Resources

The Crack the Code conference is just the beginning! We know there is lots more to learn and much more practice to do! The organizers and speakers and the entire data community are committed to supporting you as you grow your skills. Below please find some resources to continue your journey into data.

Contact Cristina Sinclaire if you want to join the Data Ladies Alliance listserv (unaffiliated with Crack the Code).

Please note that we have not reviewed every single resource below, and we do not endorse the entirety of the content listed below. We have either used these resources personally, or they have been recommended to us by other users. If you want to add more resources, please add them as issues here.

Working for Progressive Organizations

• Progressive Data Jobs - specific website / listserv for jobs in progressive data and analytics
• Code for America Job Site - Code for America
• Jobs that are LEFT and Wellstone Jobs - general listservs for jobs, not specific data or analytics
• Inclusv - job bank for people of color
• Shine Squad - “a space for story sharing, expressing needs, and action taking” related to discrimination in the workplace
• 2017 and 2016 Progressive Data Salary Survey - report on salaries in the progressive data, analytics, and technology
• So you want to work in progressive analytics… - guide to getting a job in analytics, featuring how to write a resume, pass a phone interview, and ace a coding test
• Resume Writing: Telling Your Story - an essay by Kassia DeVorsey on how to write a great resume

Learning Technical Skills

• How to Learn How to Code, Jess Garson (slides from Crack the Code 2016)
• Hear Me Code - “Free, beginner-friendly coding classes for over 2000 women in DC”
• Code Academy
• Data Camp

Data Science

• Statistical Learning from Stanford University - introduction to predictive modeling
• Machine Learning from Stanford University - graduate level data science (hard with a lot of math)

Excel

• Excel formulas
• Excel keyboard shortcuts

SQL/R/Python

• Stack Overflow
• Basic SQL Overview (Video)
• What is a Database Overview (Video)
• Choosing the Right Database (Postgres vs Redshift vs Vertica)

GIS & Maps

• GIS 101 (Video)
• Map School
• CartoDB Academy
• How to Lie with Maps (Book)
• Shapefile sources: Census, Natural Earth Data, Zillow Neighborhood Boundaries
• Notable Projects: Open Street Map and Open Addresses
• Tools: GeoJSON and Geocolor
• Organizations: Maptime!, FOSS4G, FOSS4G-NA (North America), CUGOS (a regional club)
• Software companies: Mapzen, Mapbox, CartoDB, ESRI, Tableau, and Empower Engine (Julie was a speaker at Crack the Code 2016!)

Graphing

• The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
• Color Brewer

Graduate Programs and Additional Training for Advanced Statistical/Technical Training

This is a limited selection of schools and programs, but they’ve all been helpful to people who work in progressive politics.

• MAPSS at the University of Chicago
  • 1 year
  • Very open ended (9 classes and only 1 requirement)
  • You can choose to focus on political science methodology to get the best analytics training
• Center for Data Science and Public Policy at the University of Chicago
  • 2 years
• Coursera Data Science Certification
  • Online
  • About 9 months to fully complete (but flexible about exact timing)
• Data Science for Social Good at the University of Chicago
  • Fellowship
  • About 4 months
• Masters in Data Science at Columbia University
  • 2 years

Soft Skills

Project Management

• Asana - Free task and project manager. Similar to JIRA but easier to set up; not quite the same level of detail as JIRA. People seem to be strongly pro or against Asana.
• JIRA - Issue tracker. For under 10 users is about $200 a year; price scales up dramatically after that; Probably the most complicated of the options for setup but is great for both short term & long term once you are setup; Integrates with lots of things including hipchat & github
• Trello - free! Super easy to use, but does not necessarily have the level of detail some shops needs. Has far fewer integrations.
• Basecamp - There’s a “Classic” and an updated basecamp - fairly straightforward to set up; cost money; is better for longer term projects (a week or more)
• KanbanFlow - light-weight system that scales very well from a single person/independent contractor situation up to smallish teams; free to use, $5/month for premium features.
• Confluence

People Management

• No Time to be Nice at Work
• How to be Emotionally Intelligent
• Radical Candor - The Surprising Secret to Being a Good Boss
• The Secret to Sustaining High Job Performance
• The One Question You Should Ask About Every New Job
• The Idea Praise-to-Criticism Ratio
• How to Care for Introverts
• Ask the Grindstone: How Do I Manage People Who Aren’t Turning in Good Work?
• Funny Meetings Might Be More Productive Meetings

Navigating Bias

• How Poker Player Annie Duke Uses Gender Stereotypes to Win Matches
• National Center for Women and Information Technology
• Gloria Steinem’s Guide to Maneuvering Around Misogyny
• What Does Modern Prejudice Look Like?
• AORTA Collective

If you want to add more resources, feel free to add them as issues here.