...And how they affect your career.
We have said it before, and I am sure we will say it again. The industry of data analytics and the associated positions within it are still, in relation to other industries at least, in their infancy. While there have been associated roles such as I.T. focused or predictive analysis based careers for some time. It is only with the advent of large, disparate and often difficult to mesh data sets, that specific roles such as Chief Data Officers (CDO) have risen to prominence. We discussed some of the challenges facing the CDO in a recent article, not the least of these being the integration of silo mentality departments into the larger whole. In this article, we would like to consider the wider issues around data analysis and how you as a front line worker, need to consider them in relation to your career.
Let me be clear, this article is not going to be the 'be all and end all'. It’s more a general musing on the situation than a stone tablet of universal guidelines. For a start, I am sure there could be a lot more on our list of 3 challenges. In fact the list could probably be hundreds of lines long but, for the sake of convenience, let’s just look at three big areas of consideration in the data analytics world.
Understanding the potential of big data issues.
As I am sure you are aware ‘Big Data’ has been the Holy Grail buzzword for the last few years. The phrase seemed to go through a distinct cycle of buzzword, keyword, questioning it’s meaning, doubt and finally acceptance that it really means little in isolation. We know what big data is, we probably always have, but the real question lies in its application in real world environments. Clearly the effective data analyst is going to be not only aware of the potential here but be able to see the application and implementation of results in the context of the workplace. A data analyst would probably therefore be well advised to not only understand the big picture but to concentrate their focus on application.
Real-Time Integration.
The sheer amount of stored data available is one issue, the input of new information is another entirely. If you consider the data flow of even a multi-site retail outlet such as one of the big supermarkets, you begin to realise the importance of immediacy in the analysis of data. This is a key factor in your potential career development. A talented analyst who understands the area of real-time data is likely to be in great demand. In many cases, of course, the result of real-time data may arrive faster than the business can utilise, and this is where integration experts will find themselves very welcome.
Bridging the ‘talk’ divide.
The reality is that the implementation of results, the use of refined data, and the practical application of your energies is, for the most part, likely to end its cycle with a non-data aware person. Accompanying this, there is, therefore, a language divide. A good, real life desirable skill to acquire is the ability to simplify and practically explain your work. Talk the talk of the user, and you will make many friends in the workplace. Of course, we are oversimplifying here and even being a touch flippant but the message running through all this is simple. The data world is fast changing and difficult. A career in this (or indeed any) industry is often built on not only being an expert, but on being the expert who understands how to fit their industries demands and anticipate new ones.
