Data Strategy
Data is a core component of everything we do at Blou Designs. We see it everywhere.
But, while it gets a lot of hype, it's important to remember that, on its own, data is just "bits of stuff" we collect - strings of characters, numbers, images, etc. "Data" is even those memories you're storing just in your head - those things you've never written down but you're still using to inform your decisions.
Wherever you find it, there are two things that you need data to do:
- inform your decision making
- assist you in the performance of daily tasks
Often overlooked is the need for the data that you use to be auditable in some way, so that it can also help you to:
- double-check your assumptions
- mitigate against perception and other biases
Merely collecting a lot of it won't help you do these things. You need to have a data strategy.
What is Data Strategy?
"Data" ... so that you can ...
Data Strategy places data in a supporting role so that you can work towards achieving your business goals in an informed and intentional way.
That could look like:
- infusing your brand identity with thematic data so that you can shape your narrative with Strategic Storytelling
- building and using dashboards so that you can understand where you're at or explore your options
- creating forms and templates that better capture information from others so that you can streamline your next steps
- interpreting data like customer reviews and YouTube analytics so that you can get a clearer sense of what's working and what's not
- incorporating a decision log so that you can get clear about what factors you're paying attention to when making your decisions, and whether it makes sense to continue to do so
Data Strategy Services
Custom Data Projects
You don't want to be a "data scientist". You probably don't even want to become "the data person" everyone comes to whenever they have a data need.
You just want to be able to make data-informed decisions, or otherwise use data as part of your workflow.
Unfortunately, you don't have an internal IT or data team that you can call on to do this data work for you.
Rather than learning how to do it yourself, you want to work with someone who understands business and understands how to address your issues - using data.
Custom data projects can target one-off and ongoing needs.
Learn More about working together on a Custom Data Project to help you fill gaps left by other systems, streamline workflow, and address research needs.
Excel Training
Businesses run on Excel, because it's an amazingly powerful tool that most people already have installed. It frequently helps fill the gaps left by existing systems and overloaded internal IT teams.
Excel training is designed to get everyone on the same page in terms of how things should be done, so data is trustworthy and reliable, and you're not wasting time learning how to become a "power user" when that's not what most people need.
Topics covered may include:
- Auditability - so that you (and others) can go back into a spreadsheet and understand where data come from and what was done to it
- Necessary Functions - Excel offers many ways to do things, but there are some that everyone should know for reliable number calculations and text operations
- Error Handling & Suppression
- Analysis Tools - including interactive dashboards, static dashboards, and pivot tables
- Feature and Function Requests - sometimes you need to resolve a team dispute over which function to use, or people worry that they should start using a new function or feature that they're hearing out; we can include these in training for demo and discussion
- Workflow-specific Needs - for times when skills don't match workflow needs, but you know they could
Email or Book a Call to discuss your training needs.
Training can be tailored to teams, indepdendent groups, and individuals.
Data Literacy Training
Whether you need to understand where data comes from, how to collect it, how to select it for a data project, how to interpret it, or how to present and communicate it, you have a data literacy issue.
Data Training for Literacy can take two forms (or a mix of both):
- tailored training designed to get everyone on the same page about theory and what it looks like in practice to address these topics
- facilitated and interactive group discussions to tease out, articulate, and review data issues specifically related to a project you're considering or actively working on so that you can make informed decisions as you move forward with your project
Email or Book a Call to discuss your data training needs.
[Online Course] Mail Merge for CSV, Form, and Survey Data
If you're trying to manually work through data to create documents or make decisions .... You're wasting HOURS....and probably making mistakes.
With this course - and a tool you probably already have - learn how to easily organize & format your data for review, discussion, presentation, and record keeping.
Learn more about Turning Data into Documents - for any professional who frequently handles data, but struggles to organize, format, or review it efficiently
Featured Blogs
Choosing the "right" visualization: A diversity, equity, and inclusion example
Analyzing time spent: Time management with box and whisker plots