Data Analysis - Course 2
Fill Handle
a box in the lower-right-hand corner of a selected spreadsheet cell that can be dragged through neighboring cells in order to continue an instruction
Equation
a calculation that involves addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division; aka math expression
Cell reference
a cell or range of cells in a worksheet typically used in formulas and functions
Attribute
a characteristic or quality of data used to label a column in a table
Pivot chart
a chart created from the fields in a pivot table
Database
a collection of data stored in a computer system
Dataset
a collection of data that can be manipulated or analyzed as one unit
Data
a collection of facts
Range
a collection of two or more cells in a spreadsheet
Query language
a computer programming language used to communicate with a database
Structured Query Language (SQL)
a computer programming language used to communicated with a database
Pivot table
a data summarization tool used to sort, reorganize, group, count, total, or average data
Spreadsheet
a digital worksheet
Data science
a field of study that uses raw data to create new ways of modeling and understanding the unknown
Return on investment (ROI)
a formula that uses the metrics of investment and profit to evaluate the success of an investment
Metric goal
a measurable goal set by a company and evaluated using metrics
Gap analysis
a method for examining and evaluating the current state of a process in order to identify opportunities for improvement in the future
Cloud
a place to keep data online, rather than a computer hard drive
Function
a preset command that automatically performs a specified process or test using the data in a spreadsheet
Algorithm
a process or set of rules followed for a specific task
Fairness
a quality of data analysis that does not create or reinforce bias
Relevant question
a question that had significance to the problem to be solved
Specific question
a question that is simple, significant, and focused on a single topic or a few closely related ideas
Unfair question
a question that makes assumptions or is difficult to answer honestly
Time-bound question
a question that specifies a timeframe to be studied
Leading question
a question that steers people toward a certain response
Measurable question
a question whose answer can be quantified and assessed
Action-oriented question
a question whose answers lead to change
Query
a request for data or information from a database
Formula
a set of instructions used to perform a calculation using the data in a spreadsheet
Metric
a single, quantifiable type of data that is used for measurement
Quantitative data
a specific and objective measure, such as a number, quantity, or range
SUM
a spreadsheet function that adds the values of a selected range of cells
COUNT
a spreadsheet function that counts the number of cells in a range that meet a specific criteria
AVERAGE
a spreadsheet function that returns an average of the values form a selected range
MAX
a spreadsheet function that returns the largest numeric value from a range of cells
MIN
a spreadsheet function that returns the smaller numeric value from a range of cells
Report
a static collection of data periodically given to stakeholders
Qualitative data
a subjective and explanatory measure of a quality or characteristic
Operator
a symbol that names the operation or calculation to be performed
SMART methodology
a tool for determining a question's effectiveness based on whether it is specific, measurable, action-oriented, relevant, and time-bound
Dashboard
a tool that monitors live, incoming data
Scope of work (SOW)
an agreed-upon outline of the tasks to be performed during a project
Open data
data that is available to the public
Data-inspired decision-making
exploring different data sources to find out what they have in common
Data design
how information is organized
Big data
large, complex datasets typically involving long periods time, which enable data analysts to address far-reaching business problems
Borders
lines that can be added around two or more cells on a spreadsheet
Stakeholder
people who invest time and resources into a project and are interested in its outcome
Analytical skills
qualities and characteristics associated with using facts to solve problems
Reframing
restating a problem or challenge, then redirecting it toward a potential resolution
Small data
small, specific data point typically involving a short period of time, which are useful for making day-to-day decisions
Technical mindset
the ability to break things down into smaller steps or pieces and work with them in an orderly logical way
Problem domain
the area of analysis that encompasses every activity affecting or affected by a problem
Observation
the attributes that describe a piece of data contained in a row of a table
Data Analysis
the collection, transformation, and organization of data in order to draw conclusions, make predictions, and drive informed decision-making
Context
the condition in which something exists or happens
Header
the first row in a spreadsheet that labels the type of data in each column
Data visualization
the graphical representation of data
Data strategy
the management of the people, processes, and tools used in data analysis
Sorting
the process of arranging data into meaningful order to make it easier to understand, analyze, and visualize
Analytical thinking
the process of identifying and defining a problem, then solving it by using data in an organized, step-by-step manner
Structured thinking
the process of recognizing the current problem or situation, organizing available information, revealing gaps and opportunities, and identifying options
Filtering
the process of showing only the data that meets the specified criteria while hiding the rest
Business task
the question or problem that data analysis resolves for a business
Turnover rate
the rate at which employees voluntarily leave a company
Root cause
the reason why a problem occurs
Data Analytics
the science of data
Data life cycle
the sequence of stages that data experiences, which include plan, capture, manage, analyze, archive, and destroy
Revenue
the total amount of income generated by the sale of goods or services
Data ecosystem
the various elements that interact with one another in order to produce, manage, store, organize, analyze, and share data
Problem types
the various problems that data analysts encounter, including categorizing things discovering connections, finding patterns, identifying themes, making predictions, and spotting something unusual
Data-driven decision-making
using facts to guide business strategy
Order of operations
using parenthesis to group together spreadsheet values in order to clarify the order in which operations should be performed