Ask Questions to Make Data-Driven Decisions
*Weekly challenge 1*
1.
Question 1
In structured thinking, why would a data analyst organize the available information?
- To summarize results using data visualizations
- To recognize the current problem or situation
- To ask SMART questions
- To consult with subject matter experts
2.
Question 2
A data analyst creates data visualizations and a slideshow. Which phase of the data analysis process does this describe?
- Prepare
- Process
- Act
- Share
3.
Question 3
A community college wishes to share information about their new career technical degrees. Who are likely examples of their target audience? Select all that apply.
- Students who just graduated high school
- People looking for a career change
- People who are happy with their current jobs
- Students newly enrolled at a state university
4.
Question 4
A company wants to make more informed decisions regarding next year’s business strategy. An analyst uses data to help identify how things will likely work out in the future. This is an example of which problem type?
- Spotting something unusual
- Identifying themes
- Discovering connections
- Making predictions
5.
Question 5
Describe the key difference between the problem types of categorizing things and identifying themes.
- Categorizing things involves assigning items to categories. Identifying themes takes those categories a step further, grouping them into broader themes.
- Categorizing things involves taking inventory of items. Identifying themes deals with creating labels for items.
- Categorizing things involves determining how items are different from each other. Identifying themes brings different items back together in a single group.
- Categorizing things involves assigning grades to items. Identifying themes involves creating new classifications for items.
6.
Question 6
Which of the following examples are vague questions? Select all that apply.
- How much time did you spend waiting in line?
- Do you generally prefer hot or cold?
7.
Question 7
Fill in the blank: “How many people filled out the survey?” is an example of a question that is _____ in the context of data analysis.
- categorical
- symbolic
- measureable
- qualitative
8.
Question 8
Why should a data analyst only ask fair questions?
- Unfair questions do not have answers.
- Fair questions are biased.
- Unfair questions can provide data that is misleading.
- Fair questions do not offend people.
*Weekly challenge 2*
1.
Question 1
Which of the following statements describes an algorithm?
- A tool that enables data analysts to spot something unusual
- A process or set of rules to be followed for a specific task
- A technique for focusing on a single topic or a few closely related ideas
- A method for recognizing the current problem or situation and identifying the options
- Correct
2.
Question 2
Fill in the blank: In data analytics, qualitative data _____. Select all that apply.
- is always time bound
- measures numerical facts
3.
Question 3
What are some of the downsides to using dashboards? Select all that apply.
- They provide a data snapshot.
- They can be overwhelming.
- They can be inefficient.
- They take a long time to build.
4.
Question 4
A data analyst summarizes their data. They sort, reorganize, and average the data. What tool are they using to do this?
- A pivot table
- A function
- A dashboard
- A report
5.
Question 5
What is an example of using a metric? Select all that apply.
- Using a pie chart to visualize data
- Using column headers to sort and filter data
- Using annual profit targets to set and evaluate goals
6.
Question 6
Fill in the blank: A _____ goal is measurable and evaluated using single, quantifiable data.
- benchmark
- metric
- conceptual
- finite
7.
Question 7
Fill in the blank: Return on investment compares the cost of an investment to the _____ of that investment.
- future success
- timing
- purpose
- net profit
8.
Question 8
A data analyst is using data from a short time period to solve a problem related to someone’s day-to-day decisions. They are most likely working with small data.
- True
- False
*Weekly challenge 3*
1.
Question 1
Both formulas and functions in spreadsheets begin with what symbol?
- Equals sign (=)
- Colon (:)
- Hyphen (-)
- Bracket ([)
2.
Question 2
What button will choose every cell in a spreadsheet?
- Find All
- Group All
- Select All
- Get All
3.
Question 3
A data analyst is using data to predict next year’s revenue. What tool can they use to accomplish this task?
- A social media platform
- A spreadsheet
- A text editor
- A slide show
4.
Question 4
Fill in the blank: _____ are preset commands that perform calculations.
- Instructions
- Functions
- Formulas
- Goals
5.
Question 5
In the function =MAX(G3:G13), what does G3:G13 represent?
- a table
- an observation
- The range
- an attribute
6.
Question 6
What is the correct spreadsheet formula for multiplying cell H2 times cell H5?
- =H2xH5
- =H2*H5
- =H2/H5
- =H2^H5
7.
Question 7
To avoid bias when collecting data, a data analyst should keep what in mind?
- Graphs
- Opinion
- Context
- Stakeholders
8.
Question 8
Fill in the blank: A data analyst considers which organization created, collected, or funded a dataset in order to understand its _____.
- context
- length
- detail
- structure
*Weekly challenge 4*
1.
Question 1
A data analyst is working on a project for the marketing department. The vice-president of marketing wants to use the results of this project to inform future marketing strategies. What role is the vice-president serving in this project?
- Consultant
- Primary stakeholder
- Client
- Secondary stakeholder
2.
Question 2
A data analyst is researching the buying behavior of people who shop at a company’s retail store and those who might shop there in the future. During the analysis, it will be important to stay in communication with the people who most often interact with these shoppers. They are members of the executive team.
- True
- False
3.
Question 3
To communicate clearly with stakeholders and team members, there are four key questions data analysts ask themselves. One of the questions is: Who is my audience? Identify the remaining three questions? Select all that apply.
- Why are stakeholders and team members important?
4.
Question 4
A data analyst feels overworked. They often stay late to finish work, and have started missing deadlines. Their supervisor emails them another project to complete, and this causes the analyst even more stress. How should they handle this situation?
- Accept the new project right away and hope to not miss another deadline
- Respond immediately, letting the supervisor know their expectations are unreasonable
- Wait a few minutes to think it over, then respond with a meeting request to discuss this project and the general workload
- Walk into the supervisor’s office and tell them to give the project to someone else
5.
Question 5
Why should a data analyst focus on sample size during the data collection process? Select all that apply.
- To determine how much storage that they’ll need
- To avoid a small sample size leading to inaccurate judgements
- To reduce the amount of calculations required in the analysis
6.
Question 6
A data analyst has been invited to a meeting. They review the agenda and notice that their data analysis project is one of the topics that will be discussed. They plan to arrive on time and have a pen and paper to take notes. But they do not spend time considering project updates they could share or questions they may be asked. This is appropriate because they’re not the one running the meeting.
- True
- False
7.
Question 7
You are leading an online meeting to discuss the new project. What should you do before starting the meeting to make it effective? Select all that apply.
- Have them arrive when they choose
- Ensure that all necessary technology works
8.
Question 8
Conflict is a natural part of working on a team. What are some ways to help shift a situation from problematic to productive? Select all that apply.
- Identify the person who caused the issue so they can take responsibility.
- Reframe the question by asking, “How can I help?”
*Course challenge*
1.
Question 1
Scenario 1, questions 1-5
You’ve just started a job as a data analyst at a small software company that provides data analytics and business intelligence solutions. Your supervisor asks you to kick off a project with a new client, Athena’s Story, a feminist bookstore. They have four existing locations, and the fifth shop has just opened in your community.
Athena’s Story wants to produce a campaign to generate excitement for an upcoming celebration and introduce the bookstore to the community. They share some data with your team to help make the event as successful as possible.
Your task is to review the assignment and the available data, then present your approach to your supervisor. Click the link below to access the email from your supervisor:
Course 2 Scenario 1 Email from Supervisor.pdf
Then, review the email, and the Customer Survey and Historical Sales datasets.
To use the templates for the datasets, click the links below and select “Use Template.”
Links to templates: Customer Survey and Historical Sales
OR
If you don’t have a Google account, you can download the CSV files directly from the attachments below.
CustomerSurvey – CustomerSurvey
HistoricalSales – HistoricalSales
After reading the email, you notice that the acronym WHM appears in multiple places. You look it up online, and the most common result is web host manager. That doesn’t seem right to you, as it doesn’t fit the context of a feminist bookstore. You email your supervisor to ask. When writing your email, what do you do to ensure it sounds professional? Select all that apply.
- Read your email aloud before sending to catch any typos or grammatical errors and to ensure the communication is clear.
- Respect your supervisor’s time by writing an email that’s short and to the point.
- Write a clear subject line that gets a fast response so you can keep working: “WHM? NEED TO KNOW WHAT THAT IS RIGHT AWAY.”
- Use a polite greeting and closing.
2.
Question 2
Scenario 1 continued
Now that you know WHM stands for Women’s History Month, you review the Customer Survey dataset which contains both qualitative and quantitative data.
To use the template for the dataset, click the link below and select “Use Template.”
Link to template: Customer Survey
OR
If you don’t have a Google account, you can download the CSV file directly from the attachment below.
CustomerSurvey – CustomerSurvey
The data in column F (Survey Q6: What types of books would you like to see more of at Athena’s Story?) is quantitative.
- True
- False
3.
Question 3
Scenario 1 continued
Next, you review the customer feedback in column F of the Customer Survey dataset.
To use the template for the dataset, click the link below and select “Use Template.”
Link to template: Customer Survey
OR
If you don’t have a Google account, you can download the CSV file directly from the attachment below.
CustomerSurvey – CustomerSurvey
The attribute of column F is, “Survey Q6: What types of books would you like to see more of at Athena’s Story?” In order to verify that children’s literature and feminist zines are among the most popular genres, you create a visualization. This will help you clearly identify which genres are most likely to sell well during the Women’s History Month campaign.
Your visualization looks like this:
Pie chart categories: Feminist science fiction 4.8% Books about women 2.4% Women’s journals 2.4% Feminist literary criticism 2.4% Children’s literature 15.5% Women’s history books 2.4% Biographies of inspiration 20.2% Feminist fiction 26.2% Feminist zines 14.3% Feminist poetry 4.6% Feminist novels 3.6%
Fill in the blank: The visualization you create demonstrates the percentages of each book genre that make up the total number of survey responses. It’s called a _____ chart.
- doughnut
- pie
- area
- bubble
4.
Question 4
Now that you’ve confirmed that children’s literature and feminist zines are among the most requested book genres, you review the Historical Sales dataset.
To use the template for the dataset, click the link below and select “Use Template.”
Link to template: Historical Sales
If you don’t have a Google account, you can download the CSV file directly from the attachment below.
HistoricalSales – HistoricalSales
You’re pleased to see that the dataset contains data that’s specific to children’s literature and feminist zines. This will provide you with the information you need to make data-inspired decisions. In addition, the children’s literature and feminist zines metrics will help you organize and analyze the data about each genre in order to determine if they’re likely to be profitable.
Next, you calculate the total sales over 52 weeks for feminist zines. What is the correct syntax?
- =COUNT(E2:E53)
- =CALCULATE(E2:E53)
- =SUM(E2:E53)
- =MAX(E2:E53)
5.
Question 5
Scenario 1 continued
After familiarizing yourself with the project and available data, you present your approach to your supervisor. You provide a scope of work, which includes important details, a schedule, and information on how you plan to prepare and validate the data. You also share some of your initial results and the pie chart you created.
In addition, you identify the problem type, or domain, for the data analysis project. You decide that the historical sales data can be used to provide insights into the types of books that will sell best during Women’s History Month this coming year. This will also enable you to determine if Athena’s Story should begin selling more children’s literature and feminist zines.
Using historical data to make informed decisions about how things may be in the future is an example of spotting something unusual.
- True
- False
6.
Question 6
Scenario 2, questions 6-10
You’ve completed this program and are now interviewing for your first junior data analyst position. You’re hoping to be hired by an event planning company, Patel Events Plus. Access the job description below:
Junior Data Analyst Job Description.pdf
So far, you’ve successfully completed the first round of interviews with the human resources manager and director of data and strategy. Now, the vice president of data and strategy wants to learn more about your approach to managing projects and clients. Access the email you receive from the human resources director below:
Human Resources Director Email.pdf
You arrive Thursday at 1:45 p.m. for your 2:00 p.m. interview. Soon, you’re taken into the office of Mila Aronowicz, vice president of data and strategy. After welcoming you, she begins the behavioral interview.
First, she hands you a copy of Patel Events Plus’s organizational chart. Access the chart below:
Patel Event Plus Org Chart.pdf
As you’ve learned in this course, stakeholders are people who invest time, interest, and resources into the projects you’ll be working on as a data analyst. Secondary stakeholders are also typically responsible for managing the data.
Based on what you find in the organizational chart, which of the stakeholders are responsible for managing the data? Select all that apply.
- Vice president, data and strategy
- Junior data analyst
- Chief executive officer
7.
Question 7
Scenario 2 continued
Next, the vice president wants to understand your knowledge about asking effective questions. Consider and respond to the following question. Select all that apply.
Let’s say we just completed a big event for a client and wanted to find out if they were satisfied with their experience. Provide some examples of measurable questions that you could include in the customer feedback survey. Select all that apply.
- On a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being not at all likely and 5 being very likely, how likely are you to recommend Patel Events Plus?
- How satisfied were you with our event planning service — dissatisfied, neutral, or satisfied?
- What problems did you experience with our events team?
- What did you most love about your event experience?
8.
Question 8
Now, the vice president presents a situation having to do with resolving challenges and meeting stakeholder expectations. Consider and respond to the following question. Select all that apply.
You’re working with a dataset that the data analytics coordinator should have cleaned, but it turns out that it wasn’t. Your supervisor thought the dataset was ready for use, but you discover nulls, redundant data, and other issues. The project is due in less than two weeks. Which of the following options would be an appropriate approach? Select all that apply.
- Proceed with the project using the available data. You don’t want to get the associate data analyst in trouble, and you don’t want to miss your deadline.
- Email your supervisor and the data analytics coordinator to communicate about the issue. Ask if you can meet to come up with a solution.
- Email the data analytics coordinator to ask if the two of you can work together to clean the data, as the project is on a tight timeline.
- Provide your supervisor with a proposed revised timeline. Politely explain that you need some additional time to clean the data.
9.
Question 9
Scenario 2 continued
Your next interview question deals with sharing information with stakeholders. Consider and respond to the following question. Select all that apply.
Let’s say you’ve created a report to present stakeholders with information about an upcoming event. Describe the benefits of using a report. Select all that apply.
- Reports reflect data that’s already been cleaned and sorted.
- Reports provide a snapshot of high-level, historical data.
- Reports enable stakeholders to interact with the data.
- Reports offer live monitoring of incoming data
10.
Question 10
Scenario 2 continued
Your final behavioral interview question involves using metrics to answer business questions. Your interviewer hands you a copy of the Patel Events dataset.
To use the template for the dataset, click the link below and select “Use Template.”
Link to template: Patel Events Data
OR
If you don’t have a Google account, you can download the CSV file directly from the attachment below.
Then, she asks: Recently, Patel Events Plus purchased a new venue for our events. If we asked you to calculate the return on investment of this purchase, which metrics would you use?
- Purchase date
- 2019 events held at new venue (column D)
- Net profit in 2019 (column F)
- Purchase price (column C)
