Course 2 Week 1
The spotting something unusual problem type could involve which of the following scenarios?
A data analyst working for an agricultural company examines why a dataset has a surprising and rare data point.
Organizing available information and revealing gaps and opportunities are part of what process?
Using structured thinking
In the SMART methodology, questions that encourage change are described how?
Action-oriented
In data analytics, qualitative data _____. Select all that apply.
measures qualities and characteristics is subjective
Data analyst 6 problem types
1. Making predictions 2. Categorizing things 3. Spotting something unusual 4. Identifying themes 5. Discovering connections 6. Finding patterns
In data analytics, how are dashboards different from reports?
Dashboards monitor live, incoming data from multiple datasets and organize the information into one central location. Reports are static collections of data.
A data analyst at a social media company is creating questions for a focus group. They use common abbreviations such as PLS for "please" and LMK for "let me know." This is fair because the participants use social media a lot and are likely to be technically savvy.
False
A data analytics team works to recognize the current problem. Then, they organize available information to reveal gaps and opportunities. Finally, they identify the available options. These steps are part of what process?
Using structured thinking
Finding patterns is one of the six problem types data analysts aim to solve. This type of problem might involve which of the following?
Identifying trends from historical data
On a customer service questionnaire, a data analyst asks, "If you could contact our customer service department via chat, how much valuable time would that save you?" Why is this question unfair?
It makes assumptions
A company wants to make more informed decisions regarding next year's business strategy. An analyst uses data to help identify how things will likely work out in the future. This is an example of which problem type?
Making predictions
A garden center wants to attract more customers. A data analyst in the marketing department suggests advertising in popular landscaping magazines. This is an example of what practice?
Reaching your target audience
The question, "Why don't our employees complete their timesheets each Friday by noon?" is not action-oriented. Which of the following questions are action-oriented and more likely to lead to change? Select all that apply.
What functionalities would make our timesheet web page more user-friendly? How could we simplify the time-keeping process for our employees? What features could we add to our calendar app as a weekly timesheet reminder to employees?
While creating data visualizations for a slideshow, a data analyst considers, "What would help a stakeholder understand this data better?" The analyst is in the analyze step of the data analysis process.
False
Which of the following examples are vague questions? Select all that apply
What's the best place to purchase the things we need? Do you generally prefer hot or cold? Who was the greates of all time?
Categorizing things
analysts might classify customer service calls based on certain keywords or scores.
Categorizing things involves assigning items to categories, whereas _____ takes those categories a step further, grouping them into broader classifications.
Identifying themes
Fill in the blank: Some of the most common symbols used in formulas include + (addition), - (subtraction), * (multiplication), and / (division). These are called _____.
operators
A data analyst uses the SMART methodology to create a question that encourages change. This type of question can be described how?
Action-oriented
Small data differs from big data in what ways? Select all that apply.
Small data is effective for analyzing day-to-day decisions. Big data is effective for analyzing more substantial decisions. Small data involves datasets concerned with a small number of specific metrics. Big data involves datasets that are larger and less specific. Small data focuses on short, well-defined time periods. Big data focuses on change over a long period of time.
Asking questions including, "Does my analysis answer the original question?" and "Are there other angles I haven't considered?" enable data analysts to accomplish what tasks? Select all that apply.
Use data to get to a solid conclusion Help team members make informed, data-driven decisions Consider the best ways to share data with others
Making predictions
company wants to know the best advertising method to bring in new customers. Analysts with data on location, type of media, and number of new customers acquired as a result of past ads can't guarantee future results, but they can help predict the best placement of advertising to reach the target audience.
A data analyst is trying to understand what data to use to help solve a business problem. They're asking questions such as, "What internal data is available in the database?" and "What outside facts do I need to research?" The data analyst is in which phase of the data analysis process?
Prepare
Spotting something unusual
company selling smart watches that help people monitor their health would be interested in designing their software to spot something unusual Analysts who have analyzed aggregated health data can help product developers determine the right algorithms to spot and set off alarms when certain data doesn't trend normally.
Discovering connections
logistics company working with another company to get shipments delivered to customers on time is a problem requiring analysts to discover connections. By analyzing the wait times at shipping hubs, analysts can determine the appropriate schedule changes to increase the number of on-time deliveries
Categorizing things is one of the six problem types data analysts solve. This type of problem might involve which of the following actions?
Classifying or grouping items
A data analyst at an online retailer works with historical sales data. The analyst identifies repeating trends in the sales data. This is an example of which problem type?
Finding patterns
Finding patterns
Minimizing downtime caused by machine failure is an example of problem requiring analysts to find patterns in data. Example by analyzing maintenance data, they might discover that most failures happen if regular maintenance is delayed by more than a 15-day window
Question 9 To address a vague, complex problem, a data analyst breaks it down into smaller steps. They use a process to help them recognize the current problem or situation, organize available information, reveal gaps and opportunities, and identify options. What does this scenario describe?
Structured thinking
A time-bound SMART question specifies which of the following parameters?
The era, phase, or period of analysis
A data analyst identifies and classifies keywords from customer reviews to improve customer satisfaction. This is an example of which problem type?
categorizing things
A data analyst working for a mid-sized retailer is writing questions for a customer experience survey. One of the questions is: "Do you prefer online or in-store?" Then, they rewrite it to say: "Do you prefer shopping at our online marketplace or shopping at your local store?" Describe why this is a more effective question.
The first question is vague, whereas the second question includes important context.
Identifying themes
User experience (UX) designers might rely on analysts to analyze user interaction data. identify themes to help prioritize the right product features for improvement.
A data analyst has entered the analyze step of the data analysis process. Identify the questions they might ask during this phase. Select all that apply.
How will my data help me solve this problem? What story is my data telling me?
In which step of the data analysis process would an analyst ask questions such as, "What data errors might get in the way of my analysis?" or "How can I clean my data so the information I have is consistent?"
Process