# What are We Trying to Do By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2023-04-30 When given a project, it is not uncommon for analysts to embark quickly on collecting data. This is smart, as obtaining data is often an obstacle. In fact, one could boil analysis down to three major steps: collect data, analyze data, and present findings. These major steps receive a great deal of deserved attention. As important as these steps are, there is a minor step that is easy to overlook. Figuring out what one is trying to do is essential. This might seem obvious, but it is much more problematic than it first appears. Usually what is of interest is elusive. The data one might be able to obtain likely is related to the topic but is only a proxy for what is of interest. Often an analyst will analyze the data because they are available rather than because the data capture the phenomenon of interest. Determining what is of interest and how it is to be measured is important. Taking the time to interrogate these things at the beginning will enable the analyst to discuss the limitations of the data and the corresponding ambiguity of the results. This doesn’t mean that analysis shouldn’t still be done on the data available. It simply means that the analyst does not persuade oneself that the data are fully adequate for the task if they are not. What are we trying to do? Hopefully, we are trying to inform, understand, and improve. Doing so requires awareness of all the actions and compromises which occur before the analysis even begins. #### Related Items [[Analytics]] [[Process]] [[Data]] [[Problem Solving]] [[Thinking]]