Data analytics involves gathering and organizing raw data to locate trends and insights. Data Analysts apply a range of techniques and tools, such as Excel, Tableau, Python, and Power BI, when working with data so their organization can make more informed, data-driven decisions. If you are unsure whether learning data analytics is right for you, consider reading on to learn more about the myriad uses of data analytics tools and techniques. Not only will learning data analytics open up a number of new career opportunities, but it also has a range of personal uses.

What is Data Analytics?

Data analytics is a broad term that describes the various techniques used to analyze raw, unprocessed data so that relevant insights and trends can be extracted. Organizations then use this information to make more informed, data-driven decisions. The data analytics process includes gathering data, organizing them, and performing statistical analysis on these numbers. Once the analysis is complete, the Data Analyst offers predictions that can inform the company’s next steps.

Each day, an estimated 2.5 quintillion bytes of data is created. This number is expected to grow as more organizations embrace technological advances and expand their online presence. However, until these data are analyzed, they are just numbers. A Data Analyst’s job involves combining computer programming, math, and statistics to interpret these numbers and transform them into actionable insights that they can share with various stakeholders in their organization.

Read more about why you should learn data analytics.

Professional Uses for Data Analytics

Those with a background in data analytics can pursue various career options, such as data science, consulting, systems analytics, and data analytics management. Regardless of their professional role, data professionals have common responsibilities, such as organizing data, analyzing it, and creating visualizations. The following sections will explore some of the main professional uses for data analytics, as well as the tools needed when working with data.

Gathering & Organizing Data

The first step in the data analytics process is collecting data. Various data collection tools and practices can help you quickly and systematically gather the necessary data. You may choose to work with surveys, case studies, focus groups, records, questionnaires, or interviews. In addition to paper tools and computer-assisted systems, you may also work with specific tools designed to help you gather certain kinds of information. Forms on Fire can be used to digitize forms; QuickTapSurvey can perform offline surveys; Repsly Mobile CRM provides a way to collect customer data.

Once you’ve collected a sufficient amount of data for the task at hand, you’ll likely want to create a spreadsheet or a database to organize this information. This can involve working with an application like Excel or Access. It may also mean performing qualitative or quantitative analysis on the data using software like SPSS. 

Analyzing Data

After the data has been collected, cleaned, and organized, it’s time for the Data Analyst to analyze the numbers. Data analysis requires applying logical or statistical techniques to data so it can be evaluated, described, evaluated, modeled, and illustrated. The analytics process is performed to locate useful information from raw data so an organization can make decisions based on these numbers. Some of the most commonly used analysis techniques and methods include statistical, diagnostic, prescriptive, predictive, and textual analysis.

The analysis phase of the analytics process can involve using a range of tools, such as KNIME for creating data science workflows, RapidMiner for creating predictive analysis models, or Excel for using advanced data analytics formulas. If you want to learn more about data analytics, you can read up on data analysis in Noble Deskto’s Learn Hub.

Visualizing Data

One of the most effective ways to share data findings that may be complex or detailed is to create a data visualization. Visualizations depict data insights using common graphics like infographics, charts, animations, or graphs. Displaying data visually helps audience members from non-technical backgrounds access and understand the information. Data visualizations serve a range of purposes; they are used to convey important information to members of data teams; they can be shared with management to better understand organizational trends and patterns; and they can connect with more general public audiences to convey important information.

Microsoft Power BI is a commonly used tool for data visualization. This business platform helps business users aggregate, evaluate, and visualize data, then share their findings. This platform’s intuitive user interface makes it a go-to for business users who don’t have technical backgrounds. Tableau is another popular product for visualizing data findings. It’s the leading analytics platform around the globe. It is relied on by businesses of all sizes and types to create business forecasts, devise strategies, and make decisions based on data findings.

If you want to learn more about data visualization, Noble Desktop provides free resources to help explain this process, as well as how to use tools like Tableau to create engaging data visualizations.

Other Uses for Data Analytics

In addition to the wide range of uses for data analytics in the professional sector, it also has many applications outside the context of a career. Those trained to spot relevant patterns in vast datasets and share these findings with others can also apply these skills to their personal endeavors or projects. Data is everywhere, and the more aware of it, the more opportunities you will have to use the information these numbers contain. Whether it’s keeping track of health matters, budgeting, or using time more effectively, there are many uses for data analytics in your personal life.

Time Management

If you want to improve your productivity, you must first take inventory of how you spend your time. Tracking your time can provide insights into where the minutes of the day go, as well as identify any activities you perform that waste your time. Data analytics is a useful tool for time management; free software like RescueTime is a useful tool for monitoring how you use your time on the computer. With the help of its productivity dashboard, you can see where most of your on-screen time is spent and even block unproductive websites so you can be more conscious of how your time is being used and, thus, more productive.

Health

More people than ever are taking control of their health and well-being by tracking health-related information like sleep patterns, exercise, and nutrition. Apps like MyFitness and Sleep Cycle allow individuals to monitor variables such as their time spent working out or the number of hours of quality sleep they get each night. These tools can help you lose weight, monitor your mood, ovulation, or blood sugar, drink less alcohol, and increase your activity. Data analytics plays an integral role in helping people keep track of a range of factors that contribute to health and well-being.

Social Media

The average person spends two-and-a-half hours a day, or roughly ten percent of their time, on social media. Social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Twitter are more popular than ever. This is why some Social Media Analysts focus on evaluating how successful social media campaigns are by studying each post’s metrics and the entire campaign. However, you don’t have to be a Social Media Analyst to gain insights from studying social media data.

Apps such as Wolfram Alpha can help you locate insights from within your social network. You can find out information like which geographical locations your friends are clustered in, what times of day you’re most likely to use Facebook, and how often you go on this social media platform. The more you understand your usage patterns on social media, the more control you can have over your patterns, habits, and overall productivity.

Budgeting

Analyzing data can also help you be more aware of your financial situation and do a better job budgeting. Tracking your expenses is an important aspect of having financial awareness. If you aren’t keeping track of how you spend your money, you may not know where your paychecks are going or identify any habits you may need to change to save money. The field of data analytics provides various ways to track expenses. Some people may do so using Excel spreadsheets; others may wish to work with an app such as Save Plan It. This tool provides a user-friendly way to track every financial transaction you make so you can stay on budget. It also creates reports and visualizations that help you see your spending activity. 

Learn Data Analytics Skills with Noble Desktop

There’s never been a better time to study data analytics. If you’re interested in learning more about this popular field, Noble Desktop has you covered. Noble offers several data analytics classes for beginners and those with a background in data who want to master specific or advanced tools and skills. 

Noble’s Data Analytics Certificate is a project-based course designed to teach students how to collect, wrangle, analyze, and visualize data. Participants complete several real-world projects using predictive and prescriptive analytics to prepare them for careers as Business Analysts or Data Analysts. This course provides all students with one-on-one mentoring, as well as the option of a free course retake to revisit the material. 

In addition, Noble’s SQL Bootcamp is a great learning option for learners interested in studying SQL to help with their data journey. This 18-hour class teaches participants how to use PostgreSQL to find information in databases. Those who enroll will learn how to write SQL queries, aggregate data, join tables, and filter results. 

For students who want to work with Tableau for data analytics and visualization, Noble’s Tableau Bootcamp is a solid choice. This class is taught by an expert instructor and is available both in-person in Manhattan and in the live online format for those who wish to study remotely. This course takes students on a learning journey, starting with the basics of data visualization. Those enrolled also work with Tableau Public and its various tools for analysis and visualization. By course completion, participants will be able to analyze, filter, structure, and visualize data and publish the results. All students have the option of a free course retake.

Key Takeaway

• Data analytics involves analyzing data or statistics so that meaningful patterns in these numbers can be found, interpreted, and shared.
• There are many professional uses for the data analytics process. It allows individuals and organizations to gather, organize, analyze, and visualize data findings. Some of the most commonly used tools for the analytics process are Excel, Tableau, Power BI, and KNIME.
• In addition to the many professional uses for data analytics, it also can help you in your personal life. Many people use data analytics applications and tools to monitor their health, spending habits, social media usage, and time usage.
• A great way to learn more about data analytics is to enroll in one of Noble Desktop’s in-person or live online courses.