Data Analysis

Course Summary

This course is an introduction to Data Analysis concepts and tools, such as Google Sheets, Python, SQL, and Tableau. Data Analysis is a multi-faceted field that includes working with business leaders, writing code, and digging through data to find solutions to issues a business is facing. As more and more companies turn to data to assist in making decisions, Data Analysis has grown exponentially. Not only is this a field that many companies need, but the analytical and learning skills you pick up in this course will serve you as you navigate today’s technical landscape.

We use Google Sheets to master spreadsheets as it is a tool that is available to all our students and it is robust enough for us to dive into complex datasets and start to seek out answers to important questions. To further dive into the data, we will be using Python. Python is a programming language that is used by many data analysts worldwide to perform complex functions and navigate very large datasets. Python also has other uses beyond data analytics so after learning the basics of programming and Python, you will find that you can adapt that skillset to many other stages of your learning journey. SQL is a different type of programming language that helps us navigate databases. We will learn more about what a database is later, but for now, you should know that a database holds large quantities of data. Companies store their data different ways, but by diving into the basics with SQL, we hope to give you the foundation you need to confidently explore a company’s data storage and get the numbers you require. Finally, we will be using Tableau to put together visuals and graphics to help us communicate our findings to our colleagues. Tableau is one of the industry’s most powerful visualization tools and we will use this tool to foster conversation about what makes a visual effective and how we can communicate our findings to the appropriate team.

As you work through this course, we encourage you to remember that learning data analytics is not only valuable and challenging, it can also be fun! Every moment inspires us to keep going forward and to learn new things. You may find some concepts difficult to understand at first, but these will also be the skills you may take the most pride in mastering, making the journey long and winding and rewarding.

From the moment you started reading this book, you became a data analyst. We hope you enjoy your journey with us!

Where this Course Leads

Upon completion of this course, you will be capable of using different methods and techniques to collect, analyze, and summarize data. You will also be ready to start reviewing the Liftoff materials, which focus on career-readiness.

While you are entering a new career in technology, we hope you use the tools you learned in this program to learn new skills. You may find yourself wanting to learn more about machine learning, complex calculations, or building bigger and better visualizations. Whatever it is, now that you have conquered the foundations of data analysis, we know you are ready for the challenge!

Chapters

Pre-Course Requirements

There are no academic pre-requisites for this course.

In order to participate, you will need to bring your own laptop. A Chromebook or tablet will not be sufficient. Your laptop should meet the following requirements:

  1. Be younger than 4 years old and able to support the latest operating system.
  2. You have administrator privileges and are able to install new software.
  3. Has an i5 or i7 Intel chip or an M1 or newer Apple processor.
  4. Has at least 8 GB of RAM.