Getting literate in the language of the future posed the thought that data is the language of the future and therefore it is incumbent on all OSS practitioners to ensure their literacy.
It also posed that data literacy provides a stepping stone to a future where machine learning is more prevalent. This got me thinking. We currently think about man-machine interfaces where we design ways for humans and machines to get info into the system. But the next step, the future way of thinking will be man-machine partnerships, where we design ways to leverage machines to get more out of the system.
Data literacy will be essential to making this transition from MM interface to MM partnership. Machines (eg IoT and OSS) will get data into the system. Through partnerships with humans, machines will also be instrumental in the actions / insights coming out of the system.