Chapter 1 of 7 · 4 practices · 3 min · 3-question quiz
Frame the question first
An analysis is only as useful as the question behind it. These practices pin down what you are measuring and why before you write a query.
Start: Start from a written question and the decision it informs4 practices in this chapter
- 1Start from a written question and the decision it informsGoogle's Good Data Analysis guide puts it plainly: data analysis starts with questions, not data or a technique. Writing the question down keeps the work focused and shows early which data you are…
- 2Define every ratio with an explicit numerator and denominator"Orders per user" sounds clear until you ask which users. All registered users? Users active this month? Users who placed at least one order? Google's guide lists this as its own rule: ratios should…
- 3Keep validating, describing and judging the data as separate stepsGoogle's guide splits analysis into three stages and asks you to always know which one you are in: Validation: is the data self-consistent, correctly collected and representative?; Description: what…
- 4Learn how the data was collected before you analyse itBefore touching the main question, find out how each table is produced. Google's guide recommends confirming the collection setup, unusual time ranges such as holidays or launches, and which…
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