Data Literacy in Practice: A complete guide to data literacy and making smarter decisions with data through intelligent actions

In their new book, Angelika Klidas and Kevin Hanegan explore the increasingly ubiquitous role of data in our lives and the implications it has on our daily practices. From descriptive analytics to diagnostic analytics, the authors offer a comprehensive overview of how analytics have evolved and been adopted by modern organizations.The authors introduce a model of an enterprise data culture built on four key pillars: "organizational data literacy," "data management," "data analytics," and "education. This is particularly noteworthy for its emphasis on the importance of "organizational data literacy" rather than just on individual skills.This book provides readers with a thorough understanding of how to improve their dashboard design and communication with data, as well as how to measure the success of data and analytics projects. Detailed instructions, checklists, templates, and examples are included which help to illustrate and clarify complex concepts, reducing confusion around terminology and jargon.This comprehensive and practical guide to data literacy, "Data Literacy in Practice," is highly recommended for both experienced data analysts and newcomers alike. Detailed and well-balanced, it offers something of value for everyone.

"Congratulations to Angelika Klidas and Kevin Hanegan for this reference on how organizations can manage and leverage data & analytics from a cultural aspect. The book details an ideal organizational data journey--especially going beyond simple yet ubiquitous hindsight-only analytics to the promised land of diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive analytics, and how to structure and organize for analytic success. It includes guidance on culture, measuring and managing to success, explaining the importance of data management/quality/governance in business terminology, aligning analytics with organizational objectives, choosing ideal visuals, responsible data handling, and an overall framework for data literacy.The book is a great read and reference, as it includes stories, tools & techniques, illustrations, and frameworks--everything you'd expect and want from such a book. Highly recommended for any and all data & analytics leaders.The major areas the book falls short is in helping data & analytics leaders make the financial and economic business case for managing data as an actual asset, identifying the various ways organizations should be thinking about how to monetize their (and others') data assets, and measuring the potential and realized value of their data assets. The book entirely fails to acknowledge prior work, ideas, and best practices on these increasingly critical topics. Also, it's not all about identifying and solving *problems* as their Data Literacy Competency Framework indicates, but rather organizations should be trained on how to look at data opportunistically as well. And I would have liked to see treatment of the increasingly important topics of data literacy within an AI context and how legal teams should ensure that technology-related contracts should address data-related rights & responsibilities beyond privacy (e.g. sovereignty, residency, localization, etc.)"--Doug Laney, Innovation Fellow, Data & Analytics Strategy, West Monroe, and author of "Infonomics: How to Monetize, Manage, and Measure Information as an Asset for Competitive Advantage" and "Data Juice: 101 Real-World Stories of How Organizations Are Squeezing Value From Available Data Assets."

I've bene fortunate enough to be an early adaptor of the Data Literacy movement and benefited from Kevin's contributions to its foundation. Whether its from his leadership on the Advisory board of the Data Literacy Project or continuous content contributions as the Chief Learning Officer at Qlik, Inc., Mr. Hanegan has been a champion for careers in all things data.In his latest collaboration with Angelika Klidas, the "Data Literacy in Practice" book offers a thoughtfully defined approach for anyone looking to upskill working with data. I found the book to be easy to understand for many different audiences. Regardless if you are a neophyte looking for a new career working with data or an advanced technology practitioner looking to invest in their techniques to effectively communicate working with data.The book serves as a blueprint for success in effectively adopting data literacy within yourself and with others. I found the examples throughout the book serve as a roadmap for maturing how to answer complex business questions with data. The end result helps the reader better articulate the value of data and avoid the pitfalls that occur when the focus is on the technology tool versus the quality of the data.I especially enjoyed the many "intermezzo" examples showcasing the common pitfalls that exist in many data projects. These are intended to serve as best practices without calling out any organization by name so the audience can focus on the lessons learned.By the end of the book, the reader should feel confident having the right insights and a framework to help adopt data literacy within any organization. The combined experience of Angelika and Kevin shine throughout the book with meaningful guidance.In the Digital Age where everyone is bombarded with facts, opinions, disinformation and misinformation daily, having the skills to effectively question and validate data is vitally important. Now more than ever, data literacy is integral part of daily life which is why I would highly recommend this book.

This book starts out discussing how data is being collected and created all of the time. Data is everywhere. But understanding that data and knowing what to do with it, is the key. As the book says “Having a large amount of data to use is not a goal in and of itself; the ultimate goal is to use that data and get that information from the data mountain to make data-informed decisions.”This book helps the reader understand what data literacy is, why it is important, and how to implement data literacy within an organization. It explains the difference between descriptive analysis, diagnostic analysis, predictive analysis and prescriptive analysis. This book covers topics like turning insights into decisions, learning to ask questions of data (and why that is important – something I use often in my job and even in my daily life), and looking at the ethical side of data. There is also a chapter that covers dashboards and reports, how to choose and build the right visualization, and the DAR(S) principle. All of these topics and more show you how to utilize data to ultimately arrive at and make data-informed decisions.No matter where you are in your data journey, or where your organization is in its data journey, I highly recommend this book. The preface and the overview for the book states that this book is for data analysts, data professionals, and data teams. But I would modify that to say it is for anyone who utilizes data in their jobs and in their everyday lives…and, let’s face it, nowadays most of us do.

Data Literacy can seem intimidating, but it is not a science; it is a life skill anyone can develop.Angelika Klidas and Kevin Hanegan's Data Literacy in Practice is an essential resource for anyonelooking to improve their data literacy skills while exploring advanced data analysis techniques.Throughout the book the authors provide step-by-step instructions for working with common data analysis tools, as well as tips and tricks for overcoming common challenges and pitfalls.The standout feature of the book is its focus on real-world applications of data literacy.Throughout the book case studies are provided to demonstrate how data literacy can be used to solve problems, communicate effectively, and make informed decisions.Complex concepts are presented in an accessible and engaging way and are intertwined with real world examples which makes it easy to apply in everyday situations.This practical approach makes the book an invaluable resource for anyone lookingto improve the applications of data literacy to their work and beyond.