Article

Nikhil Goyal
Nikhil Goyal 24 October 2014
Categories Data & Analytics

Practical Tips For Working On A Data-Driven Report

How can you tell a story using data?

As a data analyst, one is constantly talking to an audience that is short on time, does not like complexity and prefers opening up for Q&A half way through the cover slide! My experience working with fragmented and large data sets have taught me a few things:

 

Give some thought to how the data should be extracted: You cannot build an insightful visualization unless you have the data behind it in the right shape. Whenever possible, extract the data in the format closest to the desired format for analysis. A simple arrangement of rows and columns during extraction can often save much time and heart-burn in reshaping / cleaning the data to a form suitable for graphing. In certain cases, the front end of the data warehouse may not have enough flexibility for extracting data – in such cases, try to get access to the location where the data actually lives behind the front end- chances are it will be an SQL / db2 database. You will discover a treasure trove of information which hides behind the mask. (Beware: getting access might be a long term battle – not one to be fought with a deadline lurking around the corner.)

 

Marry the agenda with the data-preparation: Analysts are often torn between two choices (a) drilling down deeper and deeper or (b) sticking to a script and timelines. There are obvious merits and traps in both approaches and therefore finding a balance is important. To achieve this balance, even before starting the data cleaning, I design a flexible agenda for the report with branches / sub points. After this, I map each section of the agenda to the exact format in which I need the data to perform the analysis. This makes the data cleaning process more focused and efficient. For e.g. the overview section of the agenda may require data on an hourly level time-series across 6 metrics.

 

Please login or register to add a comment.

Contribute Now!

Loving our articles? Do you have an insightful post that you want to shout about? Well, you've come to the right place! We are always looking for fresh Doughnuts to be a part of our community.

Popular Articles

See all
Is Email Dead, Or Are We Just Bored With It?

Is Email Dead, Or Are We Just Bored With It?

In today's digital era dominated by social media, instant messaging, and collaboration tools, one question looms large: Does email still have a role to play? Some argue that it's on life support, while others...

Julia Herd
Julia Herd 22 November 2023
Read more
The Innovative Digital Marketing Strategies Leveraging AI

The Innovative Digital Marketing Strategies Leveraging AI

This article will assist digital marketers in grasping the advantages and disadvantages of employing artificial intelligence in their online marketing tactics. You will learn about the effects of AI on online...

joseph chain
joseph chain 17 October 2023
Read more
The Impact of New Technology on Marketing

The Impact of New Technology on Marketing

Technology has impacted every part of our lives. From household chores to business disciplines and etiquette, there's a gadget or app for it. Marketing has changed dramatically over the years, but what is the...

Alex Lysak
Alex Lysak 22 September 2020
Read more
Marketing Emails vs Newsletters: What’s the Difference?

Marketing Emails vs Newsletters: What’s the Difference?

If anyone can clarify the difference between marketing emails and newsletters, it’s Alexander Melone, co-founder of San Francisco-based email marketing agency CodeCrew. But, as we’re about to find out, the distinction...

Alex Melone
Alex Melone 14 November 2023
Read more
Customer-Centric Marketing: The Heartbeat of Modern UK Retail

Customer-Centric Marketing: The Heartbeat of Modern UK Retail

The UK retail scene, with its diverse offerings from luxe brands to quaint local stores, is witnessing a paradigm shift: The rise of customer-centric marketing. This isn’t just about selling; it’s about understanding,...

Andrew Addison
Andrew Addison 21 November 2023
Read more