Skip to content
  • YouTube
  • FaceBook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Data Analytics Ireland

Data Analytics and Video Tutorials

  • Home
  • Contact
  • About Us
    • Latest
    • Write for us
    • Learn more information about our website
  • Useful Links
  • Glossary
  • All Categories
  • Faq
  • Livestream
  • Toggle search form
  • How to Compare Column Headers in CSV to a List in Python CSV
  • How To Run Python Validation From Javascript Javascript
  • IndexError: single positional indexer is out-of-bounds Index Error
  • how to create an instance of a class class
  • how to select all records with SQL SQL
  • TypeError: not all arguments converted during string formatting Python
  • Python tutorial: How to create a graphical user interface in Tkinter Python
  • IndexError: index 2 is out of bounds for axis 0 with size 2 Index Error

What does a data analyst do?

Posted on March 6, 2021March 12, 2023 By admin

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Livestream #2 – What does a data analyst do?

You are probably sitting there hearing about big data and databases, data analytics and machine learning, and wondering where a data analyst fits in.

Here we will look to break it down step by step.

Difference between a Data Analyst and a Business Analyst

  • Business Analyst: Their role is to document the user’s requirements in a document that is descriptive of what the user wants.
    • In this case, a document that all parties can agree to is created, and it can be used as part of the project sign-off.
  • Data Analyst: On the other hand, a data analyst will take the business requirements and translate them into data deliverables.
    • They use the document to ensure the project has the right data to meet the project objectives in the right place at the right time.

Data Analyst Skills

Data Mapping

In different data projects, there will be a need to reconcile the data between systems, a data analysis will help here.

In a data mapping exercise, the data analyst will be expected to look at one or more sources and map them to a destination system.

  • This ensures a match between the two datasets.
  • Which results in the ability to reconcile the two systems.
  • Allows the ability to use data in multiple systems, knowing the consistency is in place.
  • Consistency of the data types between the systems.
  • It ensures that data validation errors are kept to a minimum.

Often a Data Analyst will build a traceability matrix, which tracks the data item from creation through to consumption.

Data Quality

In most companies, there will be teams (depending on their size) dedicated to this, and their input will be pivotal to existing and future data use.

Data quality is an important task that could impact internal and external reporting and a company’s ability to make decisions accurately.

Some of the areas that might be looked at include:

(A) Investigate duplicate data – There could be a number of reasons this has to be checked:

  • Data was manually entered multiple times.
  • An automated process ran multiple times.
  • A change to an IT system has unknowingly duplicated data.

(B) Finding errors – This could be completed in conjunction with the data reporting outlined below.

  • Normally companies will clearly have rules that pick up the data errors that are not expected.
  • A data analyst will analyze why these errors are occurring.

(C) Checking for missing data.

  • Data feeds have failed. A request to reload the data will be required.
  • Data that was not requested as part of the business requirements confirm that this is the case.

(D) Enhancing the data with additional information – Is there additional information that can be added that can enrich the dataset?

(E) Checking data is in the correct format – There are scenarios where this can go wrong, and an example is a date field is populated with text.

Data Reporting

In some of the areas above, we touched on the importance of the quality of data.

Ultimately there may be a need to track:

  • Data Quality – Build reports to capture the quality of data based on predefined business measurements.
  • Real-time Reporting – No new customers or customers who have left an organisation.
  • Track Targets – Is the target set by the business been met daily, weekly, or monthly?
  • Management Reporting – Build reports that provide input to management packs that provide an overview of how the business performs.

Data Testing

Organizations go through change projects where new data is being introduced or enhanced.

As a result, the data analyst will have a number of tasks to complete:

  • Write Test Scripts – Write all scripts for record counts, transformations and table-to-table comparisons.
  • Datatype Validation – Ensures all new data will be the same as the other data where it is stored.
  • No loss of data – Check all data is imported correctly with no data truncated.
  • Record count – Write an SQL script that would complete a source-to-the-destination reconciliation.
  • Data Transformation – Ensure any transformations are applied correctly.

Supporting data projects

Ad hoc projects are common, and sometimes become a priority for businesses as they deal with requirements that result as part of an immediate business need.

Data Analysts will be called upon to support projects where there is a need to ensure the data required is of a standard that meets the project deliverables:

Some common areas where this might occur include:

  • Extract data where it has been found to have been corrupted.
  • Investigate data changes, to analyze where a data breach may have occurred.
  • An external regulatory body has requested information to back up some reports submitted.
  • A customer has requested all the company’s information on them; usually the case for a GDPR request.

 

Livestream Tags:business analyst, Data, Data Analysis, data analyst, data analyst skills, Data Analytics, Data Cleansing, Data Quality, Data Validation, How to Become a Data Analyst, What Does a Data Analyst Do

Post navigation

Previous Post: Welcome to Data Analytics Ireland
Next Post: ValueError: pattern contains no capture groups

Related Posts

  • Free ways to Extract Data from Files Livestream
  • Welcome to Data Analytics Ireland Livestream
  • What is data profiling and its benefits? data profiling

Select your language!

  • हिंदी
  • Español
  • Português
  • Français
  • Italiano
  • Deutsch
  • How to check if a file is empty Python
  • What Are Constraints in SQL? SQL
  • TypeError: ‘int’ object is not callable Python
  • How to Pass a Javascript Variable to Python using JSON Flask
  • How to Add Formulas to Excel using Python numpy
  • IndexError: list index out of range Index Error
  • What is Visual Studio Code? Visual Studio
  • how to reverse a string in python strings

Copyright © 2023 Data Analytics Ireland.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT