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Identifying Data Tools

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Ashwin Kumar H M
Community Champion
Consultant| Canarys Automation Ltd Bangalore, Karnataka, India
One of the topic I am still struggling with is to do with approach for identifying and differentiating between Data Analysis, Representation and Gathering Tools. Can someone please suggest a logical way to do this?
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Keith Novak Tukwila, Wa, United States
My take would be as follows:
- Data gathering tools search data sources for targeted data such as keywords, retrieve the selected data, and collect it in logical groups.
- Data representation is visualizing the data in a way that is more meaningful, like a project dashoard.
- Data analysis is processing the data to learn from it. This includes things like fitting a curve to several data points to reveal trends, calculating the standard deviation, interpolating, and extrapolating.
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Kiron Bondale Retired | Mentor| Retired Welland, Ontario, Canada
To add to Keith's great feedback, here's an example.

We want to understand how much progress has been made so far relative to where we expect we'd be at this point in time.

One way to do this would be using data gathering to get progress information from each team member (e.g. I'm completed Task A and have three days left on Task B with 2 days of work spent).

We would then analyze the data we have gathered from all the team members to understand what our current status of work complete is. We would compare that against our schedule baseline to understand whether we are behind, on track or ahead of schedule. This is all data analysis.

When communicating an update to our sponsor, we would use data representation - perhaps showing a chart which shows schedule variance in a graphical manner over the life of the project.

Hope that helps!

Kiron
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Sergio Luis Conte Helping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based Organizations Buenos Aires, Argentina
Beyond the great comments above my recommendations is going to search for data warehousing architecture. When you find it you will understand how a data environment will be defined and you will find that what you ask are components just for a layer.
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Ashwin Kumar H M
Community Champion
Consultant| Canarys Automation Ltd Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Thanks to everyone for sharing your views.
Main challenge I faced was in differentiating between Data Representation and Data Analysis tools. Kiron gives example of Progress made. I think understanding the progress made can also be treated as Analysis. Right?
Till now I remembered the tools by memorizing them :-)
Thanks again to all of you
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1 reply by Kiron Bondale
May 07, 2020 8:20 AM
Kiron Bondale
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Ashwin -

It's the difference between simply knowing the progress made (data gathering) and understanding the implications of that (data analysis). The former just gives you data points - not particularly useful without context. The latter gives you "real" information - something which you can use to guide your monitoring & controlling efforts.

Kiron
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Kiron Bondale Retired | Mentor| Retired Welland, Ontario, Canada
May 07, 2020 2:39 AM
Replying to Ashwin Kumar H M
...
Thanks to everyone for sharing your views.
Main challenge I faced was in differentiating between Data Representation and Data Analysis tools. Kiron gives example of Progress made. I think understanding the progress made can also be treated as Analysis. Right?
Till now I remembered the tools by memorizing them :-)
Thanks again to all of you
Ashwin -

It's the difference between simply knowing the progress made (data gathering) and understanding the implications of that (data analysis). The former just gives you data points - not particularly useful without context. The latter gives you "real" information - something which you can use to guide your monitoring & controlling efforts.

Kiron
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1 reply by Ashwin Kumar H M
May 07, 2020 9:46 AM
Ashwin Kumar H M
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Thanks Kiron
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Ashwin Kumar H M
Community Champion
Consultant| Canarys Automation Ltd Bangalore, Karnataka, India
May 07, 2020 8:20 AM
Replying to Kiron Bondale
...
Ashwin -

It's the difference between simply knowing the progress made (data gathering) and understanding the implications of that (data analysis). The former just gives you data points - not particularly useful without context. The latter gives you "real" information - something which you can use to guide your monitoring & controlling efforts.

Kiron
Thanks Kiron

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