---
title: Do the simple thing first
author: Jim Leach
date: '2019-01-10'
slug: do-the-simple-thing-first
categories:
  - Data Science
tags: []
description: "Before jumping to complex and sophisticated approaches, try something simple. The results might surprise you"
draft: yes
---
   
This will be a short post outlining my thoughts on trying different approaches
to solving problems (mainly in the context of data analysis, but the ideas might
extend beyond that). My main conclusion is this: always try the simplest thing
you can think of first.

## Turn it off and on again

Imagine the situation: you're starting a new project and you've been assigned a
goal, predict which product(s) to recommend to a customer when they come in to
your shop/visit your website. Adding some detail, imagine that you work for a
company that sells day to day essentials, food, etc. (i.e. a supermarket). You
track what customers have bought in the past (maybe through an app they use if
they're in the shop) and those data are available to you. 

Sounds exciting, right? it's going to be like Netflix - you can look at what people have bought, try and find similar people (based on _their_ purchase history), and recommend products that way. You'll be just like Netflix (only you'll recommend different brands of milk rather than )

![off](https://media.giphy.com/media/DUtVdGeIU8lmo/giphy.gif)

Add draft post on doing the simple things first
Add draft post on doing the simple things first
