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Rename ModelOps Section to 'Data Science', Move Anti-Abuse into renamed Section

Taylor McCaslin requested to merge tmccaslin-transform into master

What's changing

  • Rename the existing ~"section::modelops" to "Data Science"
  • Move Anti-abuse stage from sectionsec to the new "Data Science" Section

Why is this change being made?

In an effort to align the product, engineering, UX, and technical writing teams and organizational structures, this MR moves the existing devopsanti-abuse stage from sectionsec to ~"section::modelops" and renames the 'ModelOps section' to the 'Data Science section'. This will streamline the management chain of all individuals across functions as well as align unique product development areas of focus and challenges. This move also sets us up for planned growth in FY24 for both stages and removes cross-section reporting lines across Sec and ModelOps sections today.

This renamed Data Science Section focuses on transforming data into useful insights and actions.. Both the ModelOps and Anti-abuse stages share some unique properties that other sections/stages do not:

  • Unlike our vertical groups and stages, both ModelOps and Anti-abuse horizontally cross all other stages and sections at GitLab. Both stages will interact with features across the platform and the data that underlies those features in order to provide their core value. Thus, collaboration and cross-functional alignment are critical, but are also time-consuming and can be difficult to navigate. Housing these two stages in the same section will allow us to be more efficient by sharing in the relationship-building required to be successful.
  • Key focus on usage data for value. That data spans the entire platform.
  • Automation and Action are key tenets for these product areas, which is something we haven’t historically focused on.
  • Wide surface area. Requires T shaped knowledge that is both broad across all GitLab features but deep in the specific knowledge areas of data science and anti-abuse.
  • Anti-abuse is a unique function that doesn't fit neatly into either a security or data science bucket; it shares aspects of both. The bullets above are the main drivers for placing it with Data Science vs. Sec.

To help align and explain the focus for these two stages, we're also renaming the existing ModelOps section to be the 'Data Science section'. The focus was to use industry standard and well-understood terms. Both ModelOps and Anti-abuse are components of GitLab's Data Science product strategy. ModelOps focuses on enabling Data Scientists to use GitLab effectively. Anti-abuse will use Data Science techniques to build a user activity data system and automation. Initially, Anti-abuse's work is focused on stabilizing GitLab from abuse, but it will also build new revenue generating products related to Insider Threat detection and UEBA tooling, both of which will rely on data science techniques.

Fundamentally, these changes will not impact how Anti-abuse operates today. It was briefly part of the ModelOps section before moving to the Sec Section and most of the administrative & handbook changes to move Anti-abuse to Sec have not been carried out yet. Additionally, this move does not change the reporting structure of the Anti-abuse stage in any way; all team members will continue to report up to @whaber and @hbenson.

Preview the changes

New pages:

Updated page:

URLs that don't change:

Approvals

  • VP of Product @david
  • @hbenson
  • @whaber
  • Product Design Manager @tauriedavis
  • VP of UX @clenneville
  • @rparker2

The following people need to be on the merge request so they stay informed:

  1. Chief Technology Officer @edjdev
  2. VP of Development @clefelhocz1
  3. Director of Quality Engineering @tpazitny
  4. Engineering Productivity (by @ mentioning @gl-quality/eng-prod) gitlab-org/quality/triage-ops#1091 (closed)
  5. The Product Marketing Manager relevant to the stage group(s) N/A
  6. Senior Manager, Technical Writing @susantacker

Author Checklist

  • Provided a concise title for this Merge Request (MR)
  • Added a description to this MR explaining the reasons for the proposed change, per say why, not just what
    • Copy/paste the Slack conversation to document it for later, or upload screenshots. Verify that no confidential data is added.
  • Assign reviewers for this MR to the correct Directly Responsible Individual/s (DRI)
    • If the DRI for the page/s being updated isn’t immediately clear, then assign it to one of the people listed in the Maintained by section on the page being edited
    • If your manager does not have merge rights, please ask someone to merge it AFTER it has been approved by your manager in #mr-buddies
  • If the changes affect team members, or warrant an announcement in another way, please consider posting an update in #whats-happening-at-gitlab linking to this MR
    • If this is a change that directly impacts the majority of global team members, it should be a candidate for #company-fyi. Please work with internal communications and check the handbook for examples.
Edited by David DeSanto

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