Will A. Tran's
Data Analyst Associate certificate
- Data Management
Data Management
At the level of data analyst, data management tasks relate mostly to data cleaning and processing. This includes identifying data quality issues, performing transformations and being able to work with data from multiple sources, typically multiple database tables. For the large part, these tasks are performed in SQL.
This skill was tested through a hands-on SQL coding challenge. The individual was required to code specific cleaning and transformation tasks that can be applied to a given data source.
- Exploratory Analysis
Exploratory Analysis
From specific business questions to more general exploration, being able to approach a problem, find the right data and get it into the right format is the core work of a data analyst. This candidate was comfortable in everything from creating summaries of data to transforming data into relevant formats for generating reports and dashboards.
This skill was primarily tested through a hands-on SQL coding challenge but assessment was also supplemented through a test in either R or Python.
- Statistical Experimentation
- Communication and Visualization
Communication and Visualization
As a direct line between business stakeholders and the data, it is essential to be able to effectively communicate insights. Creating dashboards, reports and presentations are all day to day aspects of the data analysts role. While the tools to do this may vary widely, the ability to create strong representations of the data through tables and visualizations and being able to effectively talk through findings, are essential at all levels.
Timed exams
Through a series of questions on a range of topics, we are able to establish that this individual has the knowledge required for a data analyst role. We make use of adaptive testing approaches to understand to a high degree of confidence the skill level of individuals who take the assessments.
Practical exam submission
This stage of the certification allows the candidate to demonstrate that they are able to put together their skills to solve problems they will experience in the real world. The candidate must complete a task that addresses a business problem by cleaning and validating data, and calculating metrics.