Understanding Data and How it Powers Business

Collecting, processing, and presenting data can all help your business to improve. Here’s all you need to know about how data powers businesses worldwide.

The modern business world exists on a global stage. We have multiple sources of data, all coming together into large data ‘dumps’ which businesses need to extrapolate information from. With all that data accumulating every time the business interacts with outside sources, and every time outside sources interact with it, businesses need reliable, trustworthy data processors to understand what it all means. The world of technicians is only getting started. The age of the standard IT tech is coming to an end. One size no longer fits all. Your business must change to accommodate this, or it will end up falling behind.

The Role of Data in Business

What is the role of data in business? Let’s define data as any information relevant to your business, which comes or goes through your metaphysical doors. It’s the letters and numbers in streams of code. It’s the number of times a visitor comes to your site and how long they spend there. It’s knowing how many people come to your bricks and mortar shop over how many come to your online store. All of this data has to go through processing to be useful.

Once data is processed by a business, they can determine how it is useful. Data garnered from analytical feedback can highlight pages that don’t work, thereby helping companies streamline their SEO strategies and content marketing projects. In another example, data extrapolated and presented in graphic format can easily display last years’ sales figures in an executive meeting. We use data in business to improve upon our services. We can only do this if we have people who are skilled enough to read and collate the information.

Almost all organisations are looking at how they can better use data to power their growth. In order to do this, they need to collect and process it. Enter the roles of computer technicians, but not as you’ve ever known them before. Let’s talk about what types of computing role you might land in the world of data processing.

Types of Career in Data Processing

This new way of using data to boost business means there are a variety of new careers in the area. Here are a few of the most relevant:

  • Data Communications Analysts – these specialise in how your business communicates with outside sources
  • Data Analysts – these savvy computer whizz-kids interpret data on behalf of your firm
  • Business Intelligence Analysts – who process data and come up with ergonomic solutions
  • Data Scientists – who both analyse and interpret data with a business focus
  • Data Engineers – which build systems for processing larger datasets
  • Quantitative analysts – who deal primarily in large number based datasets

If you wanted a new career in tech which would last you for years to come, we suggest studying computing with a view towards data analytics. It’s a rewarding profession but it could boost your small business’s reputation exponentially.