# Understanding an Important Skill in Analytics By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2023-07-11 Analysis can be challenging for a variety of reasons. Much attention is given to the technical aspects of analytics. This can be a barrier to becoming analysts and for analysts to be effective in their profession. There are strategies available for dealing with this constraint. Whereas these concerns are real and challenging, they don’t necessarily capture what might be considered an important skill in analytics. Taking one step back might be beneficial in appreciating this skill more fully. What is it that analysts do? Analysts assess information to come to an understanding. Analysts often do this over an extended period. Analysts might collect, analyze, test, and interpret data to generate insights over hours, days, and weeks. Sometimes this effort could even take months. Analysts must then explain everything to a group of people who have almost no depth or context into the material the analyst has invested significant time to understand. The ability to summarize information effectively is an important skill in analytics. Often this skill is conflated with communication. There is some overlap, and in execution, they can be hard to distinguish. However, the ability to summarize effectively is distinct from communication. The summary is part of the communicated message and shouldn’t be subsumed into communication. An effective summary contains the essence of the activity. Determining what is essential is key. Seldom is the technical complexity of the problem, or all the work done to resolve it, essential. Analysts benefit from being able to transcend ego and focus on the key pieces of information decision-makers need to know to move forward. This isn’t necessarily a skill analysts typically develop in their educations. This might be a skill better developed in a literature class. However, nontechnical this skill is, effective summarization skills contribute significantly to effective analysis. #### Related Items [[Analytics]] [[Skills]] [[Communication]] [[Thinking]] [[Summarize]] [[Problem Solving]]