#MakeoverMonday has helped improve my Data Analytics and Visualization skills
How it all started
Before the COVID 19 lockdown in March 2020, I had registered for a beginner data analytics program to learn how to analyze and visualize data. The training was an eye-opener for me because before the training I knew little or nothing about how data can be used to bring so many insights. After the training, I saw data in a new light. I now understood how to analyze small data and build interactive dashboards using SQL and Power BI.
Late into the lockdown, I became active on Twitter, I recall going through a thread when I came across an amazing data visualization by @zizzy_data…I tried replicating the same by using the analytical software I was conversant with at that time (Excel and Power BI) but I was finding it very difficult. Soon enough I discovered the visualization was done using an analytical software called Tableau.
After many months of procrastination, I eventually downloaded Tableau on my pc in September 2020(yeeepeee). To understand some tableau techniques, I started by checking the free resources I could lay hands on online.
You know what they say about ‘ask and you shall be given…’, When I noticed I wasn’t getting much of what I needed, I reached out to the #datafam on Twitter (by the way Tableau has one of the best collaborative community). Surprisingly, a lot of people offered to help and provided me with links on how to learn Tableau… Most notably was my interaction with @prem_prasann who introduced me to lots of materials and eventually told me about #MakeoverMonday.
What #MakeoverMonday is to me?
I’ll like to define #MakeoverMonday as one of the best platforms to help aspiring data analysts, visualization specialists & data storytellers become the best that they can.
#MakeoverMonday is a weekly social data project anchored by Andy Kriebel and Eva Murray, where you explore different approaches to create amazing and effective visualizations, get inspired by other data communicators and also get feedback.
Starting #MakeoverMonday.
Fast forward to November 2020, I had already practised some visualizations from online tutorials and it was time to put what I had learned to work. I did my first MakeoverMonday viz which was on Comparing common mental disorder by gender in England, I was super happy with what I was able to do on Tableau.
By December 2020, I had a goal to be better at visualizing data using Tableau and I had made up my mind to participate in all the #MakeoverMonday in the year 2021.
The story so far.
I have participated in Twenty-three #MakeoverMonday projects this year and had my visualization reviewed once during the review session.
I have learned so much in the past five months. One of the things that have helped me this year has been materials from Andy Kriebel and sqlbelle…Their content on YouTube and Twitter has been really helpful. Btw Google is still my best friend (lol).
Why am I doing this?
Recently we had a session at my workplace about the Future of Work and one of the key lessons I took from there was “Own your career to prepare for the future”. My future job is to be a data analytics and visualization specialist. Participating in #MakeoverMonday is one of the ways to prepare for my future job. Whenever I make up my mind to change my career, I would have developed my data analytics and visualization skills and also built a strong portfolio.
Finally,
Own your career to prepare for the future.
