Overview

In this assignment, you will describe the role of a data analyst in each phase of the data analytics lifecycle (DAL). The DAL is an iterative cycle of phases used by analysts and organizations to address organizational challenges. The DAL tells us how to approach an analytical problem by providing a well-defined process, breaking large projects into smaller pieces, and spending time to plan and determine the size of the work. Through exploration of the DAL, you will understand the impact and importance of leveraging data in organizational decision making.

Scenario

You are a data analyst for a business organization that serves local nonprofit organizations with products and services. Your supervisor has assigned you to work with a client that has a business problem.

A nonprofit partnership, Two Sisters, Inc., is looking to determine where a majority of their donors live. They have asked questions such as the following:

• Which geographical areas within the United States do most of our donors come from?
• Are there areas of the country from which we don’t see any donors?
• Do our social media posts or fundraisers calling for donations reach these areas with few or no donors?

In this case, the stakeholders are your supervisor and Two Sisters, Inc., which is providing insight and feedback on the business problem.

Prompt

The stakeholders have asked you to outline your approach to addressing this business problem.

• Begin by creating a diagram, or visual, of the phases of the DAL. Your diagram must include clear labels and the appropriate arrows.
  • Please note: You may choose to use whichever tool you wish to create your diagram. Save a copy of your diagram to your computer by taking a picture, taking a screenshot, or saving a copy of the image. 
• In your diagram, briefly describe the key points of what occurs during each phase.
• Next, consider your role as a data analyst in this scenario. Select one phase of the DAL and describe a data analyst’s role in this phase. Be sure to explicitly state which phase you chose.

This assignment must be 1 to 3 pages in length. All references must be cited in APA format.