A data analyst collects, cleans, and interprets data sets to answer a question or solve a problem. They work in many industries, including business, finance, criminal justice, science, medicine, and government.

What kind of customers should a business target in its next ad campaign? What age group is most vulnerable to a particular disease? What patterns in behaviour are connected to financial fraud?

You might be pressed to answer these questions as a data analyst. Read on to learn more about what a data analyst is, what skills you'll need, and how to start on a path to becoming one.

  Data analysis is the process of gleaning insights from data to inform better business decisions. Analysing data typically moves through five iterative phases:

Data analysis can take different forms, depending on the question you’re trying to answer. Briefly, descriptive analysis tells us what happened; diagnostic analysis tells us why it happened; predictive analytics forms projections about the future; and prescriptive analysis creates actionable advice on what actions to take.