Google data analytics professional course

Week-1
Solve problems with data

Six problem types

● Making predictions
● Categorizing things
● Spotting something unusual
● Identifying themes
● Discovering connections
● Finding patterns
Making predictions
A company that wants to know the best advertising method to bring in new customers is an
example of a problem requiring analysts to make predictions. 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.

Categorizing things
An example of a problem requiring analysts to categorize things is a company's goal to
improve customer satisfaction. Analysts might classify customer service calls based on
certain keywords or scores. This could help identify top-performing customer service
representatives or help correlate certain actions taken with higher customer satisfaction
scores.

Spotting something unusual

A company that sells 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.

Identifying themes
User experience (UX) designers might rely on analysts to analyze user interaction data.
Similar to problems that require analysts to categorize things, usability improvement
projects might require analysts to identify themes to help prioritize the right product
features for improvement. Themes are most often used to help researchers explore
certain aspects of data. In a user study, user beliefs, practices, and needs are examples of
themes.

By now you might be wondering if there is a difference between categorizing things and
identifying themes. The best way to think about it is: categorizing things involves assigning
items to categories; identifying themes takes those categories a step further by grouping
them into broader themes.
Discovering connections
A third-party 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.

Finding patterns
Minimizing downtime caused by machine failure is an example of a problem requiring
analysts to find patterns in data. For example, by analyzing maintenance data, they might
discover that most failures happen if regular maintenance is delayed by more than a 15-day
window.

Things to avoid when asking questions

Leading questions: questions that only have a particular response

● Example: This product is too expensive, isn’t it?

This is a leading question because it suggests an answer as part of the

question. A better question might be, “What is your opinion of this product?”
There are tons of answers to that question, and they could include
information about usability, features, accessories, color, reliability, and
popularity, on top of price. Now, if your problem is actually focused on
pricing, you could ask a question like “What price (or price range) would make
you consider purchasing this product?” This question would provide a lot of
different measurable responses.

Closed-ended questions: questions that ask for a one-word or brief

response only

● Example: Were you satisfied with the customer trial?

This is a closed-ended question because it doesn’t encourage people to
expand on their answer. It is really easy for them to give one-word
responses that aren’t very informative. A better question might be, “What
did you learn about customer experience from the trial.” This encourages
people to provide more detail besides “It went well.”

Vague questions: questions that aren’t specific or don’t provide context

● Example: Does the tool work for you?

This question is too vague because there is no context. Is it about comparing

the new tool to the one it replaces? You just don’t know. A better inquiry
might be, “When it comes to data entry, is the new tool faster, slower, or
about the same as the old tool? If faster, how much time is saved? If it's
slower, how much time is lost?” These questions give context (data entry)
and help frame responses that are measurable (time).

More about SMART questions

Highly effective questions are SMART questions:
Week-2
Understand the power of data
● Data-inspired decision-making explores different data sources to find
out what they have in common.
● Data derived decision making

Quantitative and Qualitative.

Quantitative data is all about the specific and objective measures of

numerical facts.This can often be the what, how many, and how often about a
problem. In other words, things you can measure, like how many commuters
take the train to work every week.

On the other hand,qualitative data describes subjective or explanatory

measures of qualities and characteristics or things that can't be measured
with numerical data, like your hair color. Qualitative data is great for helping
us answer why questions.
Quantitative data Questions
● First are measurable questions.
● How many negative reviews are there?
● What's the average rating?
● How many of these reviews use the same keywords?
● These questions generate quantitative data, numerical results that
help confirm their customers aren't satisfied.

Qualitative data Questions

● Why are customers unsatisfied?
● How can we improve their experience?
● These are questions that lead to qualitative data.

Strategic

Focuses on long term goals and strategies at the highest level of metrics.

Operational

Short-term performance tracking and intermediate goals.

Analytical

Consists of the datasets and the mathematics used in these sets.

FORMULA

The net profit over a period of time and the cost of investment.

net profit over a period of time / the cost of investment

Follow the evidence

Data versus metrics

Data is a collection of facts. Metrics are quantifiable data types used
for measurement.

Designing compelling dashboards

● Check the pdf name “M2_W2_Designing compelling dashboards”.

Connecting the data dots

Big and small data

Challenges and benefits

Here are some challenges you might face when working with big
data:

● A lot of organizations deal with data overload and way too much
unimportant or irrelevant information.
● Important data can be hidden deep down with all of the non-important
data, which makes it harder to find and use. This can lead to slower
and more inefficient decision-making time frames.
● The data you need isn’t always easily accessible.
● Current technology tools and solutions still struggle to provide
measurable and reportable data. This can lead to unfair algorithmic
bias.
● There are gaps in many big data business solutions.

Now for the good news! Here are some benefits that come with big
data:

● When large amounts of data can be stored and analyzed, it can help
companies identify more efficient ways of doing business and save a
lot of time and money.
 ● Big data helps organizations spot the trends of customer buying
patterns and satisfaction levels, which can help them create new
products and solutions that will make customers happy.
● By analyzing big data, businesses get a much better understanding of
current market conditions, which can help them stay ahead of the
competition.
● As in our earlier social media example, big data helps companies keep
track of their online presence—especially feedback, both good and
bad, from customers. This gives them the information they need to
improve and protect their brand.

The three (or four) V words for big data

When thinking about the benefits and challenges of big data, it helps to
think about the three Vs: volume, variety, and velocity. Volume describes
the amount of data. Variety describes the different kinds of data. Velocity
describes how fast the data can be processed. Some data analysts also
consider a fourth V: veracity. Veracity refers to the quality and reliability
of the data. These are all important considerations related to processing
huge, complex data sets.
Week-3
Working with spreadsheets

Spreadsheets and the data life cycle

Learn more about spreadsheet basics

● Google Sheets cheat sheet:
https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/9300022/
● Get started with Sheets: Create and import files:
https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/9300311?hl=en&ref_topic=9296
423/
● Sort and filter your data:
https://support.google.com/docs/answer/3540681?co=GENIE.Platform%3D
Desktop&hl=en
● Edit and format a spreadsheet:
https://support.google.com/docs/answer/46973?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDe
sktop&hl=en&oco=0
Formulas in spreadsheets
● Formula is a set of instructions that perform a specific calculation.
● A range of cells is a collection of two or more cells.
● A cell reference is a single cell or range of cells in a worksheet that
can be used in a formula.

Quick reference: Formulas in spreadsheets

SPREAD SHEET BASICS

● Mathematical operators eg: + - * /

● Auto-filling eg: drag
● Absolute referencing eg: $ symbol
● Data range eg: a1:c2
● Combining with functions eg: =COUNTIF()

More about SPREADSHEET ERRORS and fixers

Refer PDG “M2_W3_More about spreadsheet errors and fixes”
● #DIV/0!
● #ERROR! - formula mistake

● #N/A - value no present

● #NAME? - While declaring function name

● #NUM! - number error

● #VALUE! - value not present

● #REF! - if row deleted

Functions in spreadsheets

Quick reference: Functions in spreadsheets

Spreadsheet commands pdf
Refer the pdf’s
● M2_W3_Spreadsheet commands 1
● M2_W3_Spreadsheet commands 2
COUNTIF: https://support.google.com/docs/answer/3093480?hl=en

Difference between formulas and functions

● A formula is a set of instructions used to perform a calculation using

the data in a spreadsheet.
● A function is a preset command that automatically performs a specific
process or task using the data in a spreadsheet.

Save time with structured thinking

A statement of work is a document that clearly identifies the products and
services a vendor or contractor will provide to an organization. It includes
objectives, guidelines, deliverables, schedule, and costs.

A scope of work is project-based and sets the expectations and boundaries

of a project. A scope of work may be included in a statement of work to help
define project outcomes.

As a junior data analyst, It's more typical to be asked to create a scope of

work than a statement of work.
Scope of work (or) structural thinking

● Deliverables
● Timeline
● Milestones
● Reports.

Clarifying requirements and setting expectations are two of the most

important parts of a project.

The importance of context

Context is the condition in which something exists or happens.It can turn
raw data into meaningful information.

QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT DATA

● Who: The person or organization that created, collected, and/or

funded the data collection
● What: The things in the world that data could have an impact on
● Where: The origin of the data
● When: The time when the data was created or collected
● Why: The motivation behind the creation or collection
● How: The method used to create or collect it
Week-4
Balance team and stakeholder needs

Working with stakeholders

THREE TEAMS

● Executive team
● Customer-facing team
● Data science team

Data science team

Working effectively with stakeholders

● Discuss goals
● Feel empowered to say “no.”
● Plan for the unexpected
● Know your project
● Start with words and visuals
● Communicate often
Communication is key

Data scenarios and responses

Be sure to answer these four important questions related to your
audience:

1. Who is your audience?

2. What do they already know?
3. What do they need to know?
4. How can you best communicate what they need to know?
After the next report is completed, you can also send out a project
update offering more information. The email could look like this:

Limitations of data
Tell a clear story
● Compare the same types of data: Data can get mixed up when
you chart it for visualization. Be sure to compare the same types
of data and double check that any segments in your chart
definitely display different metrics.
● Visualize with care: A 0.01% drop in a score can look huge if you
zoom in close enough. To make sure your audience sees the full
story clearly, it is a good idea to set your Y-axis to 0.
● Leave out needless graphs: If a table can show your story at a
glance, stick with the table instead of a pie chart or a graph. Your
busy audience will appreciate the clarity.
● Test for statistical significance: Sometimes two datasets will
look different, but you will need a way to test whether the
difference is real and important. So remember to run statistical
tests to see how much confidence you can place in that
difference.
● Pay attention to sample size: Gather lots of data. If a sample
size is small, a few unusual responses can skew the results. If you
find that you have too little data, be careful about using it to
form judgments. Look for opportunities to collect more data, then
chart those trends over longer periods.
Amazing teamwork

Leading great meetings

Before the meeting

If you are organizing the meeting, you will probably talk about the data.
Before the meeting:

● Identify your objective. Establish the purpose, goals, and desired

outcomes of the meeting, including any questions or requests that need
to be addressed.
● Acknowledge participants and keep them involved with different points
of view and experiences with the data, the project, or the business.
● Organize the data to be presented. You might need to turn raw data
into accessible formats or create data visualizations.
● Prepare and distribute an agenda. We will go over this next.

Crafting a compelling agenda

A solid meeting agenda sets your meeting up for success. Here are
the basic parts your agenda should include:

● Meeting start and end time

● Meeting location (including information to participate remotely, if
that option is available)
● Objectives
● Background material or data the participants should review
beforehand
During the meeting

As the leader of the meeting, it's your job to guide the data discussion.
With everyone well informed of the meeting plan and goals, you can
follow these steps to avoid any distractions:

● Make introductions (if necessary) and review key messages

● Present the data
● Discuss observations, interpretations, and implications of the data
● Take notes during the meeting
● Determine and summarize next steps for the group

After the meeting

To keep the project and everyone aligned, prepare and distribute a

brief recap of the meeting with next steps that were agreed upon in the
meeting. You can even take it a step further by asking for feedback
from the team.

● Distribute any notes or data

● Confirm next steps and timeline for additional actions
● Ask for feedback (this is an effective way to figure out if you
missed anything in your recap)
A final word about meetings

Even with the most careful planning and detailed agendas, meetings can sometimes
go off track. An emergency situation might steal people’s attention. A recent
decision might unexpectedly change requirements that were previously discussed
and agreed on. Action items might not apply to the current situation. If this
happens, you might be forced to shorten or cancel your meeting. That's all right;
just be sure to discuss anything that impacts your project with your manager or
stakeholders and reschedule your meeting after you have more information.
 Quick Review

Week-1
● Six problem types
● Things to avoid while questioning
● SMART questions

Week-2
● Quantitative and Qualitative data
● Pdf
● Big and small data

Week-3
● Spreadsheet basics
● Spread formula
● Spreadsheet functions
● Structural thinking
● Context

Week-4
● Working with stakeholders
● Communication
● Limitations of data
● How to perform a meeting
Dhamodharan
02/10/2021