The document discusses adding machine learning capabilities to a web application. It notes that adding machine learning is not as simple as it may seem at first and outlines three key steps: 1) Get and explore data, 2) Frame the problem by defining what success looks like, and 3) Measure performance honestly. It provides examples of using Bayesian filtering to suggest tags as users type tasks and discusses piloting models with offline data before full implementation.

1. Adding machine
learning to a web app
Richard Dallaway @d6y

2. It’s easy, right?
1. Get some data
2. Find magic stats & algorithms
3. Predict the future!

3. It’s easy, right?
that helps solve the problem
1. Get some data
frame the problem explore the data
2. Find magic stats & algorithms
what’s success? pilot
3. Predict the future!
does this help users? behaviour changes?
UI impact?

4. Make it easier for
users to #tag todos

6. tag

7. Can we suggest tags
as a task is typed in?

8. us e f u l
Can we suggest tags
as a task is typed in?

9. Where to start?
from “Algorithms of the Intelligent Web”

10. “Google uses Bayesian
filtering the way
Microsoft uses the
if statement"
as told to Joel Spolsky

11. A contrived example
#home 40% #work 60%
“windows” “fix” “windows” “fix”
50% 50% 16.6% 83.4%
p(#home | “fix”, “windows”) ?

12. A contrived example
#home 40% #work 60%
“windows” “fix” “windows” “fix”
50% 50% 16.6% 83.4%
p(#home | “fix”) = 40% x 50%
(40% x 50%) + (83.4% x 60%)
= about 28%

13. A contrived example
p (#h ome | “f i x ” )
#home 28% #work 72%
“windows” “fix” “windows” “fix”
50% 50% 16.6% 83.4%
p(#home | “fix”, “windows”) = 28% x 50%
(28% x 50%) + (16.6% x 72%)
= about 55%

14. p(C | e) = P(C) x P(e | C)
P(e)

15. p(C | e) = P(C) x P(e | C)
P(e)
“the estimation of P(e | C) can be viewed as the
central issue in designing learning systems. ”
— Weiss & Kulikowski
“Computer Systems that Learn”

16. Demo:
addsharedo.com
with tag suggestions

17. results of running the model

18. It’s easy, right?
1. Explore the data
2. Frame your problem
3. Measure the performance honestly

19. How to build?
Write it yourself?
Find a library?
Ask Google to do it for you?
...but pilot with offline data first.

20. www.manning.com
40% off with bathcamp40
until August 10th

21. Questions?
or later: @d6y richard@SpiralArm.com