A Busy Desk by The Dysania Concept (2023)
In our content-saturated world, it can sometimes be hard to understand what is happening and how we can make decisions to correct our course of action. Within an excess of data and information, both true and false, there is a familiar overwhelming feeling of exhaustion. Thankfully, we have Data Analysts. Data Analysts are the researchers of trends and patterns in today’s world, and their job is to identify a question or issue, collect data, clean and organise the data, analyse it, and, finally, interpret it and give it a purposeful meaning. Data Analysts can work in any industry as their mindset is transferable. So, in this edition of The Mindsets, we’ll explore the qualities, virtues and skills Data Analysts have that permit them to work on any question and help us be better informed in our complex world. As Edward Tufte, professor of political science, statistics and computer science at Yale University, said, “If statistics are boring, you’ve got the wrong numbers.”
1. Storytelling
Data Analysts must be storytellers to discover the correct approach to their data. Data Analysts find, analyse and interpret the data so other people can use it for making decisions and creating strategies, and finding the story within it is vital to understand the picture it’s painting correctly. Stories bind everything we live together, and even within data, they are crucial to understanding your audience, market or whomever your data speaks about. So, when working with data, a customer, or a team, remember the importance of understanding the story behind them and the story you want to create together. Stories are what drives us and what we ultimately construct in our lives and are told after we’re no longer here.
2. Organisational Skills
Data Analysts rely on their organisational skills to efficiently understand their data. Before sitting down, analysing and constructing the story their data is telling, Data Analysts must organise it. Knowing how to use their chosen software and minds to keep a logical order within all the numbers, facts, and figures is essential to keeping on track. When Data Analysts don’t organise their data correctly, it often leads to losing time and efficiency as the physical data can’t keep up with their minds and tasks. Therefore, staying organised is crucial to maintain efficiency, transparency and order when working with any tool, information or team.
3. Attention To Detail
Data Analysts lean on their attention to detail as they work through their data. Even when analysing the grandest data set for the most extravagant question, Data Analysts must pay attention to detail to correctly interpret the big picture along with all its minor, significant variables. Sometimes, a tiny detail can change the whole story the data is presenting, and ensuring the data isn’t just managed but analysed closely ensures a more realistic and truthful interpretation. Hence, when interpreting data, deciding, or creating a strategy, pay close attention to all the details. These details can be more important than they seem at the moment and can cause inconsistencies later. All data is essential, no matter its size and impact, and we must always consider all when trying to understand and build a picture.
Data Analysts are highly skilled minds who offer deep analysis and answers to some of the most important questions in today’s world. Through an efficient five-step process, they create reports that permit us to make smarter decisions and build more efficient strategies. Therefore, to understand the data you have, remember to be a storyteller. Nothing exists without a context; everything exists with a story behind it. Also, remember the importance of being organised to create a smoother process and ensure you aren’t missing anything that might cause problems later. And finally, pay attention to all the details you encounter. Those details can not only cause bumps down the road and help you see the data from a different perspective. Now, we invite you to adopt The Data Analyst’s Mindset as we all attempt to understand our world and ourselves better.
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