How To Do A Basic Data Analysis In Excel (CHART INCLUDED!)
How To Do A Basic Data Analysis In Excel (CHART INCLUDED!)
Welcome back to Day 9 of 30 Day Excel Analyst – transforming your analytical skillset in 30 days. Today’s session is the first in data analysis week. Excel data analysis is something every professional must do at some point, and it’s an absolute must for the Excel Analyst. So, let’s get to it!
Watch the video HERE
In this session, I show you how to analyse a continuous numerical dataset in Excel. Stats terminology alert! What on earth is ‘continuous numerical data’? As we will learn this week, the key to easy and powerful data analysis in Excel is to understand the nature of the data you are analysing. A simple starting point: is the data text-based, or is it numerical? And, if it’s numerical, does it comprise one of a limited number of options (rating a service from 1 to 5, for example)? Or, is it better described as ‘any number in a range’ – with no (or few) numbers in the dataset being the same?
If your dataset falls into the last category, you’re dealing with ‘continuous’ numerical data. One example is the fictional ‘Dogbit’ app that we feature in this session. The Dogbit app records how far your dog walks each day. That means lots of different numbers since even the best trained dog is unlikely to walk exactly the same distance each day! It’s a continuous numerical dataset, so how to get started analysing it in Excel?
I’ve been surprised over the years how few professionals can do this kind of analysis with confidence. I’ll take you through it step-by-step by step in this video, and we’ll see how applying averages only can create a misleading picture. We’ll examine two datasets that might look similar at first glance but are actually very different. To really understand what’s going on, you need go beyond averages, applying concepts of central tendency and dispersion via Excel formulae. We’ll apply one of my Excel secret weapons to really convey the nature of the two datasets with a beautiful visual – you might be surprised by what we discover.
Most importantly, however, the session will equip you with an easy method to tell the full story of continuous numerical data in Excel. Welcome back to 30 Day Excel Analyst, and welcome to data analysis week!
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