Whenever companies face the complex challenge of using advanced analysis tools to analyze and process large amounts of data in real-time to obtain a more uniform and useful form of data such as, Structured and Unstructured Data, they employ Data Analyst Consulting services. These Data Analyst Consultants develop strategies and plan to collect, analyze, and visualize data from various sources on a project-specific basis and present their ideas to their seniors for further action.
Data Analyst Consulting promotes strategic design and analysis to help organizations improve their grasp on the impact of data-driven decisions. Professionals in this field use the company’s data and create a roadmap for the organization to help it better understand its customers and their requirements. Moreover, Data Analyst Consulting is responsible to provide innovative solutions to enhance the company’s business.
This article will give you an in-depth understanding of the Data Analyst Consulting field and also explain the difference between a Data Analyst and a Data Analyst Consultant. Moreover, it will discuss the important characteristics required for this occupation and the responsibilities that come along with the job. Read along to enhance your knowledge of this immensely popular field!
Table of Contents
What is Data Analyst Consulting?
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Data Analyst Consulting is a field that acts as the bridge between Data Analysts and Senior Management in a company. Data Analyst Consulting is responsible to balance the purely technical aspects of Data Analysis and the Business Models of running a company. These professionals work with organizations and clients in the public sector to provide them with suggestions for improving efficiency and solving other business problems.
Your Data Analyst Consulting job includes collecting information, analyzing data, and formulating recommendations for optimizing operations and increasing profits. Moreover, you will be required to deliver engaging presentations to the Senior Management so that your recommendations can be better understood and implemented. Furthermore, interacting with clients to better understand their point of view is also part of this Data Analyst Consulting profession.
Some Data Analyst Consultants are freelancers, while others work for large Think Tanks and Consultancies. Think tanks are research organizations that use professional knowledge and network regeneration to provide advice on a wide range of policy issues and products. The Heritage Foundation and The Center for American Progress are some examples of Think Tank.
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Comparing Data Analyst and Data Analyst Consultant
Data Analyst Consulting is a broad field, and like any other domain, it follows a certain hierarchy. The position of a Data Analyst Consultant is one level higher than the Data Analyst due to the following reasons:
- Skill Set: In addition to the necessary technical knowledge, the Consultant must also have a high level of Consulting skills, that is, the ability to solve problems, collaborative communication, and effective presentation skills. Although technical skills can be acquired academically, other soft skills are acquired through experience and practice only.
- Domain Knowledge: A Data Analyst is usually an expert in a specific field and can offer insights related to that field only. However, someone in the Data Analyst Consulting job would have command over multiple fields and thus is more equipped to handle complex challenges that a company face.
- Professional Peers: Data Analysts usually work alongside the Development Teams and the Testing Teams while Data Analyst Consulting requires spending hours with Senior Management and various Stakeholders to come up with innovative solutions.
Although these 2 professions have different objectives, their working style is similar in a sense. Both Data Analysts and Data Analyst Consultants aid other teams in the organizations to improve their work by upgrading their methods. Moreover, both can help the company to improve its finance and economics. In addition, Consultants and Analysts both create reports based on their insights for specific organizations or situations. Companies use these reports to make more informed data-driven decisions in the future.
Characteristics Required for Data Analyst Consulting
To work in Data Analyst Consulting you must contain various technical skills like Data Visualization, Data Mining, and Big Data Analysis and must be proficient in R or Python Programming Languages. However, these skills cover only the technical aspects of the job and are also found in a Data Analyst. The Data Analyst Consulting job also has a business aspect that involves dealing with Management Teams and explaining to them the major technical processes in a simplified manner.
Furthermore, a person in this role is expected to come up with innovative solutions which can solve the company’s problems and are economically feasible at the same time. So the following characteristics are must to excel in the job of Data Analyst Consulting:
1) Flexible Problem Solving Approach
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The problems that Data Analyst Consulting generally tackles are very volatile as there are multiple stakeholders involved. It is often the case that during the development phase of a particular solution, some new demands may arise from the client’s side or a policy change is introduced by the company itself.
Now, to incorporate these changes as a Data Analyst Consultant, you must have enough patience and flexibility in your approach. Instead of complaining about the sudden demands, you must find intelligent ways of changing the solution promptly.
2) Cooperative Communication
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The work of Data Analyst Consulting usually involves a team effort, so you must indulge in collaborative communication with your teammates to get the best results. There will be numerous key players like Managers, Senior Developers, Data Scientists, etc. working with you on most of the projects. In such a scenario effective communication skills can improve the problem-solving process and make your Data Analyst Consulting job much easier.
Furthermore, you will be able to explain complex technical terms and processes to your clients and the Senior Management as well. Ultimately your strong communication skills will smoothen your path and your ideas and solutions will have much more impact.
3) Zeal for Learning
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Technology is changing at a tremendously fast rate and the field of Data Analyst Consulting requires you to be always on top of the game. To excel in this job you must be innately curious about the changes in technology, evolving trends in your field, and the future of Data Analytics.
Moreover, you should always try to embrace your mistakes and learn from your past projects. You could also benefit from the knowledge of your peers and the guidance offered by your seniors. The zeal for learning in Data Analyst Consulting, will ripe great results for you in the long run.
Responsibilities in Data Analyst Consulting
The roles and responsibilities of someone working as a Data Analyst Consultant can vary depending on the company or industry. However, the following duties are commonly associated with the job of Data Analyst Consulting in almost every field:
1) Designing Innovative Solutions for Clients
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More companies are nowadays working on client-centric Business Models and the very first step in this approach is to get to know the clients better. It will be your task in the Data Analyst Consulting job to interact with the customer and understands their needs. After that, you must formulate an innovative plan to fulfill the client’s requirements. You as the Data Analyst Consultant will then present that plan in the form of reports to the Senior Management of the company.
A team comprising of Senior Consultants, Data Scientists, and Data Analyst Consultants will then brainstorm the various ways to implement the presented plan and work together to develop a Life Cycle Model for this project. The job of Data Analyst Consulting also requires you to then share this model with the clients and the stakeholders and if they are satisfied with the proposed solution, the Development Team is assigned the task of executing it. So in Data Analyst Consulting, you will be responsible for the process of assessing client requirements and providing effective solutions to them.
2) Upgrading the Business Strategy
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Every company has a set way of running its business and certain Tactical Strategies are put in place to handle the day-to-day working of the organization. Data Analyst Consulting professionals are responsible to improve upon these Strategies from time to time. This includes collecting the data on the company’s past performance and analyzing it to forecast the near-future growth. Based on these results a Data Analyst Consultant must come up with a few alternatives that can be used to enhance the company’s current performance and also have a positive impact on future projects.
These findings related to the current issues and the proposed new Strategies are presented to the Senior Management of the company in the form of insightful reports. As a Data Analyst Consulting professional you will use Business Intelligence (BI) tools like SAP Business Objects, Datapine, MicroStrategy, etc. to generate these reports as it is important to present your insights in a way that can be comprehended by the Management who may or may not have a technical background.
Working in Data Analyst Consulting, it will be your responsibility to analyze the company’s current structure and capabilities and create plans to optimize the working environment of that organization.
3) Exploring New Business Opportunities
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Data Analyst Consulting requires you to often meet clients to get a review of your previously suggested changes. Such meetings also act as a way of gaining new business for the company as the client may be interested in other services offered by the company or the client may recommend the organization to other prospects as well. Moreover, you must research the market for new areas which the company can explore as business opportunities.
Also, Data Analyst Consultants collect internal data on the company’s projects that have been canceled or shut down due to various reasons. This data on analysis may churn out insights using which these projects can be improved and relaunched. As a Data Analyst Consulting professional, you must try to find such possibilities and report the required solutions to the Senior Management for further actions.
4) Training Company Employees
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Usually, in the field of Data Analyst Consulting, you will be responsible for data collection and analysis which is then presented to the authorities in the form of engaging reports and presentations. However, another crucial role that comes along with this job is to train the company’s employees so that they can adapt better to the changes in their day-to-day processes. Since these changes arise as a result of the new Strategies that are based on data-driven decisions, thus you are best equipped to take charge of the training process.
Also, apart from training employees, a Data Analyst Consulting professional is responsible for recommending a technology upgrade to the Senior Management regularly. This is essential for a company as it will allow it to stay relevant in the rapidly evolving business world that relies a lot on technology.
Conclusion
The article provided a thorough overview of Data Analyst Consulting and the major aspects related to this field. It explained how the role of a Data Analyst Consultant differs from that of a Data Analyst. Furthermore, it discussed the major characteristics which you will need to thrive in this field. The article also stated the 4 major responsibilities associated with the Data Analyst Consulting profession.
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Abhinav is a data science enthusiast who loves data analysis and writing technical content. He has authored numerous articles covering a wide array of subjects in data integration and infrastructure.