ▶ 18:47 Social engineering as the real cloud hurdle

Raymie educates the host on how non-technical social engineering obstacles, such as regulation and strict contractual obligations, delay cloud migration far more than technology.

 Matt holds his own ▶ 18:35 Host demonstrating domain knowledge

Matt displays relevant industry expertise by identifying the exact tension point between big data cloud delivery and enterprise security reservations.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
ChapterTopicMatt as informed peerGuest teachingGuest disagreementMatt pushing backWhy
Defining Internet Companies & Shifting Data Focus Outward 0000 This is a solo presentation segment where Raymie Stata defines internet companies around real-world instrumentation and continuous feedback loops. The host does not participate.
Architecture of Internet Companies & Backstage Infrastructure 0000 Raymie presents the high-level architecture of internet companies, contrasting onstage user experiences with backstage operational infrastructure. The host is not involved in this monologue.
The Agile Approach to Big Data & Experimentation Ladders 0000 Raymie outlines an agile experimental process and the concept of ladders of experimentation. The segment is a solo keynote talk with zero host interaction.
Case Study: Human Editorial vs. Click Algorithms at Yahoo 0000 Raymie shares a Yahoo case study comparing human editorial curation with algorithmic click prediction and reinforcement learning. The host is absent during this monologue.
Backstage Dashboards & Key Transformation Obstacles 3311 Matt Turck opens the Q&A by asking about Altiscale's origins and enterprise cloud reluctance, demonstrating domain understanding. Raymie provides informative answers about regulatory and organizational roadblocks before taking audience questions in a collaborative environment.

Statements from this episode (10)

Prediction Not checkable as stated
Stata predicts all companies will become internet companies
“I believe everybody, all companies are going to become internet companies.”
Raymie Stata Dec 8, 2016 ▶ 0:10
Insight
Stata: Perks like foosball and free food do not define internet companies
“What I do not mean is that, hey, install foosball tables, have free food, and growth will follow. That's not what defines an internet company, especially in this context.”
Raymie Stata Dec 8, 2016 ▶ 0:55
Prediction Not checkable as stated
Stata: Internet company system architecture transfers directly to traditional enterprises
“Now when you, when the onstage kind of becomes buildings and printers and trucks, you know, my claim is that this architecture really doesn't change. And a lot of what we learned from an from an architecture and system design perspective will transfer fairly d…”
Raymie Stata Dec 8, 2016 ▶ 7:11
Insight
Stata: Sophisticated experimentation relies on ladders from cheap to definitive tests
“As you get more sophisticated at running experiments, what you do is you build these ladders of experiments, where at the bottom rungs of the ladder, the experiments are cheap you know, and, but the outcomes are a little bit more questionable. As you get to th…”
Raymie Stata Dec 8, 2016 ▶ 9:35
Insight
Production A/B testing at Yahoo and Facebook is a costly experiment
“If you think about A-B testing, that lives much more at the top of the ladder than at the bottom. You know, to actually get to the point where you're, If you're doing A-B testing in production at a large company like Yahoo or Facebook, you have to implement th…”
Raymie Stata Dec 8, 2016 ▶ 9:55
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Real-time reinforcement learning outperformed predictive click models at Yahoo
“Instead of trying to predict what people would like, let's, let's, let's run experiments in real time and see what people click on. And that turned out to generate very good click through rates.”
Raymie Stata Dec 8, 2016 ▶ 13:58
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Yahoo combined human editors with reinforcement learning for content personalization
“Where this ultimately went then was kind of a system that, that Brought man and machine together, where the editors would propose anywhere from 20 to hundred, and over time, 200 different stories that they think might be good. And the reinforcement learning wo…”
Raymie Stata Dec 8, 2016 ▶ 14:19
Insight
Stata: Enterprise transformation is social engineering, not technical engineering
“While that data infrastructure certainly is a bit of a blocker, right, to transforming your business, actually changing business processes is, is much harder, right? That's a social engineering exercise. It's not a technical engineering exercise, and those tak…”
Raymie Stata Dec 8, 2016 ▶ 18:02
Disclosure
Stata: Altiscale joined SAP to enable deeper business process transformation
“And so we were required by SAP a few months ago, and for me, that was a big part of the thesis there, that SAP You know, has a lot more experience and a lot more capability to help drive into customers changes at the business process level than we ever could a…”
Raymie Stata Dec 8, 2016 ▶ 18:21
Prediction Not checkable as stated
Stata predicts IT infrastructure will move to the cloud by 2026
“My personal view is, you know, 10 years from now, where it's going is clear, and I think that, when I started the company, companies like Bloomberg, for example, would say, no way, no how, we'll never do anything like, you know, like, you know, big data in the…”
Raymie Stata Dec 8, 2016 ▶ 19:01
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