The main objective of Abacus was to democratize Data Science through an engaging, collaborative, secure, immersive and interactive environment that will materialize abstract datasets and visualize complex algorithms using augmented reality and serious games. This project will enable the interactive participation of many users with different data science skills to participate and benefit from its features, practically achieving social inclusion. This project responds to the necessity of re-skilling and up-skilling people at any stage of their lives in order to fill the gap of data scientists and provide each individual with the opportunity to advance their expertise and aim for more rewarding jobs. However, nowadays their competencies have not been formally gained in official training and in many cases these competencies are not included in their professional experience. Hence, Abacus can provide a stepping stone for promoting interest of adults in data science, as well as for their professional development.
With more than 6 billion (and counting) devices connected to the internet, approximately 2.5 million terabytes of data are generated every day. Complex and large data sets are changing the way we live, the way we process information and the way we operate in the world. The Europe Business Intelligence market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.68% between the projected years of 2018 to 2026. Without the expertise of professionals who turn cutting-edge technology into actionable insights, Big Data means very little. Currently, most data scientists in the industry have advanced training in statistics, mathematics and computer science. However, there is a significant shortage of qualified engineers for data-based intelligence skills in the job market. Based on these facts, building a strong educational data science capability is going to be a key priority in the years ahead. There is a recent argumentation that supports that there should be a shift in the way educators teach data related courses. Previous work emphasized the importance of digital educational interventions, pointing out how attractive they are for young adults especially, as they offer a convenient medium for accessing information and this need was addressed by Abacus.