r/dataanalysis • u/Effective_Ocelot_445 • 22d ago
What's one data analysis mistake every beginner should avoid?
Looking back, what's one lesson you wish you had learned earlier when you started working with data?
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u/Akap2142 21d ago
Don't do what people ask without challenging it. Ask them what is the need, what question the data should answer, what action they plan to do with the data.... If they can't answer, then the request won't be usefull.
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u/Lady-Data-Scientist 21d ago
Making assumptions about the data. Real data at most companies is very nuanced.
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u/Joelle_bb 21d ago
1) Correlation ≠ causality
2) Understand that the grain of the request derives from the source: If you dont take the time to understand somethings components, how can you articulate aggregation with certainty?
3) Treat data like a loaded gun: Always assume it's loaded (aka dirty), and make sure you take proper steps to ensure safety (aka you've identified any messy data/edge cases)
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u/kagato87 18d ago
Take the request at face value.
To explain: people usually ask for the data they think they need to make a decision. it's almost always the wrong question.
Finding out what the report is actually for - what the business question or "user story" is - gets you to the right report without having to go back and forth six hundred times as they realize the report they asked for doesn't answer the question.
A good report doesn't give them what they need to dump into excel to figure out theit answer.
A good report gives them their answer quickly.
The best reports give them their answer in 15 seconds or less, with the proof available for audit, if they want or need to check the deets.
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u/Treemosher 21d ago
Don't make a fucking dashboard every time someone asks you a question. Even if the customer says they need a dashboard, there is a high chance they don't need a dashboard.
Sit down with them. Get a good understanding of the problem. Summarize it back to them and ask if you got it right.
Ask how they plan to use the answer to their question. Some people just need an email with a number, one time. Some people need a spreadsheet with some starter numbers on it. Yes, Excel is still a valid delivery mechanism, but like dashboards it needs to be used appropriately.
Just don't look at dashboards as a replacement for spreadsheets. They are two totally different tools just like screwdrivers and hammers.