Program description and course syllabus

What do companies in e-commerce, entertainment, healthcare, manufacturing,

marketing, finance, tech, and hundreds of other industries all have in common?
You guessed it, they all use data. Organizations of all kinds need
data analysts to help them improve their processes,
identify opportunities and trends,
launch new products, provide great customer service,
and make thoughtful decisions.
Hi, I'm Tony, a program manager
at Google and a data analyst myself.
I like to welcome you to
the Google Data Analytics Certificate.
Now, there are lots of
great reasons to earn this certificate.
Maybe you're thinking about starting
a career in the exciting world of data analytics,
or maybe you're just fascinated
by the power of data as I am.
No matter what brought you here,
you're in the right place to kick-start a career and
learn industry-relevant skills in data analytics.
But first, what exactly is data?
Well, I'll like to say that data
is a collection of facts.
This collection can include numbers, pictures,
videos, words, measurements, observations, and more.
Once you have data, analytics
puts it to work through analysis.
Data analysis is the collection, transformation,
and organization of data in order to draw conclusions,
make predictions, and drive informed decision-making.
And it doesn't stop there.
Data evolves over time which
means this analysis or analytics,
as we call it, can give us
new information throughout data's entire life cycle.
Data is everywhere.
You use and create data everyday.
Have you ever read reviews of a product
before deciding whether or not to buy it?
That's data analysis.
Or maybe you wear a fitness tracker to count
your steps so you can stay active throughout the day.
That's data analysis.
But you don't just use data.
You also create huge amounts of it every single day.
Any time you use your phone,
look up something online, stream music,
shop with a credit card,
post on social media or use
GPS to map a route, you're creating data.
Our digital world and
the millions of smart devices inside of
it have made the amount of data
available truly mind-blowing.
Here at Google we process more than
40,000 searches every second.
That's 3.5 billion searches a day
and 1.2 trillion searches every year.
Here's another way to think about it.
YouTube has almost two billion users.
If YouTube users made up a country,
it would be the largest in the world.
All of that data is transforming the world around us.
The publication The Economist recently
called data the world's most valuable resource.
It's easy to see why
data analysts are so valued by their organizations.
What exactly does a data analyst do?
Put simply, a data analyst is someone who collects,
transforms, and organizes data
in order to help make informed decisions.
Besides the role itself,
one of the most exciting parts of being
a data analyst is the number of opportunities available.
The demand for data analysts is greater than
the number of qualified people
to fill these job openings.
This certificate program is
a great first step in
your journey to finding a job you love.
Data analysts come from
many different backgrounds and have
all kinds of life experiences.
You don't need decades of work experience
or an expensive education to get started.
Many data analysts taught themselves
the skills they needed to land their first job,
just like you're doing right now.
Now let's talk more about what you're going to learn.
The Google Data Analytics Certificate is split into
courses based on different processes for data analysis.
Those are ask, prepare,
process, analyze, share, and act.
Plan to watch these videos in order.
Each one covers a new topic and
every topic builds on what you've learned before,
making it easy to track your progress.
You're in the driver's seat.
Even though you might see things organized by weeks,
everything can be completed at your own pace.
So you decide how much you want to do each day.
By the end of the program,
you'll take everything you've learned and turn it into
a project that you can use to show off your skills,
and wow hiring managers at your job interviews.
Now along the way you'll also hear from Googlers.
That's what we call people who work here at Google.
They'll give you an inside look
at what it's like to work in
our industry and share
personal stories of how they got into the field.
They'll also give you some excellent tips
on how to land your dream job.
Stay tuned. Some of them are going
to introduce themselves in just a sec.
I'm Angie. I'm a program manager
of engineering at Google.
I truly believe that cleaning
data is the heart and soul of data.
It's how you get to know your data,
its quirks, its flaws, its mysteries.
I love a good mystery.
It felt like a superpower almost.
I was a detective and I had gone
in there and I'd really solved something.
Hi, I'm Alex.
I'm a research scientist at Google.
I research the different impacts of
artificial intelligence on society and our users.
My name is Lilah Jones.
I'm a part of our cloud team.
I get a chance to lead a team of
amazing individuals that are
focused on helping customers get to the cloud.
Hi, I'm Evan.
I'm a learning portfolio manager here at Google.
I have one of the coolest jobs
in the world where I get to
look at all the different technologies that affect
big data and then work them into
training courses like this one for students to take.
I'll be your instructor for the first course.
I'll take you through each module that will
cover a specific topic in a few different ways.
You'll have videos, reading materials, quizzes,
hands-on activities, and discussion prompts for
you to chat about with other students in an online forum.
I'm really excited to be guiding you through this course,
but I'm especially excited
that you've chosen this adventure.
Lifelong learning is something
that I'm very passionate about.
Growing up, when I looked around,
I often didn't see many options available to me.
It wasn't until I started getting
serious about my education that
I realized I had
the control to make my own opportunities
with education being the key that would open those doors.
The more I learned and the harder I worked,
the more possibilities opened up.
Had I not gone after
that knowledge and continued challenging myself,
I may not be where I am today.
Learning allowed me to grow personally, be successful,
visit places I would never have seen,
and meet people I would never have known.
Now I'm going to introduce some of those great people.
Hello, I'm Ximena, financial analyst.
I'll be helping you learn how to
ask the right questions about data,
the project you work on and
the problems you're trying to solve.
Hey, my name is Hallie, analytical lead.
I'm so excited to show you how to
prepare your data so it's ready for analysis.
Hello, I'm Sally, measurement and analytical lead.
Together we'll cover how to process and clean your data.
Cleaning data doesn't require soap and water.
I'm talking about making sure your data is complete,
correct, and relevant to
the problem you're trying to solve.
Hey, I'm Ayanna, global insights manager.
We'll be digging into analysis.
You'll learn how to collect, transform,
and organize data so that you can
use it to discover useful information,
draw conclusions, and make great decisions.
My name's Kevin and with
my experience as Director of analytics at Google,
I'll guide you through what I think is
the most exciting part of
the data analysis process: plan,
create, and present
effective and compelling data visualizations.
Hello, my name is Carrie.
I can't wait to tell you about
all the exciting things you can
do with the programming language R. Are you ready?
Hi, I'm Rishie,
Global analytics skills curriculum manager.
I'm going to help you bring
together everything you learned during
this program by creating
a case study that will dazzle any hiring manager.
Just like the capstone of
a great building shows everyone that it's complete,
your case study will signify
your own great achievement of earning
a Google certificate in data analytics.
Okay, are you getting excited
about the potential of becoming a data analyst?
So much is possible with data.
You're about to enter a whole new world.
Ready? Let's go.

Data: A collection of facts

Data Analysis: The collection and organization of data in order to draw a conclusion, make a
prediction and drive informed decision making.

1. Ask: Business Challenge/Objective/Question

2. Prepare: Data generation, collection, storage, and data management
3. Process: Data cleaning/data integrity
4. Analyze: Data exploration, visualization, and analysis
5. Share: Communicating and interpreting results
6. Act: Putting your insights to work to solve the problem
Understanding this process—and all of the iterations that helped make it popular—will
be a big part of guiding your own analysis and your work in this program. Let’s go over a
few other variations of the data analysis life cycle.

Hello and welcome! The program you are about to explore is specifically designed to
help every type of learner successfully finish the certificate and become an entry-level
junior or associate data analyst. No previous data analytics, mathematics, or statistical
experience is required. To succeed, you just need to be open to learning how data
influences the world.

Become job-ready
Every day, the amount of data out there gets bigger and bigger. So the ability to
interpret it effectively is more important than ever before. Data analytics is becoming
one of the fastest-growing and most rewarding career choices in the world. In the next
decade, the demand for business analytics skills will probably be higher than the
demand for any other career (10.9% vs. 5.2%) (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics). All
kinds of companies all over the world need qualified data analysts to solve problems
and help them make the best possible business decisions. And right now, fifty-nine
percent of companies have plans to add even more positions requiring data analysis
skills (Source: SHRM). By the time you are done with this program, you will be well-
prepared to make smart, strategic, data-driven recommendations for organizations in all
kinds of industries.

During each course of the program, you will complete lots of hands-on assignments and
projects based on both day-to-day life and the practical activities of a data analyst.
Along the way, you will learn how to ask the right questions and understand objectives.
You will also learn how to effectively clean and organize large amounts of data to make
it ready for high-quality analysis. On top of that, you will get hands-on experience using
all kinds of tools and techniques that will help you recognize patterns and uncover
relationships between data points. And to help you communicate the results of your
analysis, you will learn how to design visuals and dashboards. There is even an
opportunity to create a case study, which you can highlight in your resume to show what
you have learned to potential employers.

Course overview
The entire program has eight courses. This is the first course and it covers about five
weeks of material.

1. Foundations: Data, Data, Everywhere (this course)

2. Ask Questions to Make Data-Driven Decisions
3. Prepare Data for Exploration
4. Process Data from Dirty to Clean
5. Analyze Data to Answer Questions
6. Share Data Through the Art of Visualization
7. Data Analysis with R Programming
8. Google Data Analytics Capstone: Complete a Case Study

Course content
Course 1– Foundations: Data, Data, Everywhere

1. Introducing data analytics: Data helps us make decisions, in everyday life and in
business. In this first part of the course, you will learn how data analysts use tools of
their trade to inform those decisions. You will also get to know more about this course
and the overall program expectations.
2. Thinking analytically: Data analysts balance many different roles in their work. In this
part of the course, you will learn about some of these roles and the key skills that are
required. You will also explore analytical thinking and how it relates to data-driven
decision making.
3. Exploring the wonderful world of data: Data has its own life cycle, and data analysts use
an analysis process that cuts across and leverages this life cycle. In this part of the
course, you will learn about the data life cycle and data analysis process. They are both
relevant to your work in this program and on the job as a future data analyst. You will be
introduced to applications that help guide data through the data analysis process.
4. Setting up a data toolbox: Spreadsheets, query languages, and data visualization tools
are all a big part of a data analyst’s job. In this part of the course, you will learn the
basic concepts to use them for data analysis. You will understand how they work
through examples provided.
5. Discovering data career possibilities: All kinds of businesses value the work that data
analysts do. In this part of the course, you will examine different types of businesses
and the jobs and tasks that analysts do for them. You will also learn how a Google Data
Analytics Certificate will help you meet many of the requirements for a position with
these organizations.
6. Completing the Course Challenge: At the end of this course, you will be able to put
everything you have learned into perspective with the Course Challenge. The Course
Challenge will ask you questions about the main concepts you have learned and then
give you an opportunity to apply those concepts in two scenarios.

What to expect
Each week of the course includes a series of lessons with many types of learning
opportunities. These include:

 Videos for instructors to teach new concepts and demonstrate the use of tools
 Readings to introduce new ideas and build on the concepts from the videos
 Discussion forums to share, explore, and reinforce lesson topics for better understanding
 Discussion prompts to promote thinking and engagement in the discussion forums
 Practice quizzes to prepare you for graded quizzes
 Graded quizzes to measure your progress and give you valuable feedback
 Also, be sure to pay attention to the in-video questions that will pop up from time to time.
They are designed for you to check your learning.
Everyone learns differently, so this program has been designed to let you work at your
own pace. Although your personalized deadlines start when you enroll, they are just a
guide. Feel free to move through the program at the speed that works best for you.
There is no penalty for late assignments; to earn your certificate, all you have to do is
complete all of the work. If you prefer, you can extend your deadlines by returning to
Overview in the navigation panel and clicking Switch Sessions. Assessments are based
on the approach taken by the course to offer a wide variety of learning materials and
activities that reinforce important skills. Graded and ungraded quizzes will help the
content sink in. Ungraded practice quizzes are a chance for you to prepare for the
graded quizzes. Both types of quizzes can be taken more than one time.

Optional speed track for those experienced in data

analytics
The Google Data Analytics Certificate provides instruction and feedback for learners
hoping to earn a position as an entry-level data analyst. While many learners will be
brand new to the world of data analytics, others may be familiar with the field and simply
wanting to brush up on certain skills.

If you believe this course will be primarily a refresher for you, we recommend taking the
practice diagnostic quiz (you can find it in this week's content). It will enable you to
determine if you should follow the speed track, which is an opportunity to proceed to
Course 2 after having taken each of the Course 1 Weekly Challenges and the overall
Course Challenge. Learners who score 100% on the diagnostic quiz can treat Course 1
videos, readings, and activities as optional. Learners following the speed track are still
able to earn the certificate.

Tips
 It is strongly recommended to take these courses—and go through the items in each
lesson—in the order they appear because new information and concepts build on
previous knowledge.
 Use the additional resources that are linked throughout the program. They are designed
to support your learning.
 When you encounter useful links in the course, remember to bookmark them so you can
refer to the information for study or review.
 Additional resources are free, but some sites place limits on how many articles can be
accessed for free each month. Sometimes you can register on the site for full access,
but you can always bookmark a resource and come back to view it later.
 If something is confusing, don’t hesitate to re-watch a video, go through a reading
again, and so on.
 Take part in all learning opportunities to gain as much knowledge and experience
possible.
Congratulations on choosing to take this first step toward becoming part of the
wonderful world of data analytics. Enjoy the journey!

Learning Log: Think about data in daily life

Overview

By now, you've started to discover how powerful data can be. Throughout this course, you’ll be
asked to make entries in a learning log. Your log will be a personal space where you can keep track
of your thinking and reflections about the experiences you will have collecting and analyzing data.
Reflections may include what you liked, what you would change, and questions that were raised. By
the time you complete the entry for this activity, you will have a stronger understanding of data
analytics.

Everyday data

Before you write an entry in your learning log, think about where and how you use data to make
decisions. You will create a list of at least five questions that you might use data to answer. Here are
a few examples to inspire you:

 What’s the best time to go to the gym?

 How does the length of your commute to work vary by day of the week?
 How many cups of coffee do you drink each day?
 What flavor of ice cream do customers buy?
 How many hours of sleep do you get each day?
Then, you will select one of the five questions from your list to explore further and write down the
types of data you might collect in order to make a decision. That’s data analysis in action!

Access your learning log

To use the learning log for this course item, click the link below and select Use Template.

Link to learning log template: Think about data in daily life

OR

If you don’t have a Google account, you can download the template directly from the attachment
below.

Learning Log Template_ Think about data in daily life

DOCX File
Reflection

After you consider how you use data analysis in your own life, take a moment to reflect on what you
discovered. Reflections may include what you liked, what you would change, and questions that
were raised. In your new learning log entry, you will write 2-3 sentences (40-60 words) in response
to each question below:

 What are some considerations or preferences you want to keep in mind when making a decision?
 What kind of information or data do you have access to that will influence your decision?
 Are there any other things you might want to track associated with this decision?
When you’ve finished your entry in the learning log template, make sure to save the document so
your response is somewhere accessible. This will help you continue applying data analysis to your
everyday life. You will also be able to track your progress and growth as a data analyst.

Example

Since this is your first learning log, an example has been provided using one of the questions above
to help you.

Link to learning log example: Think about data in daily life

OR

If you don’t have a Google account, you can download the example directly from the attachment
below.

Learning Log: Think about data in daily life

Instructions
You can use this document as a template for the learning log activity: Think about data in daily life. Type
your answers in this document, and save it on your computer or Google Drive.
We recommend that you save every learning log in one folder and include a date in the file name to help
you
stay organized. Important information like course number, title, and activity name are already included.
After you finish your learning log entry, you can come back and reread your responses later to understand
how your opinions on different topics may have changed throughout the courses.
To review detailed instructions on how to complete this activity, please return to Coursera: Learning Log:
Think about data in daily life.
Date: <enter
date>
Course/topic: Course 1: Foundations: Data, Data Everywhere
Learning Log: Think about data in daily life
Everyday data Create a list of at least five questions:
1. What’s the best time to go to the gym?
2. How does the length of your commute to work vary by day of the week?
3. How many cups of coffee do you drink each day?
4. What flavor of ice cream do customers buy?
5. How many hours of sleep do you get each day?
Now, select one of the five questions from your list to explore.
Selected question: What’s the best time to go to the gym?
Reflection: Write 2-3 sentences (40-60 words) in response to each of the questions below.
Questions and
responses: ● What are some considerations or preferences you want to keep in mind
when making a decision?
Do I want to take a class, use the weights, or use the cardio equipment? Am
I someone who enjoys working out early, mid-day or later in the day? How
will I get to the gym and is parking available if I need it?
● What kind of information or data do you have access to that will influence
your decision?
I would like to know at what times is the gym the busiest and when it is
quieter. I would also like to know if their classes book up quickly or are there
classes I can join at the last minute. If parking is only available on a public
street, what times of the day would I have a better chance of getting a
parking spot?
● Are there any other things you might want to track associated with this
1
decision?
What other aspects of my day might impact my ability to get to the gym? For
example, if I like to go after work, but I frequently have meetings later in the
day that run late, what impact will this have? Will I need to bring my gym
clothes with me and change? Does the facility have showers and will I have
enough time to use it if I go before my work day starts?

"Data! Data! Data! I can't make bricks without clay."

Any guesses who said this? I'll give you a hint.
It wasn't a famous tech CEO,
or a data analyst.
The person who said this lived
long before the tech companies even existed.
But I bet you've still heard of him.
This line was said by Sherlock Holmes,
the famous detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
What Doyle meant was that
Holmes couldn't draw any conclusions,
which would be the bricks he mentioned
without data, or the clay.
You're probably not here to become
a world famous detective,
but data is still the building block that you'll use
for everything you do in your new data analyst career,
Sherlock Holmes would agree.
By starting this program,
you've shown that you and
Sherlock Holmes have something in common,
you both have an interest in learning more.
That's one of the most important qualities
that data analysts can have.
Now, there are a bunch of different ways to explore data,
but one of the great things about data analytics is that
you can often learn how you want, when you want.
That might mean doing your own research,
talking with people in the industry,
or taking online courses.
With that said, welcome to your first course.
This is your introduction to
the wonderful world of data analytics.
Since data analytics is the science of data,
you'll use this course to begin to learn all about data.
Data is basically a collection of facts
or information, and through analysis,
you'll learn how to use the data to draw conclusions,
and make predictions, and decisions.
Personally, I didn't jump
right into the data analytics field.
I thought data analysis was for computer engineers.
Instead, I started off with dreams of working in finance.
Once I got through an internship though,
I realized it wasn't the career path I wanted to take.
I started to learn about financial planning and analysis,
and all of the work
finance analysts were doing with data.
I realized that finance analysts are really
just data analysts working in a finance department.
These analysts were helping to guide
business decisions by knowing how to use data.
It was then I realized how powerful data is,
and I started to embrace it.
Soon enough, I realized I could
do this data analysis myself.
Data analytics is a big open world of opportunity.
There are so many areas that your analysis skills can be
applied and in all different ways.
If you're new to this world,
you'll learn how to identify which path and
industry might suit your skills,
and your interests the best.
For those of you who already have some experience,
we'll help you open doors
to new and exciting opportunities.
One of the skills you'll gain from
the program is how to follow
the best practices that analysts
use to help make data-driven decisions.
Computers are one part of the process,
but analysts rely on so much more to make decisions.
That's why learning how to think analytically,
and using your other skills and traits
on the job will make your work easier.
I know you already know how to make good decisions,
you chose to be here after all.
In this first course,
you'll learn more about each phase
of the data analysis process.
Ask, prepare, process, analyze, share, and act.
As a data analyst,
you'll go through these steps as you
use data to inform your decisions.
Eventually, you'll see how
this program itself is in a way,
its own version of this process.
While I know you'll enjoy watching these videos,
your trip to the first course
will include a whole lot more.
Other videos will take the form of vignettes,
where you'll learn from data analytics professionals,
who are already established in their careers.
They'll offer words of wisdom as well as tales of
their own experiences starting off on their career path.
You'll start your own data journal that will help
you keep track of what you've
learned throughout the course.
You'll also add your own thoughts about what you're
learning as well, throughout the program.
You'll read up on how to navigate
this program in the world of data analytics.
You'll complete activities, including some
that will help you get in the mindset of a data analyst.
Along the way, you'll also have
the chance to connect with your fellow learners.
Discussion prompts will give you
a chance to share your thoughts,
and at the same time see
what your peers think about all that you're learning.
These prompts will help you build
a community support system to use throughout the program.
Enough talking, let's get started on this exciting path.
Your next step awaits.

Helpful resources to get started

The Google Data Analytics Certificate is designed to provide you with new lessons
every week. As you’ve learned, each one includes a series of videos, readings, peer
discussions, in-video questions, practice quizzes, and graded quizzes. In this reading,
you’ll learn about providing feedback on course content, obtaining the Google Data
Analytics Certificate, and helpful habits for successfully completing the certificate.

Providing feedback or getting help on course content

Please remember to give feedback on videos, readings, and materials. Just open the
resource, and look for the thumbs-up and thumbs-down symbols.

 Click thumbs-up for materials that are helpful.

 Click thumbs-down for materials that are not helpful.
That feedback goes to the course developers, not other learners, and helps improve this
course.

For technical help on Coursera, visit the Learner Help Center. For help accessing
course materials, click the Contact us link at the bottom of the page.

Obtaining the Google Data Analytics Certificate

After you complete all eight courses, you qualify for the Google Data Analytics
Certificate.

To receive your certificate, you must:

 Pass all required assignments in the course or meet the course-passing threshold. Each
graded assignment is part of a cumulative graded score, and the passing grade for the
Google Data Analytics Certificate is 80%.
AND

 Pay the course certificate fee, or apply and be approved for Coursera Financial Aid.
You can review videos, readings, discussion forums, in-video questions, and practice
quizzes in the program for free. However, you won’t have access to graded
assignments. If you choose to go ahead and earn your certificate, you’ll need to
upgrade to the certificate program, unlock the graded assessments, and finish those
steps.

Helpful habits for successfully completing the certificate

As a learner, you’re bringing all of your past experiences and best learning practices to
this program. The designers of this course have also put together a list of helpful habits
that they believe will help you to be the most successful:

1. Plan your time: Setting regular study times and sticking with them each week can help
you make learning a part of your routine. Use a calendar or timetable to create a
schedule. Listing what you plan to do each day will break your work down into
achievable goals. And creating a quiet place to watch the videos, review the readings,
and complete the activities is important, so you can really focus on the material.
2. Learn in order: We recommend taking these courses — and the items in each lesson —
in the order they appear, as new information and concepts build on previous ones. By
following the order, you’ll be able to get comfortable with ideas, then practice and build
on them.
3. Be curious: If you find an idea that gets you excited, please act on it! Ask questions,
search for more details online, check out the links that interest you, and take notes on
your discoveries. The little things you do to support your learning along the way will take
your knowledge even further; open more doors in this new, high-growth field; and help
you qualify for all kinds of new jobs.
4. Take notes: Notes are useful when researching something you’re curious about. This is
especially helpful when a task seems important and you think it might be useful later.
Or, sometimes you might come across a subject that you want to explore in more detail.
Keeping notes can help you keep track of what you learn. Finally, taking notes is an
effective way to help make connections between topics and gain a better understanding
of them. You can use your notes to build your very own data analytics journal — a place
where you can capture ideas, information, and any questions you might have. You’ll
probably want to keep your notes together in one place-- whether that’s a physical
journal or a document on your computer. This will make it easier to stay organized. Feel
free to revisit your journal as you progress through the program, during your job hunt,
and even as you settle into your new role as a data analyst.
5. Chat (responsibly) with other learners: If you have a question, chances are, you’re not
alone. Feel free to reach out in the discussion forum to ask for help from other learners
taking this program. You can also visit Coursera’s Global Online Community. Other
important things to know while you’re making friends can be found in the Coursera
Honor Code and the Code of Conduct.

Optional: Familiar with data analytics? Take our

diagnostic quiz
Total points 10

1.
Question 1

Optional speed track for those experienced in data

analytics
The Google Data Analytics Certificate provides instruction and feedback for learners hoping to earn
a position as an entry-level data analyst. While many learners will be brand new to the world of data
analytics, others may be familiar with the field and simply wanting to brush up on certain skills.

If you believe this course will be primarily a refresher for you, we recommend taking this practice
diagnostic quiz. It will enable you to determine if you should follow the speed track, which is an
opportunity to proceed to Course 2 after taking each of the Course 1 Weekly Challenges and the
overall Course Challenge. Learners who earn 100% on the diagnostic quiz can treat Course 1
videos, readings, and activities as optional. Learners following the speed track are still able to earn
the certificate.

If you aren't familiar with data analytics, this course was made for you! Feel free to skip this quiz and
move forward through all of the course material.

Get ready to take the next step in your data analytics journey with the question below!

A clothing retailer collects and stores data about its sales revenue. Which of the following would be
part of its data ecosystem? Select all that apply.

0.5 / 1 point

The databases of competing retailers

Records of its inventory

The cloud that store its database

The database of sales revenue

Correct

The clothing retailer’s data ecosystem would include the database of sales revenue, the cloud that
stores the database, and records of its inventory. A data ecosystem is the various elements that
interact with one another in order to produce, manage, store, organize, analyze, and share data.

You didn’t select all the correct answers

2.
Question 2

What is the process of guiding business strategy using facts?

1 / 1 point
Identification of data and decisions

Analytical planning

Strategic improvement

Data-driven decision-making

Correct

Data-driven decision-making is the process of guiding business strategy using facts.

3.
Question 3

Fill in the blank: Curiosity, understanding context, having a technical mindset, data design, and data
strategy are _____. They enable data analysts to solve problems using facts.

1 / 1 point

thought processes

analytical skills

business skills

personal insights

Correct

Curiosity, understanding context, having a technical mindset, data design, and data strategy are
analytical skills. They enable data analysts to solve problems using facts.
4.
Question 4

The owner of a skate shop notices that every time a certain employee has a shift, there are higher
sales numbers at the end of the day. After some investigation, the owner realizes that since the
employee was hired, the store earns 15% more each month. In this scenario, the manager used
which quality of analytical thinking?

0 / 1 point

Visualization

Correlation

Problem-orientation

Big-picture thinking

Incorrect

You will learn more about analytical thinking in Course 1.

5.
Question 5

Gap analysis is a process that could help accomplish which of the following tasks? Select all that
apply.

0.5 / 1 point

Increase the efficiency of a car manufacturer based on its current assembly process

Correct

Gap analysis is a method for examining and evaluating how a process works currently in order to get
where you want to be in the future. Improving accessibility, increasing efficiency, and reducing
carbon emissions are examples of improvements that gap analysis can help accomplish.
Spread awareness about income inequality based on local salaries

Improve accessibility for an educational app based on its current functionality

Reduce a company’s carbon footprint based on its current emissions

You didn’t select all the correct answers

6.
Question 6

An advertising firm has used insights from its analytics team to create a strategy for improving sales.
Now, they implement a plan to increase annual revenue. The firm is at which step of the data
analysis process?

1 / 1 point

Analyze

Act

Process

Share

Correct

The act phase is when insights are put into action. This involves a company or organization
implementing a plan to solve the original business problem.

7.
Question 7
A data analyst adds descriptive headers to columns of data in a spreadsheet. How does this improve
the spreadsheet?

0 / 1 point

It eliminates unnecessary details

It clarifies the business strategy

It improves the aesthetic appeal

It adds context

Incorrect

You will learn more about analytical processes in Course 1.

8.
Question 8

This is a selection from a spreadsheet that ranks the 10 most populous cities in North Carolina. To
alphabetize the county names in column D, which spreadsheet tool would you use?

A B C D

1 Rank Name Population County

2 7 Cary 170,282 Wake, Chatham
3 1 Charlotte 885,708 Mecklenburg
4 10 Concord 96,341 Cabarrus
5 4 Durham 278,993 Durham (seat), Wake, Orange
6 6 Fayetteville 211,657 Cumberland
7 3 Greensboro 296,710 Guilford
8 9 High Point 112,791 Guilford, Randolph, Davidson, Forsyth
9 2 Raleigh 474,069 Wake (seat), Durham
10 8 Wilmington 123,784 New Hanover
11 5 Winston-Salem 247,945 Forsyth
0 / 1 point

Alphabetize range

Sort range

Name range

Organize range

Incorrect

You will learn more about spreadsheet basics in Course 1.

9.
Question 9

You are querying a database of manufacturing company suppliers. The column name for supplier
identification numbers is supplier_id. What is the correct clause to retrieve only data about the
supplier with identification number 85317?

1 / 1 point

FROM supplier_id 85317

WHERE supplier_id = 85317

SELECT supplier_id 85317

COLUMN supplier_id = 85317

Correct

The correct clause is WHERE supplier_id = 85317. This clause tells the database to return only
information about the supplier whose ID is 85317.

10.
Question 10

Imagine you are sharing your data with a company stakeholder. Why might you display data with a
data visualization instead of a table? Select all that apply.

0.5 / 1 point

It helps them identify trends more quickly

It’s aesthetically pleasing

It thoroughly describes each data point

It’s easy to understand

Correct

When sharing data with others, you might use a data visualization instead of a table because
visualizations are more aesthetically pleasing, save time when identifying trends, and are easier to
understand.

You didn’t select all the correct answers

Optional: Your diagnostic quiz score and

what it means
Use your score to help you determine whether you should take the speed track. The speed track
allows you to skip over the lesson material and go straight to the weekly challenges and the course
challenge, which lead to your final course score. In order to earn your certificate, you will need an
overall score of 80% or higher on all graded materials in this program. Read on to figure out your
next steps based on your quiz score:
If you scored 100% on the diagnostic quiz:

 You’re probably very familiar with the fundamental concepts involved in data analytics and can take
the speed track to move on to Course 2.
 You must take each of the weekly challenges and the course challenge, which will count toward the
80% overall score needed to earn the certificate. To help you find these items more quickly, we’ve
identified them with asterisks in the course materials (for example: *course challenge*).
 After you complete the weekly challenges and course challenge, proceed to Course 2.
 You’re welcome to review videos, readings, and activities throughout the course based on your
interests.
If you scored between 90% and 99% on the diagnostic quiz:

 You’re probably familiar with the fundamental concepts involved in data analytics and might consider
taking the speed track to move on to Course 2.
 However, we still recommend that you go through the Course 1 lesson materials to review areas
where you might have some gaps before proceeding to Course 2.
 You must take each of the weekly challenges and the course challenge, which will count toward the
80% overall score needed to earn the certificate. To help you find these items more quickly, we’ve
identified them with asterisks in the course materials (for example: *course challenge*).
 After you complete the weekly challenges and course challenge, proceed to Course 2.
 You’re welcome to review videos, readings, and activities throughout the course based on your
interests.
If you scored between 80% and 89% on the diagnostic quiz:

 You likely have some background knowledge on fundamental concepts involved in data analytics.
 However, we recommend that you go through the Course 1 lesson materials to review areas where
you might have some gaps before proceeding to Course 2.
 You must take the weekly challenges and the course challenge, which will count toward the 80%
overall score needed to earn the certificate. To help you find these items more quickly, we’ve
identified them with asterisks in the course materials (for example: *course challenge*).
If you scored less than 80% on the diagnostic quiz:

 No problem — this course was made for you!

 We strongly recommend that you go through all of the Course 1 videos, readings, and activities, as
the concepts taught are building blocks that will set you up for success on your learning path.
 You must take the weekly challenges and the course challenge, which will count toward the 80%
overall score needed to earn the certificate.
Regardless of your score, the course material can help you supplement or fill gaps in your
knowledge. Whether you take the speed track or complete the certificate at the provided pace, good
luck on your data endeavors!

Welcome back.
At this point, you've been introduced to the world of data analytics and
what data analysts do.
You've also learned how this course will prepare you for
a successful career as an analyst.
Coming up, you'll learn all the ways data can be used, and
you'll discover why data analysts are in such high demand.
I'm not exaggerating when I say every goal and success that my team and
I have achieved couldn't have been done without data.
Here at Google, all of our products are built on data and
data-driven decision making.
From concept to development to launch,
we're using data to figure out the best way forward. And we're not alone.
Countless other organizations also see the incredible value in data
and, of course, the data analysts who help them make use of it.
So we know data opens up a lot of opportunities.
But to help you wrap your head around all the ways you can actually use data,
let's go over a few examples from everyday life.
You might not realize it, but people analyze data all the time.
For instance, I'm a morning person.
A long time ago, I realized that I'm happier and
more productive if I get to bed early and wake up early.
I came to this conclusion after noticing a pattern in my day-to-day experiences.
When I got seven hours of sleep and woke up at 6:30, I was the most successful.
So I thought about the relationship between this pattern and my daily life,
and I predicted that early to bed early to rise would be the right choice for me.
And I'm definitely my best self when I wake up bright and early.
I bet you've identified patterns and relationships in your life, too.
Maybe about your own sleep cycle or how you feel after eating certain foods,
or what time of day you like to workout.
All of these are great examples of real life patterns and relationships
that you can use to make predictions about the right actions to take, and
that is a huge part of data analysis right there.
Now, let's put this process into a business setting.
You may remember from an earlier video that there's a ton of data out there.
And every minute of every hour of every day, more data is being created.
Businesses need a way to control all that data so
they can use it to improve processes, identify opportunities and trends,
launch new products, serve customers, and make thoughtful decisions.
For businesses to be on top of the competition,
they need to be on top of their data.
That's why these companies hire data analysts to control the waves of data they
collect every day, makes sense of it, and then draw conclusions or make predictions.
This is the process of turning data into insights, and
it's how analysts help businesses put all their data to good use.
This is actually a good way to think about analysis: turning data into insights.
As a reminder, the more detailed definition you learned earlier is
that data analysis is the collection, transformation,
and organization of data in order to draw conclusions,
make predictions, and drive informed decision-making.
So after analysts have created insights from data, what happens?
Well, a lot.
Those insights are shared with others, decisions are made, and
businesses take action.
And here's where it can get really exciting.
Data analytics can help organizations completely rethink something they do or
point them in a totally new direction.
For example, maybe data leads them to a new product or unique service, or
maybe it helps them find a new way to deliver an incredible customer experience.
It's these kinds of aha moments that can help businesses reach another level,
and that makes data analysts vital to any business.
Now that you know more of the amazing ways data is being used every day,
you can see why data analysts are in such high demand.
We'll continue exploring how analysts can transform data into insights that lead to
action.
And before you know it, you'll be ready to help any organization find new and
exciting ways to transform their data.

Case Study: New data perspectives

As you have been learning, you can find data pretty much everywhere. Any time you
observe and evaluate something in the world, you’re collecting and analyzing data. Your
analysis helps you find easier ways of doing things, identify patterns to save you time,
and discover surprising new perspectives that can completely change the way you
experience things.

Here is a real-life example of how one group of data analysts used the six steps of the
data analysis process to improve their workplace and its business processes. Their
story involves something called people analytics — also known as human resources
analytics or workforce analytics. People analytics is the practice of collecting and
analyzing data on the people who make up a company’s workforce in order to gain
insights to improve how the company operates.

Being a people analyst involves using data analysis to gain insights about employees
and how they experience their work lives. The insights are used to define and create a
more productive and empowering workplace. This can unlock employee potential,
motivate people to perform at their best, and ensure a fair and inclusive company
culture.

The six steps of the data analysis process that you have been learning in this program
are: ask, prepare, process, analyze, share, and act. These six steps apply to any data
analysis. Continue reading to learn how a team of people analysts used these six steps
to answer a business question.

An organization was experiencing a high turnover rate among new hires. Many
employees left the company before the end of their first year on the job. The analysts
used the data analysis process to answer the following question: how can the
organization improve the retention rate for new employees?

Here is a break down of what this team did, step by step.

First up, the analysts needed to define what the project would look like and what would
qualify as a successful result. So, to determine these things, they asked effective
questions and collaborated with leaders and managers who were interested in the
outcome of their people analysis. These were the kinds of questions they asked:
 What do you think new employees need to learn to be successful in their first year on
the job?
 Have you gathered data from new employees before? If so, may we have access to the
historical data?
 Do you believe managers with higher retention rates offer new employees something
extra or unique?
 What do you suspect is a leading cause of dissatisfaction among new employees?
 By what percentage would you like employee retention to increase in the next fiscal
year?

It all started with solid preparation. The group built a timeline of three months and
decided how they wanted to relay their progress to interested parties. Also during this
step, the analysts identified what data they needed to achieve the successful result they
identified in the previous step - in this case, the analysts chose to gather the data from
an online survey of new employees. These were the things they did to prepare:

 They developed specific questions to ask about employee satisfaction with different
business processes, such as hiring and onboarding, and their overall compensation.
 They established rules for who would have access to the data collected - in this case,
anyone outside the group wouldn't have access to the raw data, but could view
summarized or aggregated data. For example, an individual's compensation wouldn't be
available, but salary ranges for groups of individuals would be viewable.
 They finalized what specific information would be gathered, and how best to present the
data visually. The analysts brainstormed possible project- and data-related issues and
how to avoid them.

The group sent the survey out. Great analysts know how to respect both their data and
the people who provide it. Since employees provided the data, it was important to make
sure all employees gave their consent to participate. The data analysts also made sure
employees understood how their data would be collected, stored, managed, and
protected. Collecting and using data ethically is one of the responsibilities of data
analysts. In order to maintain confidentiality and protect and store the data effectively,
these were the steps they took:

 They restricted access to the data to a limited number of analysts.

 They cleaned the data to make sure it was complete, correct, and relevant. Certain data
was aggregated and summarized without revealing individual responses.
 They uploaded raw data to an internal data warehouse for an additional layer of
security.

Then, the analysts did what they do best: analyze! From the completed surveys, the
data analysts discovered that an employee’s experience with certain processes was a
key indicator of overall job satisfaction. These were their findings:

 Employees who experienced a long and complicated hiring process were most likely to
leave the company.
 Employees who experienced an efficient and transparent evaluation and feedback
process were most likely to remain with the company.
The group knew it was important to document exactly what they found in the analysis,
no matter what the results. To do otherwise would diminish trust in the survey process
and reduce their ability to collect truthful data from employees in the future.

Just as they made sure the data was carefully protected, the analysts were also careful
sharing the report. This is how they shared their findings:

 They shared the report with managers who met or exceeded the minimum number of
direct reports with submitted responses to the survey.
 They presented the results to the managers to make sure they had the full picture.
 They asked the managers to personally deliver the results to their teams.
This process gave managers an opportunity to communicate the results with the right
context. As a result, they could have productive team conversations about next steps to
improve employee engagement.

The last stage of the process for the team of analysts was to work with leaders within
their company and decide how best to implement changes and take actions based on the
findings. These were their recommendations:
 Standardize the hiring and evaluation process for employees based on the most
efficient and transparent practices.
 Conduct the same survey annually and compare results with those from the previous
year.
A year later, the same survey was distributed to employees. Analysts anticipated that a
comparison between the two sets of results would indicate that the action plan worked.
Turns out, the changes improved the retention rate for new employees and the actions
taken by leaders were successful!

Is people analytics right for you?

One of the many things that makes data analytics so exciting is that the problems are
always different, the solutions need creativity, and the impact on others can be great —
even life-changing or life-saving. As a data analyst, you can be part of these efforts.
Maybe you’re even inspired to learn more about the field of people analytics. If so,
consider learning more about this field and adding that research to your data analytics
journal. You never know: One day soon, you could be helping a company create an
amazing work environment for you and your colleagues!

Additional Resource
To learn more about some recent applications of data analytics in the business world,
check out the article “4 Examples of Business Analytics in Action” from Harvard
Business School. The article reveals how corporations use data insights to optimize
their decision-making process. Please note that the first example in the article contains
a minor error in the second paragraph, but the example is still a valid one.

Correction to article in bold below: Microsoft’s Workplace Analytics team hypothesized

that moving the 1,200-person group from five buildings to four could improve
collaboration by increasing the number of employees per building and by reducing the
distance that staff needed to travel for meetings.

Learning Log: Consider how data analysts

approach tasks
Overview

Earlier you learned about how data analysts at one organization used data to improve
employee retention. Now, you’ll complete an entry in your learning log to track your
thinking and reflections about those data analysts' process and how they approached
this problem. By the time you complete this activity, you will have a stronger
understanding of how the six phases of the data analysis process can be used to break
down tasks and tackle big questions. This will help you apply these steps to future
analysis tasks and start tackling big questions yourself.

Review the six phases of data analysis

Before you write your entry in your learning log, reflect on the case study from earlier.
The data analysts wanted to use data to improve employee retention. In order to do
that, they had to break this larger project into manageable tasks. The analysts
organized those tasks and activities around the six phases of the data analysis
process:

1. Ask
2. Prepare
3. Process
4. Analyze
5. Share
6. Act
The analysts asked questions to define both the issue to be solved and what would
equal a successful result. Next, they prepared by building a timeline and collecting data
with employee surveys that were designed to be inclusive. They processed the data by
cleaning it to make sure it was complete, correct, relevant, and free of errors and
outliers. They analyzed the clean employee survey data. Then the analysts shared their
findings and recommendations with team leaders. Afterward, leadership acted on the
results and focused on improving key areas.

Access your learning log

To use the template for this course item, click the link below and select “Use Template.”

Link to learning log template: Consider how data analysts approach tasks

OR

If you don’t have a Google account, you can download the template directly from the
attachment below.

Learning Log Template_ Consider how data analysts approach tasks

DOCX File

Reflection
In your learning log template, write 2-3 sentences (40-60 words) reflecting on what
you’ve learned from the case study by answering each of the questions below:

 Did the details of the case study help to change the way you think about data analysis?
Why or why not?
 Did you find anything surprising about the way the data analysts approached their task?
 What else would you like to learn about data analysis?
When you’ve finished your entry in the learning log template, make sure to save the
document so your response is somewhere accessible. This will help you continue
applying data analysis to your everyday life. You will also be able to track your progress
and growth as a data analyst.

Hi. I'm Cassie, and I lead

Decision Intelligence for Google Cloud.
Decision Intelligence is a combination of
applied data science and
the social and managerial sciences.
It is all about harnessing the power and beauty of data.
I help Google Cloud and its customers turn
their data into impact and
make their businesses and the world better.
A data analyst is an explorer,
a detective, and an artist all rolled into one.
Analytics is the quest for inspiration.
You don't know what's going to
inspire you before you explore,
before you take a look around.
When you begin, you have no idea what
you're going to find and
whether you're even going to find anything.
You have to bravely dive into the
unknown and discover what lies in your data.
There is a pervasive myth that
someone who works in data
should know the everything of data.
I think that that's unhelpful because
the universe of data has expanded.
It's expanded so much
that specialization becomes important.
It's very, very difficult for
one person to know and be the everything of data.
That's why we need these different roles.
The advice that I give folks who are entering the space
is to pick their specialization based on which flavor,
which type of impact best suits their personality.
Now, data science, the discipline of making data useful,
is an umbrella term that encompasses three disciplines:
machine learning, statistics, and analytics.
These are separated by
how many decisions you know
you want to make before you begin with them.
If you want to make a few important decisions under
uncertainty, that is statistics.
If you want to automate, in other words, make many, many,
many decisions under uncertainty,
that is machine learning and AI.
But what if you don't know
how many decisions you want to make before you begin?
What if what you're looking for is inspiration?
You want to encounter your unknown unknowns.
You want to understand your world.
That is analytics.
When you're considering data science and
you're choosing which area to specialize in,
I recommend going with your personality.
Which of the three excellences
in data science feels like a better fit for you?
The excellence of statistics is rigor.
Statisticians are essentially philosophers,
epistemologists.
They are very, very careful about
protecting decision-makers from coming
to the wrong conclusion.
If that care and rigor is what you are passionate about,
I would recommend statistics.
Performance is the excellence of
the machine learning and AI engineer.
You know that's the one for you if someone says to you,
"I bet that you couldn't build
an automation system that performs this task with
99.99999 percent accuracy," and
your response to that is, "Watch me."
How about analytics?
The excellence of an analyst is speed.
How quickly can you surf through vast amounts of
data to explore it and discover the gems,
the beautiful potential insights that are
worth knowing about and bringing to your decision-makers?
Are you excited by the ambiguity of exploration?
Are you excited by the idea
of working on a lot of different things,
looking at a lot of different data sources,
and thinking through vast amounts of information,
while promising not to
snooze past the important potential insights?
Are you okay being told,
"Here is a whole lot of data.
No one has looked at it before.
Go find something interesting"?
Do you thrive on creative, open-ended projects?
If that's you, then
analytics is probably the best fit for you.
A piece of advice that I have
for analysts getting started on
this journey is it can
be pretty scary to explore the unknown.
But I suggest letting go a little bit of
any temptations towards perfectionism and instead,
enjoying the fun, the thrill of exploration.
Don't worry about right answers.
See how quickly you can unwrap this gift
and find out if there is anything fun in there.
It's like your birthday, unwrapping a bunch of things.
Some of them you like. Some of them you won't.
But isn't it fun to know what's actually in there?

Hello again. You've already learned about being a data analyst

and how this program will help prepare you for your future career.
Now, it's time to explore the data ecosystem,
find out where data analytics fits into that system, and go over some common
misconceptions you might run into in the field of data analytics.
To put it simply, an ecosystem is a group of elements that interact with one
another. Ecosystems can be large, like the jungle in a tropical rainforest
or the Australian outback.
Or, tiny, like tadpoles in a puddle, or bacteria on your skin.
And just like the kangaroos and koala bears in the Australian outback,
data lives inside its own ecosystem too.
Data ecosystems are made up of various elements that interact with one another
in order to produce, manage, store, organize, analyze, and share data.
These elements include hardware and software tools, and
the people who use them.
People like you.
Data can also be found in something called the cloud.
The cloud is a place to keep data online, rather than on a computer hard drive.
So instead of storing data somewhere inside your organization's network,
that data is accessed over the internet.
So the cloud is just a term we use to describe the virtual location.
The cloud plays a big part in the data ecosystem, and as a data analyst, it's
your job to harness the power of that data ecosystem, find the right information,
and provide the team with analysis that helps them make smart decisions.
For example, you could tap into your retail store's database,
which is an ecosystem filled with customer names, addresses,
previous purchases, and customer reviews.
As a data analyst, you could use this information to predict what these
customers will buy in the future,
and make sure the store has the products and stock when they're needed.
As another example,
let's think about a data ecosystem used by a human resources department.
This ecosystem would include information like postings from job websites,
stats on the current labor market,
employment rates, and social media data on prospective employees.
A data analyst could use this information to help their team recruit new workers
and improve employee engagement and retention rates.
But data ecosystems aren't just for stores and offices. They work on farms, too.
Agricultural companies regularly use data ecosystems that
include information including geological patterns in weather movements.
Data analysts can use this data to help farmers predict crop yields.
Some data analysts are even using data ecosystems to save real
environmental ecosystems.
At the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, coral reefs all over
the world are monitored digitally, so they can see how organisms change over time,
track their growth, and measure any increases or
declines in individual colonies.
The possibilities are endless.
Okay, now let's talk about some common misconceptions you might come across.
First is the difference between data scientists and data analysts.
It's easy to confuse the two, but what they do is actually very different.
Data science is defined as creating new ways of modeling and
understanding the unknown by using raw data.
Here's a good way to think about it.
Data scientists create new questions using data, while analysts find
answers to existing questions by creating insights from data sources.
There are also many words and
phrases you'll hear throughout this course, that are easy to get mixed up.
For example, data analysis and data analytics sound the same,
but they're actually very different things. Let's start with analysis.
You've already learned that data analysis is the collection, transformation,
and organization of data in order to draw conclusions,
make predictions, and drive informed decision-making.
Data analytics in the simplest terms is the science of data.
It's a very broad concept that encompasses everything from the job of managing and
using data to the tools and methods that data workers use each and every day.
So when you think about data, data analysis and
the data ecosystem, it's important to understand that all of these
things fit under the data analytics umbrella.
All right, now that you know a little more about the data ecosystem and
the differences between data analysis and data analytics,
you're ready to explore how data is used to make effective decisions.
You'll get to see data-driven decision-making, in action.

Question
In data analytics, what is the term for elements that interact with one another in order to
produce, manage, store, organize, analyze, and share data? (reminder: be sure to scroll
down to see all options!)

Data storage systems

Data compositions
Data ecosystems

Data maps

Correct
Elements that interact with one another in order to produce, manage, store, organize,
analyze, and share data are data ecosystems. These elements include hardware and
software tools, as well as the people who use them.

Key ideas

 An ecosystem is a group of elements that interact to produce, manage,

store, organize, analyze, and share data.
 Data can be found in something called the cloud, rather than on a
computer hard drive.
 For example, you could tap into your retail store’s database, which is filled
with customer names, addresses, previous purchases, and customer
reviews.
 You could use this information to predict what these customers will buy in
the future.
 Agricultural companies regularly use data ecosystems that include
geological patterns and weather movements.
 Some data analysts are even using data ecosystems to save real
environmental ecosystems.
 Data science is defined as creating new ways of modeling and
understanding the unknown using raw data.
 Data analysis is the collection, transformation, and organization of data to
draw conclusions, make predictions, and drive informed decision making.
 Data analytics, in the simplest terms, is the science of data.

Key Ideas

 Data-driven decision making is defined as using facts to guide business strategy.

 Organizations in various industries are constantly empowered to make better,
data-driven decisions through data analysts.
 A data analyst finds data, analyzes it, and uses it to uncover trends, patterns,
and relationships.
 Sometimes the data-driven strategy will build on what has worked in the past.
 Other times, it can guide a business to branch out in a whole new direction.
 Data-driven decision making can be so powerful that it can make entire business
methods obsolete.
 Data analysts play a critical role in ensuring that data are built into every
business strategy.
 Data alone will never be as powerful as data combined with human experience,
observation, and intuition

So far, you've discovered that there are many different ways data can be
used. In our everyday lives,
we use data when we wear a fitness tracker or
read product reviews to make a purchase decision.
And in business, we use data to learn more about our customers,
improve processes, and help employees do their jobs more effectively.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg.
One of the most powerful ways you can put data to work is with data-driven decision-making.
Data-driven decision-making is defined as using facts to guide business strategy.
Organizations in many different industries are empowered to make better,
data-driven decisions by data analysts all the time.
The first step in data-driven decision-making is figuring out the business need.
Usually, this is a problem that needs to be solved.
For example, a problem could be a new company needing to establish better
brand recognition, so it can compete with bigger, more well-known competitors.
Or maybe an organization wants to improve a product and needs to figure out how to
source parts from a more sustainable or ethically responsible supplier.
Or, it could be a business trying to solve the problem of unhappy employees,
low levels of engagement, satisfaction and retention.
Whatever the problem is, once it's defined, a data analyst finds data,
analyzes it and uses it to uncover trends, patterns and relationships.
Sometimes the data-driven strategy will build on what's worked in the past.
Other times, it can guide a business to branch out in a whole new direction.
Let's look at a real-world example.
Think about a music or movie streaming service.
How do these companies know what people want to watch or listen to,
and how do they provide it?
Well using data-driven decision-making,
they gather information about what their customers are currently listening to,
analyze it, then use the insights they've gained to make suggestions for
things people will most likely enjoy in the future.
This keeps customers happy and
coming back for more, which in turn means more revenue for the company.
Another example of data-driven decision-making can be seen in the rise of
e-commerce.
It wasn't long ago that most purchases were made in a physical store,
but the data showed people's preferences were changing.
So a lot of companies created entirely new business models that remove
the physical store, and let people shop right from their computers or
mobile phones with products delivered right to their doorstep.
In fact, data-driven decision-making can be so powerful,
it can make entire business methods obsolete.
For example, data helped companies completely move away from
corded phones and replace them with mobile phones.
By ensuring that data is built into every business strategy,
data analysts play a critical role in their companies' success, but
it's important to note that no matter how valuable data-driven decision-making is,
data alone will never be as powerful as data combined with human experience,
observation, and sometimes even intuition.
To get the most out of data-driven decision-making, it's important to include
insights from people who are familiar with the business problem.
These people are called subject matter experts, and they have the ability to look
at the results of data analysis and identify any inconsistencies,
make sense of gray areas, and eventually validate choices being made.
Organizations that work this way put data at the heart of every business strategy,
but also benefit from the insights of their people.
It's a win-win.
As a data analyst, you play a key role in empowering these organizations to make
data-driven decisions, which is why it's so important for
you to understand how data plays a part in the decision-making process.
Identify the real-world examples of how a company might make data-driven decisions.
Select all that apply.

Making spending decisions based on the gut instinct of the company accountant

Choosing e-commerce solutions based on customer shopping preferences

Correct
Real-world examples of making data-driven decisions include suggesting new music to
a customer, scheduling a certain number of restaurant employees to work, and
choosing e-commerce solutions based on established facts. Data-driven decision-
making is using facts to guide business strategy.

Suggesting new music to a customer based on their listening history

Correct
Real-world examples of making data-driven decisions include suggesting new music to
a customer, scheduling a certain number of restaurant employees to work, and
choosing e-commerce solutions based on established facts. Data-driven decision-
making is using facts to guide business strategy.
Scheduling a certain number of restaurant employees to work based on the average
number of lunch-goers per day

Correct
Real-world examples of making data-driven decisions include suggesting new music to
a customer, scheduling a certain number of restaurant employees to work, and
choosing e-commerce solutions based on established facts. Data-driven decision-
making is using facts to guide business strategy.

Data and gut instinct

Detectives and data analysts have a lot in common. Both depend on facts and clues to
make decisions. Both collect and look at the evidence. Both talk to people who know
part of the story. And both might even follow some footprints to see where they lead.
Whether you’re a detective or a data analyst, your job is all about following steps to
collect and understand facts.

Analysts use data-driven decision-making and follow a step-by-step process. You have
learned that there are six steps to this process:

1. Ask questions and define the problem.

2. Prepare data by collecting and storing the information.
3. Process data by cleaning and checking the information.
4. Analyze data to find patterns, relationships, and trends.
5. Share data with your audience.
6. Act on the data and use the analysis results.
But there are other factors that influence the decision-making process. You may have
read mysteries where the detective used their gut instinct, and followed a hunch that
helped them solve the case. Gut instinct is an intuitive understanding of something with
little or no explanation. This isn’t always something conscious; we often pick up on
signals without even realizing. You just have a “feeling” it’s right.

Why gut instinct can be a problem

At the heart of data-driven decision making is data. Therefore, it's essential that data
analysts focus on the data to ensure they make informed decisions. If you ignore data
by preferring to make decisions based on your own experience, your decisions may be
biased. But even worse, decisions based on gut instinct without any data to back them
up can cause mistakes.

Consider an example of a restaurant entrepreneur, partnering with a well known chef to

develop a new restaurant in a bustling part of the city’s central shopping district. The
well known chef has several restaurants across the city. Banking on their reputation, the
restaurant entrepreneur and chef followed gut instinct and created another uniquely
themed restaurant. However, fundraising efforts fell short to fund the opening of the
restaurant after months of planning and preparation. The property will go back on the
market to be sold at a loss. Had the entrepreneur done more research, they would've
found data showing prospective customers in this new restaurant location were very
different from the chef's other restaurants.

The more you understand the data related to a project, the easier it will be to figure out
what is required. These efforts will also help you identify errors and gaps in your data so
you can communicate your findings more effectively. Sometimes past experience helps
you make a connection that no one else would notice. For example, a detective might
be able to crack open a case because they remember an old case just like the one
they’re solving today. It's not just gut instinct.

Data + business knowledge = mystery solved

Blending data with business knowledge, plus maybe a touch of gut instinct, will be a
common part of your process as a junior data analyst. The key is figuring out the exact
mix for each particular project. A lot of times, it will depend on the goals of your
analysis. That is why analysts often ask, “How do I define success for this project?”

In addition, try asking yourself these questions about a project to help find the perfect
balance:

 What kind of results are needed?

 Who will be informed?
 Am I answering the question being asked?
 How quickly does a decision need to be made?
For instance, if you are working on a rush project, you might need to rely on your own
knowledge and experience more than usual. There just isn’t enough time to thoroughly
analyze all of the available data. But if you get a project that involves plenty of time and
resources, then the best strategy is to be more data-driven. It’s up to you, the data
analyst, to make the best possible choice. You will probably blend data and knowledge
a million different ways over the course of your data analytics career. And the more you
practice, the better you will get at finding that perfect blend.
Origins of the data analysis process
When you decided to join this program, you proved that you are a curious person. So
let’s tap into your curiosity and talk about the origins of data analysis. We don’t fully
know when or why the first person decided to record data about people and things. But
we do know it was useful because the idea is still around today!

We also know that data analysis is rooted in statistics, which has a pretty long history
itself. Archaeologists mark the start of statistics in ancient Egypt with the building of the
pyramids. The ancient Egyptians were masters of organizing data. They documented
their calculations and theories on papyri (paper-like materials), which are now viewed as
the earliest examples of spreadsheets and checklists. Today’s data analysts owe a lot
to those brilliant scribes, who helped create a more technical and efficient process.

It is time to enter the data analysis life cycle—the process of going from data to decision.
Data goes through several phases as it gets created, consumed, tested, processed, and
reused. With a life cycle model, all key team members can drive success by planning
work both up front and at the end of the data analysis process. While the data analysis
life cycle is well known among experts, there isn't a single defined structure of those
phases. There might not be one single architecture that’s uniformly followed by every
data analysis expert, but there are some shared fundamentals in every data analysis
process. This reading provides an overview of several, starting with the process that
forms the foundation of the Google Data Analytics Certificate.
The process presented as part of the Google Data Analytics Certificate is one that will
be valuable to you as you keep moving forward in your career:

7. Ask: Business Challenge/Objective/Question

8. Prepare: Data generation, collection, storage, and data management
9. Process: Data cleaning/data integrity
10. Analyze: Data exploration, visualization, and analysis
11. Share: Communicating and interpreting results
12. Act: Putting your insights to work to solve the problem
Understanding this process—and all of the iterations that helped make it popular—will
be a big part of guiding your own analysis and your work in this program. Let’s go over a
few other variations of the data analysis life cycle.

EMC's data analysis life cycle

EMC Corporation's data analytics life cycle is cyclical with six steps:

1. Discovery
2. Pre-processing data
3. Model planning
4. Model building
5. Communicate results
6. Operationalize
EMC Corporation is now Dell EMC. This model, created by David Dietrich, reflects the
cyclical nature of real-world projects. The phases aren’t static milestones; each step
connects and leads to the next, and eventually repeats. Key questions help analysts
test whether they have accomplished enough to move forward and ensure that teams
have spent enough time on each of the phases and don’t start modeling before the data
is ready. It is a little different from the data analysis life cycle this program is based on,
but it has some core ideas in common: the first phase is interested in discovering and
asking questions; data has to be prepared before it can be analyzed and used; and then
findings should be shared and acted on.

For more information, refer to this e-book, Data Science & Big Data Analytics.

SAS's iterative life cycle

An iterative life cycle was created by a company called SAS, a leading data analytics
solutions provider. It can be used to produce repeatable, reliable, and predictive results:

1. Ask
2. Prepare
3. Explore
4. Model
5. Implement
6. Act
7. Evaluate
The SAS model emphasizes the cyclical nature of their model by visualizing it as an
infinity symbol. Their life cycle has seven steps, many of which we have seen in the
other models, like Ask, Prepare, Model, and Act. But this life cycle is also a little
different; it includes a step after the act phase designed to help analysts evaluate their
solutions and potentially return to the ask phase again.

For more information, refer to Managing the Analytics Life Cycle for Decisions at Scale.

Project-based data analytics life cycle

A project-based data analytics life cycle has five simple steps:

1. Identifying the problem

2. Designing data requirements
3. Pre-processing data
4. Performing data analysis
5. Visualizing data
This data analytics project life cycle was developed by Vignesh Prajapati. It doesn’t
include the sixth phase, or what we have been referring to as the Act phase. However, it
still covers a lot of the same steps as the life cycles we have already described. It
begins with identifying the problem, preparing and processing data before analysis, and
ends with data visualization.

For more information, refer to Understanding the data analytics project life cycle.

Big data analytics life cycle

Authors Thomas Erl, Wajid Khattak, and Paul Buhler proposed a big data analytics life
cycle in their book, Big Data Fundamentals: Concepts, Drivers & Techniques. Their life
cycle suggests phases divided into nine steps:

1. Business case evaluation

2. Data identification
3. Data acquisition and filtering
4. Data extraction
5. Data validation and cleaning
6. Data aggregation and representation
7. Data analysis
8. Data visualization
9. Utilization of analysis results
This life cycle appears to have three or four more steps than the previous life cycle
models. But in reality, they have just broken down what we have been referring to as
Prepare and Process into smaller steps. It emphasizes the individual tasks required for
gathering, preparing, and cleaning data before the analysis phase.
For more information, refer to Big Data Adoption and Planning Considerations.

Key takeaway
From our journey to the pyramids and data in ancient Egypt to now, the way we analyze
data has evolved (and continues to do so). The data analysis process is like real life
architecture, there are different ways to do things but the same core ideas still appear in
each model of the process. Whether you use the structure of this Google Data Analytics
Certificate or one of the many other iterations you have learned about, we are here to
help guide you as you continue on your data journey.

Test your knowledge on the data ecosystem

Total points 4

1.
Question 1

Which of the following statements best defines data?

1 point

Data is a collection of facts.

Data is a business process.

Data is an assortment of questions.

Data is the use of calculations and statistics.

2.
Question 2

Fill in the blank: In data analytics, the data ecosystem refers to the various elements that interact
with one another to produce, manage, store, _____, analyze, and share data.

1 point
ingest

merge

locate

organize

3.
Question 3

Which of the following terms refers to the collection, transformation, and organization of data in order
to draw conclusions, make predictions, and drive informed decision-making?

1 point

Data elements

Data life cycle

Data analysis

Data insight

4.
Question 4

An airline collects, observes, and analyzes its customers' online behaviors. Then, it uses the insights
gained to choose what new products and services to offer. What business process does this
describe?

1 point
Performance measurement

Collaboration with stakeholders

Data-driven decision-making

Analytical thinking

Welcome.
Now that you have a solid foundation
on the basics of data,
it's time to focus on some particular skills and
characteristics that will be key
to your future career as a data analyst.
We'll begin with five key skills,
move on to the characteristics
of analytical thinking and then
learn how data analysts
balance their roles and responsibilities.
Along the way, you'll also discover how to
tap into your own natural abilities for strategy,
technical expertise, and data design.
These are incredibly helpful skills to
have and you'll learn how to make them even stronger.
Finally, you'll be introduced to
some fascinating real-world examples of how
data is influencing the lives
of people all around the world.
All right. Let's get started.
Earlier, I told you that
you already have analytical skills.
You just might not know it yet.
When learning new things, sometimes
people overlook their own skills,
but it's important you take
the time to acknowledge them,
especially since these skills are going to help you
as a data analyst.
In fact, you're probably more prepared than you think.
Don't believe me?
Well, let me prove it.
Let's start by defining
what I'm talking about here.
Analytical skills are qualities and characteristics
associated with solving problems using facts.
There are a lot of aspects to analytical skills,
but, we'll focus on five essential points.
They are curiosity, understanding context,
having technical mindset, data design, and data strategy.
Now, you may be thinking,
"I don't have these kinds of skills,"
or "I only have a couple of them."
But stay with me, and I bet you'll change your mind.
Let's start with curiosity.
Curiosity is all about wanting to learn something.
Curious people usually seek out
new challenges and experiences.
This leads to knowledge.
The very fact that you're here with me right now
demonstrates that you have curiosity.
That was an easy one.
Now think about understanding context.
Context is the condition in
which something exists or happens.
This can be a structure or an environment.
A simple way of understanding context
is by counting to 5.
One, two, three, four, five.
All of those numbers exist in
the context of one through five.
But what if a friend of yours
said to you, one,
two, four, five, three?
Well, the three will be out of context.
Simple, right? But it can be a little tricky.
There's a good chance that you might not even notice
the three being out of context
if you aren't paying close attention.
That's why listening and trying
to understand the full picture is critical.
In your own life, you put
things into context all the time.
For example, let's think about your grocery list.
If you group together items like flour, sugar,
and yeast, that's you adding context to your groceries.
This saves you time
when you're at the baking aisle at the grocery store.
Let's look at another example.
Have you ever shuffled a deck of
cards and noticed the joker?
If you're playing a game that doesn't include jokers,
identifying that card means
you understand it's out of context.
Remove it, and you're much
more likely to play a successful game.
Now we know you have both curiosity
and the ability to understand context.
Let's move on to the third skill, a technical mindset.
A technical mindset involves the ability to
break things down into smaller steps or pieces
and work with them in an orderly and logical way.
For instance, when paying your bills,
you probably already break down
the process into smaller steps.
Maybe you start by sorting them
by the date they're due.
Next, you might add them up and
compare that amount to the balance in your bank account.
This would help you see if you can pay your bills now,
or if you should wait until the next paycheck.
Finally, you'd pay them.
When you take something that seems like a single task,
like paying your bills,
and break it into smaller steps
with an orderly process,
that's using a technical mindset.
Now let's explore the fourth part
of an analytical skill set,
data design. Data design is how you organize information.
As a data analyst, design
typically has to do with an actual database.
But, again,
the same skills can easily be applied to everyday life.
For example, think about
the way you organize the contacts in your phone.
That's actually a type of data design.
Maybe you list them by first name instead of last,
or maybe you use email addresses instead of their names.
What you're really doing is designing a clear,
logical list that lets you call or
text a contact in a quick and simple way.
The last, but definitely not least,
the fifth and final element of
analytical skills is data strategy.
Data strategy is the management of the people,
processes, and tools used in data analysis.
Let's break that down.
You manage people by making sure they
know how to use the right data
to find solutions to the problem you're working on.
For processes, it's about making sure
the path to that solution is clear and accessible.
For tools, you make sure
the right technology is being used for the job.
Now, you may be doubting my ability
to give you an example from
real life that demonstrates data strategy.
But check this out. Imagine mowing a lawn.
Step 1 would be reading the owner's manual for the mower.
That's making sure the people involved, or you,
in this example, know how to use the data available.
The manual would instruct you to put on
protective eyewear and closed-toe shoes.
Then, it's on to step 2:
making the process, the path, clear and accessible.
This will involve you walking around the lawn,
picking up large sticks or
rocks that might get in your way.
Finally, for step 3,
you check the lawn mower, your tool,
to make sure it has enough gas and oil,
and is in working condition,
so the lawn can be mowed safely.
There you have it. Now you know
the five essential skills of a data analyst.
Curiosity, understanding context,
having a technical mindset,
data design, and data strategy.
I told you that you are already an analytical thinker.
Now, you can start actively practicing these skills
as you move through the rest of this course.
Curious about what's next?
Move on to the next video.
Thinking about the way you organize your contacts in a new phone is an example of
which analytical skill?

Curiosity

Understanding context

Data strategy

Data design

Correct
This is an example of data design, which involves how information is organized.

You are planning a road trip. Your first step is to break down the planning into smaller
pieces. You begin by calculating your budget. Then, you choose a destination and
departure date. Next, you plan where to stay, what vehicle to take, and how long you
want to be on the road. Which analytical skill does this scenario describe?

Understanding context

Curiosity

Data design

Having a technical mindset

Correct
This scenario describes having a technical mindset. A technical mindset is the ability to
break things down into smaller steps or pieces and work with them in an orderly and
logical way.

1.
Question 1

This practice quiz will help you get a read on the

analytical skills you already have.
After you respond to each question, be sure to check the feedback you receive. This will help you
check your own thinking against the expected thinking for these questions. The analytical skills
assessed in this quiz will come in handy and be further developed as you progress in the program.

---

Identify the pattern from left to right in the set of blocks below and try to predict which block should
replace the block with the question mark.
1 point
2.
Question 2

Here's a more complex pattern. Identify the pattern from left to right in the images below and try to
predict which image should come next.

1st pattern:
Octagon with 7 dots 2nd pattern: Heptagon with 6 dots 3rd pattern: Hexagon with 5 dots 4th pattern:
Pentagon with 4 dots 5th pattern: Square with 3 dots 6th pattern: Question mark

Based on the images above, which option comes next in the pattern?

1 point
3.
Question 3

Now, find a pattern in a different format. Select the next number in the sequence:

Fill in the blank: 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29, _____

1 point

10

33

25

55

4.
Question 4

The following numbers are in a sequence from left to right. Determine the pattern and decide which
number should come next:
Fill in the blank: 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, _____

1 point

64

81

30

62

5.
Question 5

The following question is about recognizing and matching patterns in shapes that are the same, but
viewed from different angles.

Two shapes are similar when one can become the other after a rotation clockwise ⟳ or
counterclockwise ↺, or a reflection horizontally ↔ and/or vertically ↕.

Your task is to choose the figure that completes the statement. Pay attention to the pattern by which
the first and second shapes are related, and then figure out which choice matches shape 3. Fill in
the blank:

Select the image below that completes the statement.

1 point
6.
Question 6

The following question is about recognizing and matching patterns in shapes that are the same, but
viewed from different angles. Two shapes are similar when one can become the other after a
rotation clockwise ⟳ or counterclockwise ↺, or a reflection horizontally ↔ and/or vertically ↕.

Your task is to choose the figure that completes the statement. Fill in the blank:
Which image completes it?

1 point
7.
Question 7

The following series of codes are in a sequence from left to right. There is a repeating pattern that
you will notice. Determine the pattern and decide which code should come next.

Fill in the blank: A1, B3, C5, D7, E9, F11, G13, _____

1 point

J15

H16

D17

H15

8.
Question 8

The following series of codes are in a sequence from left to right. There is a repeating pattern that
you will notice. Determine the pattern and decide which sequence of letters should come next.

Fill in the blank: A, AA, AAA, B, BA, BAA, BAAA, BB, BBA, BBAA, BBAAA, BBB, ________

1 point

BBAA
BBAAA

BBBB

BBBA

9.
Question 9

Now, identify patterns in a word problem using a data visualization. There are 12 chocolates in a
box: eight have caramel filling, six have coconut filling, and two have both caramel and coconut
filling. Choose the best image that describes this box of chocolates.

1 point
10.
Question 10

There are 10 children in a class and they have all brought sandwiches for lunch: five children have
sandwiches with peanut butter, six children have sandwiches with jelly, and three children have
sandwiches with both peanut butter and jelly.

Find out how many children have sandwiches with neither peanut butter nor jelly and choose the
image that describes the situation best.

1 point
Learning Log: Explore data from your daily
life

Overview

In a previous learning log, you reflected on how you use data analysis in your own life to
make everyday decisions. Now, you’ll complete an entry in your learning log exploring
data from an area of your life. By the time you complete this activity, you will have a
stronger understanding of how you can apply your data analysis skills to more specific
activities and situations in your life--starting with your own everyday decisions! Later,
you are going to use the data you generate for this entry to practice organizing data to
draw insights from it.

Create a list

Before you start, pick one area of your everyday life you would like to explore further.
Think about how many times in the past few weeks you made decisions about anything
related to this area. Then, create a list and include details, such as the date, time, cost,
quantity, size, etc. Try to focus on things that can be represented by a number or
category.

Here are a few thought-starters:

 Number of cups of coffee you drink daily

 Popular workout times at the gym
 Nightly bedtime
For example, you could create a list exploring your daily coffee intake like this:

Daily coffee intake

 Jan. 8th 8 am - bought coffee - one 10 oz. cup

 Jan. 8th 10 am - made coffee at home - one 12 oz. cup
 Jan. 9th 8 am - bought coffee - mug
 Jan 10th 11 am - bought large coffee - 20 oz.
 Jan 11th 8 am - made coffee at home - mug
This example includes a few different details like date and time, whether the coffee was
purchased or homemade, and the quantity. You can choose to focus on any area of
your life you want and track the details you are interested in exploring. Try to record a
week or two of data. Then, you will compile this list in a learning log template, linked
below.

Access your learning log

To use the template for this course item, click the link below and select “Use Template.”

Link to learning log template: Explore data from your daily life

OR
If you don’t have a Google account, you can download the template directly from the
attachment below:

Learning Log Template_ Explore data from your daily life

DOCX File

Reflection

After you have finished creating your detailed list exploring data from your own life, take
a moment to reflect on that data. In your learning log entry, write 2-3 sentences (40-60
words) in response to each question below:

 Are there any trends you noticed in your behavior?

 Are there factors that influence your decision-making?
 Is there anything you identified that might influence your future behavior?
When you’ve finished your entry in the learning log template, make sure to save the
document so your response is somewhere accessible. This will help you continue
applying data analysis to your everyday life. You will also be able to track your progress
and growth as a data analyst.

Analytical Skills -The qualities and characteristics associated with solving problems
using facts
A Technical Mindset - The analytical skill that involves breaking processes down into
smaller steps and working with them in an orderly, logical way
Data Design - The analytical skill that involves how you organize information
Understanding Context - The analytical skill that has to do with how you group
things into categories
Data Strategy - The analytical skill that involves managing the processes and tools used
in data analysis

Now that you know the five essential

skills of a data analyst,
you're ready to learn more
about what it means to think analytically.
People don't often think about thinking.
Thinking is second nature to us.
It just happens automatically, but
there are actually many different ways to think.
Some people think creatively,
some think critically,
and some people think in abstract ways.
Let's talk about analytical thinking.
Analytical thinking involves identifying
and defining a problem and then
solving it by using data in
an organized, step-by-step manner.
As data analysts, how do we think analytically?
Well, to answer that question,
we will now talk about a second set of five.
The five key aspects to analytical thinking.
They are visualization, strategy, problem-orientation,
correlation, and finally,
big-picture and detail-oriented thinking.
Let's start with visualization.
In data analytics, visualization
is the graphical representation of information.
Some examples include graphs,
maps, or other design elements.
Visualization is important because visuals can help
data analysts understand and
explain information more effectively.
Think about it like this.
If you are trying to explain the Grand Canyon to someone,
using words would be much
more challenging than showing them a picture.
A visualization of the Grand Canyon would
help you make your point much quicker.
Now let's talk about the second part of
analytical thinking, being strategic.
With so much data available,
having a strategic mindset is
key to staying focused and on track.
Strategizing helps data analysts see what they
want to achieve with the data and how they can get there.
Strategy also helps improve
the quality and usefulness of the data we collect.
By strategizing, we know all our data is
valuable and can help us accomplish our goals.
Next step on the analytical thinking checklist:
being problem-oriented.
Data analysts use a problem-
oriented approach in order to identify,
describe, and solve problems.
It's all about keeping the problem top of
mind throughout the entire project.
For example, say a data analyst is told about
the problem of a warehouse
constantly running out of supplies.
They would move forward with
different strategies and processes.
But the number one goal would always be
solving the problem of keeping inventory on the shelves.
Data analysts also ask a lot of questions.
This helps improve communication and
saves time while working on a solution.
An example of that would be
surveying customers about their experiences
using a product and building insights from
those questions to improve their product.
This leads us to the fourth quality
of analytical thinking:
being able to identify
a correlation between two or more pieces of data.
A correlation is like a relationship.
You can find all kinds of correlations in data.
Maybe it's the relationship between the length of
your hair and the amount of shampoo you need.
Or maybe you notice a correlation between
a rainier season leading to
a high number of umbrellas being sold.
But as you start identifying correlations in data,
there's one thing you always want to keep in mind:
Correlation does not equal causation.
In other words, just because two pieces of
data are both trending in the same direction,
that doesn't necessarily mean they are all related.
We'll learn more about that later.
Now the final piece of
the analytical thinking puzzle: big-picture thinking.
This means being able to see
the big picture as well as the details.
A jigsaw puzzle is a great way to think about this.
Big-picture thinking is like
looking at a complete puzzle.
You can enjoy the whole picture without
getting stuck on every tiny
piece that went into making it.
If you only focus on individual pieces,
you wouldn't be able to see past that,
which is why big-picture thinking is so important.
It helps you zoom out and
see possibilities and opportunities.
This leads to exciting new ideas or innovations.
On the flip side, detail-oriented thinking is all about
figuring out all of the aspects
that will help you execute a plan.
In other words, the pieces that make up your puzzle.
There are all kinds of problems in
the business world that can benefit from
employees who have both a big-picture
and a detail-oriented way of thinking.
Most of us are naturally better at one or the other.
But you can always develop
the skills to fit both pieces together.
Now that you know the five aspects
of analytical thinking,
visualization, strategy, problem-orientation,
correlation, and
big-picture and detail-oriented thinking,
you can put them to work for
you when you're working with data.
As you continue through this course, you'll learn how.

To execute a plan using detail-oriented thinking, what does a data analyst consider?

The big picture

The main idea

The specifics

The root cause

Correct
To execute a plan using detail-oriented thinking, a data analyst considers the specifics.

Let's recap what we've learned

about analytical thinking so far.
The 5 key aspects are visualization, strategy,
problem-orientation,
correlation, and using big-picture
and detail-oriented thinking.
We've seen how you already
use them in your everyday life.
We also talked about how different people
naturally use certain types of thinking,
but that you can absolutely grow and develop
the skills that might not come as easily to you.
This means you can become a versatile thinker,
which is a very important part of data analysis.
You might naturally be an analytical thinker,
but you can learn to think creatively
and critically, and be great at all three.
The more ways you can think,
the easier it is to think outside
the box and come up with fresh ideas.
But why is it important to think in different ways?
Well because in data analysis, solutions
are almost never right in front of you.
You need to think critically to
find out the right questions to ask.
But you also need to think creatively
to get new and unexpected answers.
Let's talk about some of the questions data
analysts ask when they're on the hunt for a solution.
Here's one that will come up a lot:
What is the root cause of a problem?
A root cause is the reason why a problem occurs.
If we can identify and get rid of a root cause,
we can prevent that problem from happening again.
A simple way to wrap your head around
root causes is with the process called the Five Whys.
In the Five Whys you ask
"why" five times to reveal the root cause.
The fifth and final answer should give you
some useful and sometimes surprising insights.
Here's an example of the Five Whys in action.
Let's say you wanted to make
a blueberry pie but couldn't find any blueberries.
You've been trying to solve a problem by asking,
why can't I make a blueberry pie?
The answer will be, there
are no blueberries at the store.
There's Why Number 1.
You then ask, why were there no blueberries at the store?
Then you discover that the blueberry bushes
don't have enough fruit this season.
That's Why Number 2.
Next, you'd ask, why was there not enough fruit?
This would lead to the fact that
birds were eating all the berries.
Why Number 3, asked and answered.
Now we get to Why Number 4.
Ask why a fourth time and the answer would be that,
although the birds normally prefer
mulberries and don't eat blueberries,
the mulberry bush didn't produce fruit this season,
so the birds are eating blueberries instead.
Finally, we get to Why Number 5,
which should reveal the root cause.
A late frost damaged the mulberry bushes,
so it didn't produce any fruit.
You can't make a blueberry pie
because of the late frost months ago.
See how the Five Whys can reveal
some very surprising root causes.
This is a great trick to know, and it can be
a very helpful process in data analysis.
Another question commonly asked by data analysts is,
where are the gaps in our process?
For this, many people will use
something called gap analysis.
Gap analysis lets you examine and evaluate how a process
works currently in order
to get where you want to be in the future.
Businesses conduct gap analysis
to do all kinds of things,
such as improve a product or become more efficient.
The general approach to gap analysis is
understanding where you are now
compared to where you want to be.
Then you can identify the gaps that exist between
the current and future state
and determine how to bridge them.
A third question that data analysts ask a lot is,
what did we not consider before?
This is a great way to think about what information
or procedure might be missing from a process,
so you can identify ways to make
better decisions and strategies moving forward.
These are just a few examples of the kinds of
questions data analysts use at their jobs every day.
As you begin your career,
I'm sure you'll think of a whole lot more.
The way data analysts think and ask questions
plays a big part in how businesses make decisions.
That's why analytical thinking
and understanding how to ask
the right questions can have
such a huge impact on the overall success of a business.
Later, we'll talk more about how data-driven
decisions can lead to successful outcomes.

 The more ways you can think of, the easier it is to think outside the box and
come up with fresh ideas.
 In data analysis, solutions are seldom right in front of you.
 You might naturally be an analytical thinker, but you can learn to think creatively
and critically.
 The Five Whys can reveal some surprising root causes for data analysis.
 Gap analysis lets you examine and evaluate how a process works currently to
get to where you want to be in the future.
 Businesses conduct gap analysis to do all kinds of things, such as improve a
product or become more efficient.
The way data analysts think and ask questions affects how businesses make
decisions.

In the example problem of not having enough blueberries to make a pie, what root
cause was revealed through the Five Whys process?

Birds ate the blueberries growing on bushes

Blueberry bushes didn't have enough fruit

Birds ate blueberries instead of mulberries

Mulberry bushes were damaged by a late frost

Correct
This was the answer to the fifth "why" question: why didn't the mulberry bushes
produce any fruit?. The Five Whys process is used to reveal a root cause of a
problem through the answer to the fifth question. Read how root causes in business
settings have also been identified using the Five Whys process in an article by Eric
Ries.

Learning Log: Reflect on your skills and

expectations

Overview
You have already learned about the five essential aspects of analytical skills: curiosity,
understanding context, having a technical mindset, data design, and data strategy. You have also
discovered that you’re already practicing these skills. Now, you’ll complete an entry in your learning
log exploring your own analytical strengths and weaknesses and your goals for the future. By the
time you complete this activity, you will have a stronger understanding of your analytical skill set and
how you can practice and improve them. These analytical skills are key to helping you solve
problems and create insights using data analysis. Thinking about them now will help you grow as a
data analyst!

The analytical skills table

First, you’ll fill out an Analytical Skills Table in your learning log entry. The table will appear like this
in the template:

Analytical skill column: -Curiosity -Context -Technical mindset -Data design -Data
strategy

The table has a row for each essential aspect of analytical skills:

 Curiosity: a desire to know more about something, asking the right questions
 Understanding context: understanding where information fits into the “big picture”
 Having a technical mindset: breaking big things into smaller steps
 Data design: thinking about how to organize data and information
 Data strategy: thinking about the people, processes, and tools used in data analysis
You will put an X in the column that you think best describes your current level with each aspect.
The three ratings are:

 Strength: This is an area you feel is one of your strengths

 Developing: You have some experience with this area, but there’s still significant room for growth
 Emerging: This is new to you, and will gain experience in this area from this course
Then update the Comments/Plans/Goals column with a quick note to yourself about why you chose
those ratings.
Access your learning log

To use the template for this course item, click the link below and select “Use Template.”

Link to learning log template: Reflect on your skills and expectations

OR

If you don’t have a Google account, you can download the template directly from the attachment
below.

Learning Log Template_ Reflect on your skills and expectations

DOCX File

Reflection

After you have completed the Analytical Skills Table, take a moment to reflect on your evaluations.
In your learning log entry, write 2-3 sentences (40-60 words) in response to each question below:

 What do you notice about the ratings you gave yourself in each area? How did you rate yourself in
the areas that appeal to you most?
 If you are asked to rate your experience level in these areas again in a week, what do you think the
ratings will be, and why do you think that?
 How do you plan on developing these skills from now on?
When you’ve finished your entry in the learning log template, make sure to save the document so
your response is somewhere accessible. This will help you continue applying data analysis to your
everyday life. You will also be able to track your progress and growth as a data analyst.

Congratulations! You passed!

Grade received 100%

To pass 80% or higher

Go to next item

Test your knowledge on analytical thinking

Total points 4

1.
Question 1

What practice involves identifying, defining, and solving a problem by using data in an organized,
step-by-step manner?

1 / 1 point

Visualization

Context

Data design

Analytical thinking

Correct

Analytical thinking involves identifying and defining a problem, then solving it by using data in an
organized, step-by-step manner.

2.
Question 2

Which of the following are examples of data visualizations? Select all that apply.

1 / 1 point

Maps

Correct

Graphs, maps, and charts are used in data visualization.

Graphs

Correct

Graphs, maps, and charts are used in data visualization.

Charts

Correct

Graphs, maps, and charts are used in data visualization.

Reports

3.
Question 3

Gap analysis is used to examine and evaluate how a process currently works with the goal of getting
to where you want to be in the future.

1 / 1 point

True

False

Correct

Gap analysis is used to examine and evaluate how a process currently works with the goal of getting
to where you want to be in the future.

4.
Question 4

Which aspect of analytical thinking involves being able to identify a relationship between two or more
pieces of data?

1 / 1 point
Visualization

Context

Data design

Correlation

Correct

Correlation involves being able to identify a relationship between two or more pieces of data. A
correlation is like a relationship.