Previously, we learned about what a data analyst does and
why that work is so valuable.
Now, let's look at where data analysts actually do their work.
You'll learn much more about the industries you could work in as a data analyst.
And how companies in these fields are already using data analytics to do some
really cool things.
There are so many businesses out there that have a big need for
the skills you're learning right now.
Across industries like technology, marketing, finance, health care, and
so many more.
Real companies are already using data analytics to stay ahead of the curve.
And the more they use data in their business, the more they understand just
how important data analyst like you are to their success.
Let's look at a real life example of a brand you'll probably recognize,
Coca-Cola.
Data is changing the way Coca-Cola approaches its marketing strategies.
Coca-Cola uses data gathered from consumer feedback to create advertising
that speaks directly to different audiences with different interests.
How does this work?
You know those high tech Coca-Cola vending machines you see at movie theater
sometimes?
It's always fun getting to make your own flavors.
Well, those machines have built-in artificial intelligence and
data analysis tools.
This helps Coca-Cola see all the different kinds of flavor combinations people
are coming up with, which they can then use as inspiration for new products.
How cool is that?
Ever wonder how Google gives you the right answer to any question in just seconds?
That's powered by data too.
We use all kinds of data to determine a website's reliability and
accuracy to make sure you get the most useful results for any search you make.
But it isn't just big companies like Coca-Cola and Google that use data.
Small businesses everywhere are also starting to take advantage of
data driven insights to improve their operations and make better decisions.
Small businesses can use data to do all kinds of things.
They might use data analytics to better understand their customers' buying habits,
create more effective social media messaging,
or, in the case of one city zoo and aquarium,
predict the number of daily visitors based on local climate data.
City zoo and aquarium realized that,
on rainy days, they were seeing huge drop offs in attendance,
but they had no way to accurately predict when those rainy days would hit.
This made staffing a real challenge.
Some days they found themselves overstaffed,
other days they were unprepared for the rush of visitors.
To deal with this, data analyst took years of weather records from the zoo and
use that data to accurately predict future weather patterns.
This made it easy for the zoo to know how much staff they needed when.
Because the zoo could predict and manage their staffing needs more accurately,
they were able to provide a better experience for visitors and
dedicate more resources to creating a better experience for the animals too.
We see a similar thing in the healthcare industry.
Their data analysts look at clinic attendance data to help hospitals and
doctors offices predict when rush hours will hit so they can be ready for it.
Your local city hospital is a great example.
Let's say they've been getting complaints about long wait times.
Sometimes an hour or more, which made it hard for
some patients to get the care they needed.
So data analyst use data about the hospitals daily foot traffic to help them
make more informed decisions about how many doctors they need on staff at any
given time.
This helped reduce wait times, improve their patients experience, and
make better use of the health care worker's time too.
Like I said, there are many ways that companies in different industries put data
to use, but they can only do that if they have data analyst they can rely on.
So you might be wondering, how you fit into the equation?
Well, you've got plenty of options, but
you don't have to decide what industry you want to work in right away. There
will be plenty of time to think about that as you make your way through this program.
By the time you finish this program, you have the core skills that will make you
valuable in any industry that makes data driven decisions.
Which, as it turns out, is most industries, even zoos.
Coming up, we'll check out the business task where data can be helpful.
And, we'll explore even more how data analysts are empowering businesses
through data.
I'll see you then.