Learn the technical and soft skills you need to succeed in your career as a data analyst. Effective Data Analysis is full of sage advice on how to be an effective data analyst in a real production environment. Inside, you’ll find methods that maximize the impact of your work, from choosing the right analysis approach to effectively communicating with stakeholders. You’ll soon understand the nuances and challenges of real data science projects, with the kind of insights that only come from years of experience. Without doubt, technical skills in Python, R, SQL, along with knowledge of statistics and data science are vital to your success as an analyst. However, they’re only part of the picture. This one-of-a-kind guide reveals the soft skills, best practices, and tools that help you maximize your effectiveness and deliver accurate data-driven decisions in your organization. Effective Data Analysis teaches you to deliver productive data science in business and research. It assumes you’ve mastered the basics and supports you with best practices normally learned through trial-and-error or careful mentorship. You’ll start with asking the right questions of your stakeholders and turning often-vague requirements into realistic data pipelines. Once you’ve mastered the people skills, you’ll move on to the technical bits—including defining your metrics, testing, and more. Build out your analyst’s toolbox with techniques for statistical modeling, sourcing your data, automation, and more. Finally, finish up with realistic advice on developing a data-informed organizational culture that will ensure your skills are delivering to their full potential.