Encapsulate means grouping together similar functions and activities into distinct units. It is a core principle of object-oriented programming, and you should employ it in analytics as well. The goal is to reduce complexity and simplify future changes.
As your analytics develop, you will have a list of actions that is either transforming the data, running it through a model or algorithm, or reacting to the result. It can get complicated quickly. By encapsulating the analytics, it is easier to know where to make changes when needed down the road. You will also be able reconfigure parts of the process without affecting the other components.
The encapsulation process follows these steps:
- Make a list of the steps.
- Organize them into groups.
- Think which groups are likely to change together.
- Separate the groups that are independent into their own processes.
It is a good idea to have the data transformation steps separate from the analytical steps if possible. Sometimes, the analysis is tightly tied to the data transformation, and it does not make sense to separate, but in most cases, it can be separated. The action steps based on the results of the analysis should almost always be separate.
Each group of steps will also have its own resource needs. By encapsulating them and separating the processes, you can assign resources independently and scale more efficiently where you need it. You can do more with less.