What Does a Data Analyst Actually Do? (2024)

Summary

This video provides a detailed overview of the daily tasks of a junior data analyst, covering key areas like working with stakeholders, data, and reports. It discusses the importance of understanding business requirements, handling data sources, cleaning and aggregating data, and presenting findings through visualizations and reports. The video highlights the diverse nature of the role, emphasizing the need for both technical and soft skills. Whether you’re just starting or seeking to understand the responsibilities of a data analyst, this video offers valuable insights into the tasks and tools used in the field.

Takeaways

• 😀 Data analysts work across three main areas: collaborating with stakeholders, working with data, and reporting findings.
• 😀 A junior data analyst's tasks may include working with management to understand business requirements and translating them into actionable plans.
• 😀 Prioritizing workloads is essential, often using tools like Asana or Jira to manage tasks and re-prioritize based on business needs.
• 😀 Identifying key metrics (like customer churn or revenue) and building reporting tools to monitor them is a core responsibility of data analysts.
• 😀 Presenting findings clearly and encouraging data-driven decision-making are vital soft skills for data analysts.
• 😀 Data analysts analyze data from various sources, such as SQL databases, external APIs, and IoT data, often requiring collaboration with data engineers.
• 😀 Cleaning and preparing data is a significant part of a data analyst's work, involving steps like treating missing data, standardizing data, and aggregating multiple sources.
• 😀 Performing statistical tests (e.g., A/B testing or hypothesis testing) is essential to identify trends, patterns, and anomalies in complex data sets.
• 😀 Data analysts must create clear and effective reports and dashboards using tools like Tableau or Looker to communicate findings to stakeholders.
• 😀 Documentation is key in data analysis, ensuring that all tests, visualizations, and reports are well-documented for future reference and team collaboration.
• 😀 The role of a data analyst is dynamic and may require frequent movement between tasks, from collaborating with stakeholders to refining data and presenting new findings.

Q & A

What are the three main areas a data analyst typically works in?

A data analyst typically works in three main areas: working with stakeholders, working with data, and working with reports.

What is the role of a data analyst when working with stakeholders?

When working with stakeholders, a data analyst helps understand business requirements, translates them into actionable plans, and collaborates on prioritizing workloads, defining KPIs, and communicating data-driven insights.

What does 'working with data' involve for a data analyst?

Working with data involves collecting, filtering, cleaning, aggregating, and analyzing data from various sources. This includes ensuring data quality and applying statistical tests to spot patterns or anomalies.

Why is it important for data analysts to collaborate with data engineers?

Data analysts collaborate with data engineers to build data pipelines, ensuring that data is properly collected, stored, and structured for analysis.

What are some common tasks involved in cleaning and preparing data?

Cleaning and preparing data includes identifying and correcting missing, duplicate, or inconsistent data, as well as standardizing or normalizing the data for analysis.

What is the significance of identifying critical metrics and KPIs as a data analyst?

Identifying critical metrics and KPIs is essential for understanding business health, such as customer churn, revenue, and overall growth. These metrics guide data-driven decision-making within the company.

How do data analysts present their findings to the business?

Data analysts present findings using visualization techniques such as dashboards or PowerPoint presentations. They may also use tools like Tableau or Looker to create and customize reports.

What is the role of a data analyst in building and maintaining documentation?

Data analysts are responsible for maintaining clear documentation regarding data tests, visualizations, and processes. This ensures that others can easily understand the work and replicate analyses if needed.

What are some challenges a junior data analyst might face when starting out?

A junior data analyst might face challenges such as understanding complex jargon, dealing with diverse data sources, handling data inconsistencies, and translating business requirements into actionable data tasks.

How does the role of a data analyst vary across different companies?

The role of a data analyst can vary significantly depending on factors like team size, company structure, and the specific business needs. While core tasks remain similar, the level of involvement and the specific projects may differ.