Steve Long Answers Your Questions

  1. Did you like being an instructor or a manager better?

    Manager was a little more enjoyable - I like the one-on-one nature of that and seeing the person develop.

  2. What is your favorite part of a job, whatever it is?

    Coming to a solution that works for the employees, the employer and the clients.

  3. What is the hardest part about having your own business?

    Being my own IT, accounting department, human resources dept., ... - some of this you can outsource but so much of it you need to do yourself as a one-person operation.

  4. What inspired your interest in research and data analysis?

    Our dad was a HUGE influence in this regard. Also, I took a Regression Analysis as a senior in undergrad and that was a nice introduction to how my math skills could be applied effectively.

  5. What is your favorite company that you've been given a chance to help, and why?

    WOW. Perhaps my favorite is actually one I did pro bono. I worked for the Girl Scouts in the Dayton, Ohio area and helped them in preliminary design for a more action-oriented troop.

  6. What strategies or techniques would you use to explain complex mathematical models and analysis to clients who have less training in math and stats? Do you have any tips on how to explain advanced analytical work to business clients?

    Wherever possible I use graphics and real-world analogies to share what we're doing analytically. First off, in some situations it's important that the advanced work remain advanced and requires some really smart analytical folks on their end to be part of the process. Making the analytical work accessible and explainable to clients is frequently SUBSTANTIALLY better when put into visual forms. For that type of effort, I admire the work that Edward Tufte does.


Website maintained by Andy Long. Comments appreciated.