10 Data Analysis Methods Beginners Should Understand
Methods matter only when they answer the right question. Start by defining what you want to learn from the data before choosing a technique.
10 Useful Analysis Methods
- Descriptive statistics
- Distribution analysis
- Segmentation and grouping
- Trend analysis
- Variance and change analysis
- Correlation analysis
- Cross-tabulation
- Cohort analysis
- Basic hypothesis testing
- Simple regression for relationships and prediction
A Practical Workflow
- Define the question
- Check data quality
- Choose relevant variables
- Explore distributions
- Apply the simplest suitable method
- Visualise the result
- Validate assumptions
- Explain limitations
Tools
Spreadsheets, SQL, Python and BI tools can all support analysis. The right tool depends on data size, repeatability and the type of question.