=============================================================================

------------------------------------------------Data Analyst-------------------------------------------------

=============================================================================

Good computer and data analyst technical skills are among the important data analytics skills.
You should possess a basic knowledge of statistics. Also, you need to be familiar with some
computer software and tools including; scripting language (Matlab, Python), Querying Language
(SQL, Hive, Pig), Spreadsheet (Excel) and Statistical Language (SAS, R, SPSS). Other computer
skills include; programming (Javascript, XML), big data tools (Spark, Hive HQL) and so on.

1. Data Types - Data Gathering

2. Database - Modeling - Architect - SQL - Excel

3. Data Warehousing

4. Data Migration/ ETL

5. Cloud - AWS- Azure - Google Cloud

6. Python/R

7. Business Intelligence- Tableau

8. Statistics- Data VIzulaization

9. SDLC - Agile/Scrum

10. Data Analytics - Google Analytics/Adobe Analytics

11. Presentation - MS Office

============================================================================

12. Data Types - Data Gathering-----------------------------------------------------------

 13. Database - Modeling - Architect-----------------------------------------------------------

14. Data Warehousing-----------------------------------------------------------

15. Data Migration/ ETL-----------------------------------------------------------

16. Cloud - AWS- Azure - Google Cloud-----------------------------------------------------------

17. Python/R-----------------------------------------------------------

18. Business Intelligence- Tableau-----------------------------------------------------------

19. Statistics- Data VIzulaization-----------------------------------------------------------

20. SDLC - Agile/Scrum-----------------------------------------------------------

21. Data Analytics - Google Analytics/Adobe

Analytics-----------------------------------------------------------

22. Presentation - MS Office-----------------------------------------------------------

Data Analyst Duties and Responsibilities:

Data analysis is a process of gathering and analyzing data needed for developing a company’s
marketing, political, insurance or/and business deals.

The duties of a data analyst include the following: analyzing data, translating numbers into
plain English, and using data to take company decisions.

Data analysts work in different environments, helping companies to use data to solve
problems and answer questions.

Now, here are 15 top skills and qualities you need to develop to be the best data analyst
around:
1. Data Quality Technology Skills: Data analysts should know their way around different
modern data quality software and understand the importance of data quality rules and
measures. These measures are often called “dimensions” in some organizations because they
quantify matters against the various characteristics that are required of the data of those
companies.

2. Data Visualization: There can be need to multivariate data and explore your data in a tool
such as Olikview and Tableau, for you to know the shape of your data and get revelation of
hidden details of the procedure. Visualization tools are necessary for those who aspire to
become data artists in future.

3. Machine Learning and Data Mining: To collect data also means to mine data, but in the
present data world, machine learning has been preeminent. The machine learning technology
can be used to develop analytic apps needed for making much profits in the job market.

4. Statistical and Quantitative Analysis: You can be halfway into the data world with a
background in quantitative analysis and a degree in mathematics or statistics. An expertise
with statistical tools such as SPSS, SAS, Stata, or R is a big advantage – as companies are in
need of those with quantitative backgrounds.

5. Business Acumen: It is important for data analysts to have good understanding of the
industry they work in, and also knowledge of problems associated with business that the
organization is making efforts to solve. Possession of strong business acumen is what helps
data analysts to perceive which problems are to solve before finding out some new ways that
the business can leverage its data.

6. Communication Skills: Data analysts often communicate their technical findings to a non-
technical team like the sales or marketing department. With effective communication skills,
they can use reports and presentations to explain complicated technical ideas and methods in
a layman’s language, and be able to translate data into an understandable document.

7. Understanding: To be a good data analyst, you need to spend enough time observing the
different facets of data in order to understand the complex dataset. It will take some time to
build up the skills needed for this, though some data analysts tend to underestimate the
amount of time that this requires.

8. Computer Skills: Data analysts need knowledge and skills about various types of databases
such as MySQL, a Statistical Language (SAS, R, and SPSS), a Spreadsheet (Excel), Querying
Language (SQL, Hive and Pig), a Scripting Language (Matlab and Python), and database design.

9. Good Analytical Skills: Analytical skills are the ability to collect, gather, visualize and analyze
information in detail. Analysts with this skill set should also be able to see a problem from
various point of view, and it allows them to solve complex problems by making effective
decisions. This should enable data analysts to see through large amounts of data such as facts,
numbers, and figure crunching, and analyze it well to achieve the best result.

10. Attention to Details: Data analysts have to pay much attention to details when they are
making analysis for them to be able to arrive at reasonable conclusions. This skill will enable
them to find and see hidden details and essentials when it comes to making the right decision,
and solving problems.

11. Analytic Problem-Solving Skills: Data analysts are capable of solving complex problems
when they are able to pay attention to details of the data they analyze. The amount of time
they spend to solve problems is very important so they don’t have to rush up things in order to
get solution.

12. Time Management Skills: With good time management skills, data analysts are able to
meet deadlines. Managing time also involves collecting, gathering, and analyzing data at the
most appropriate time. Data analysts should not neglect this skill as it enables them to work
according to order of importance.

13. Numerical Skills: This involves understanding of basic mathematical skills which include
knowledge of numbers and figures, understanding relationships between numbers,
interpreting mathematical information, ability to organize information, argumentation and
logical thinking, visual perception of information with diagrams, charts, tables, calculation
skills, working with graphical information, scheduling or budgeting, understanding of trends,
and measurement, and data analysis.

14. Optimizer: Not all data analysts are optimists, but the optimization aspect of their job
should have some positive effect on them. It is a fact that employers look for data analysts
with optimistic mind, so data analysts must look for ways to make improvements based on
ideas gotten from the data.

15. Decision Making: Data analysts are to decide between options for what action to take;
they are to decide on further information to be gathered before taking action, and they also
make decision on resources to be allocated to this problem. Those resources include: staff,
funding, and time.

Conclusion:

If you are a data analyst who wants to improve on yourself and be best on your job, you
should make effort to acquire the above skills and qualities.

The above qualities are also useful to employers looking to hire good data analysts. Applicants
with the above qualities should be given attention and consideration for the job.

6 Skills Healthcare Data Analysts Need

For a healthcare organization to effectively leverage an EDW to support sustained outcomes
improvement, I submit there are six skills that need to be operational among staff members
(either analysts or architects) tasked with analytics work.

Let’s explore each of the domains in greater detail.

Structured query language. An analytics team member needs to be able to talk directly to and
manipulate databases through structured query language (SQL). Recognizing there are various
dialects of SQL, I refer generically to the ability to speak to and manipulate databases through
code. He should be able to write SQL code without a dependency on an intermediary, guided
interface (e.g., a drag and drop tool). Many workers rely on a tool like the Microsoft Access
GUI interface or Crystal Reports GUI interface to generate SQL for their reports. In doing so,
they attain a rudimentary understanding of querying.SQL offers users fine-grained control of
the data being pulled. It also provide a powerful way to explore data that isn’t filtered through
a predefined data set or model, as is the case with a business intelligence (BI) tool. Teams that
can’t query the data with SQL are beholden to whatever information is being pushed to them
from another source. Using a BI tool to generate SQL on your behalf is a good starting point.

There are a couple potential downsides to using auto-generated queries from BI tools, though.
First, these tools usually underperform because they are poorly constructed (behind the GUI
interface). Second, and far more prevalent, is the way these tools mistakenly make
assumptions about the data and manipulate the data without the user being aware of the
underlying logic. This is dangerous because he may not understand the query generates
duplicate result sets (i.e., tables), or excludes some patients that should be included in the
result set, or a host of other “I-didn’t-realize-it-was-doing-that” scenarios.

If your query feeds a report, and the report provides information people will act upon, you
need to be sure you really understand the logic embedded in the underlying query.

Export, transform, and load (ETL). The data expert needs to be able to perform export,
transform, and load (ETL) processes. Simply put, you need to take data from one system and
put it into another.In an EDW, a user pulls data from disparate systems (e.g., EHRS, finance,
human resources) that don’t talk to one another. For example, you may have an EMR system, a
patient satisfaction system, and a costing system that don’t interface directly. Making a copy of
the data found in each of these systems and pulling the data into the warehouse will allow
integration of data from the various systems. This movement of data is accomplished through
the ETL process.

Data modeling. Data modeling is a fancy way to say that you write code that models real-
world processes and workflows. Let’s consider a common healthcare scenario: a hospital
admission. What information do I need to capture to model that workflow? In this example,
you’d need some demographic information, such as the patient’s name, data of birth, gender,
and complete address. You’d likely want to pull insurance information, such as the plan name,
copay amount, and effective coverage date. Clinically, you would want to know some history.
Is this patient new to the system? Do we already have a medical record number for the patient
(indicating we have seen her before)? What is the admitting diagnosis? Who is the attending
provider for the admission? Did the patient come through the emergency department or some
other venue? A good data model captures all of these data elements and relates them in a
meaningful way to reflect the actual workflow.
Data analysis. An analytics team member needs to be able to make sense of the data once it is
in the EDW. There is so much information produced in healthcare, and not all of it is relevant
for the analysis that needs to be done to drive improvements. A good analyst has the ability to
sift through data to extract pertinent insights. This requires some complex thinking around set
theory and the ability to do their analysis through SQL, a statistical reporting tool, or a
combination thereof.Let’s give an example. In healthcare, there is a lot of attention around the
management of diabetic patients. Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the patient’s
quality of life, and if not well managed, can be lethal. From a financial perspective, diabetes is
extremely costly if mismanaged.

Business intelligence (BI) reporting. An analytics team member needs to be able to present
data in a way that is intuitive to nontechnical users. The visual representation must be simple
to interpret by a lay audience. While this sounds simple and obvious, this skill is difficult to
execute well. It separates an average analyst from a stellar one.

In a real sense, this is akin to being an interpreter. An interpreter hears words spoken in one
language and then speaks a different language to the target audience. Without a strong
mastery of both languages, translation is difficult, if not impossible. Apart from the mechanics
of words, language rules, and semantics, there are embedded nuances, such as metaphors or
idioms that further enrich the communication experience. An excellent interpreter
demonstrates the ability to perfectly convey meaning, not just words.

Likewise, the data expert needs to translate database speak—that is mining data to find
meaning—into simple graphics that perfectly convey the meaning, all while avoiding
potentially ambiguous conclusions.

Telling the story of the visualizations. The analytics team member must be able to effectively
communicate stories embedded in the data. Think of it this way: BI reporting (the
aforementioned skill) gives you contextual meaning in bits and pieces, or a micro view. Telling
the story, however, means providing a logical flow to tether together lots of meanings to
create a story, or a big picture view. Let me further illustrate with an example.