A data analyst collects, cleans, and interprets data sets to help solve problems and answer questions in various industries such as business, finance, criminal justice, science, medicine, and government. They use technical expertise to ensure data is accurate and high-quality, and then analyze, design, and present it in a way that assists individuals, businesses, and organizations to make better decisions. Some of the key responsibilities of a data analyst include:
- Gathering data: Analysts often collect data themselves by conducting surveys, tracking visitor characteristics on a company website, or buying datasets from data collection specialists.
- Cleaning data: This involves removing corrupted data and fixing coding errors and related problems.
- Analyzing data: Data analysts use statistical techniques, data visualization tools, and programming languages to transform raw data into meaningful information.
- Interpreting data: They determine how to solve problems using data, learn critical insights about a businesss customers, and advise leadership on ways to move forward to grow the business.
- Communicating findings: Data analysts communicate their findings to management and other stakeholders, including company leadership.
It is important to note that while data analysts and data scientists both work with data, what they do with it differs. Data analysts typically work with existing data to solve defined business problems, while data scientists build new algorithms and models to make predictions about the future.
