Utilizing Data
Communicating information in visual formats, coupled with useful insights and analysis, allows for data-informed decisions. Gathering, managing and/or examining relevant data sets for patterns, correlations and trends.
Suggested activities
- Using survey feedback to improve a program or product.
- Making suggestions based on customer feedback in your part-time job.
- Creating visual graphs or tables in reports to represent raw data.
- Creating spreadsheets/documents to store and analyze data.
Rate where you are on this skill
You understand that leveraging data involves collecting data, analyzing it for patterns and trends, and communicating useful insights to guide others in making informed decisions.
What this skill looks like in action:
- Study this skill in a class or training.
- Study theories on how to collect, analyze and present/communicate data.
- Provide examples of how and why data is used to inform decisions.
At this level, it is appropriate to include this skill on your resume.
You actively engage with data analytics in academic classes, campus activities or at a part-time job, internship or volunteer role. You gather data and examine it for patterns and trends that can provide useful insights and aid in decision-making.
What this skill looks like in action:
- Collect quantitative and/or qualitative data through the use of surveys, interviews, focus groups, etc.
- Conduct basic descriptive statistical analysis on data sets.
- Create a report outlining the key findings of the analyzed data.
- Use the key findings to make听 recommendations.
- Use MS Excel or other technology to create analysis and report visuals.
- Recognize credible data sources.
You have dedicated many hours to analyzing data in multiple environments including a work setting with the goal of helping to inform the decision making process for stakeholders. People seek you out because of your ability to manage large and complex data sets efficiently and communicate relevant and meaningful insights and trends in visually appealing and understandable ways.
What this skill looks like in action:
- Create and administer ethical quantitative and/or qualitative data collection methods in the form of surveys, interviews, focus groups, etc.
- Perform intermediate to advanced data analysis to look for relationships among variables in multiple and/or complex data sets.
- Use appropriate analytics technology e.g. SPSS, SAS, R, Python, etc. to conduct thorough analyses.
- Create meaningful reports and dashboards customized to the audience听 illustrating key findings and recommendations.
- Have experience with dynamic visualization technology (e.g. Tableau, Power BI).
- Recognize 鈥済ood鈥 data and can execute data cleaning efficiently.
- Able to question/critique decisions or practices using information.
You have committed hundreds of hours to analyzing data using advanced techniques, studying theories of statistical analysis and collaborating with other data-scientists at conferences or as part of a research team. People look to you to teach them the intricacies of data analytics.
What this skill looks like in action:
- Triangulate data from multiple complex and credible data sources.
- Perform advanced data analytics techniques (e.g. data/text mining, machine learning, forecasting, sentiment analysis, multivariate statistics, etc.).
- Make recommendations not only from data insights but also include forecasting for anticipated trends.
- Use data to influence individuals, teams and/or organizations.
- May facilitate formal or informal trainings, workshops or other educational sessions on topics related to data analytics.
- May collaborate with other researchers/ data scientists on a project (e.g. research team, etc.).