Humans collect more data than ever. Some figures show that 90% of all the data never collected have been collected in the past two years and that it is constantly increasing. There has never been time when data literacy was more important.
Always, A Forrester study commanded by table concluded that the literacy of the data has not followed the pace of the enormous expansion of data collection. No matter what work you have, you can do better using data, so improving data literacy should be a goal on each list for 2025.
What is data literacy?
Basically, data literacy is the ability to understand and work with data. The higher the level of literacy of data, the better they are to analyze and make data -based decisions. The Forrester study defines it as “having the skills necessary to understand, explore, use, make decisions with and communicate using data”.
Why is data literacy important for marketing specialists?
Mark Twain said one day: “There are three types of lies: lies, lies and statistics.” He correctly calls the incredible persuasive power of data but, at the same time, deplores the way it can be used badly – intentionally or not.
Throughout my career, I saw people accidentally draw inappropriate conclusions of the analyzes and sometimes deliberately manipulate the analyzes to continue their agenda. Consider the old car purchase technique of four squares where the seller deliberately confuses the customer by modifying several parameters several times to ensure that they maximize the price you pay for the car.
There is no more literal data than a casino where each game is structured so that, over time, the house always wins. Even if you are only an analysis consumer, you must have a level of literacy of data sufficient to ask the right questions and be aware of the common traps.
For employers, the Forrester study calls for employee retention as a key reason to improve data control in your organization.
Almost 80% of employees said they would be more likely to stay in a company that trains them with the data skills they need. Unfortunately, less than half of the study employees said they presented themselves to such training in their company, even if 70% of employees have to use data in their roles.
When combined with the benefits found with data control, which included an “increased innovation, greater customer experience, better decision -making, cost reduction and an increase in income”, it makes no doubt that data literacy has a place in your business.
It is important to recognize the symptoms of illiteracy of the resulting data when we cannot develop our data skills. Forrester identified them as:
Slow discopy. Inability to make specific decisions. Lack of innovation. Decrease in productivity. Inability to perform fundamental work functions / tasks. Competition failure. Do not achieve the objectives of the department. Risk of losing employees. Failure to respond to disruptors in competition for customers. Bad customer experience. Reputation of the poor brand of the employer.
If these sound near them, improving the literacy of your organization’s data is urgent.
Dig more deeply: How to promote data literacy in your marketing team
How to build data literacy?
Online course and self-study
If you are starting, online training content is one of the easiest ways to create data literacy. There are many courses available, everyone is aimed at different learning styles. For someone who needs general literacy of high -level data, these are great places to start.
Training led by the instructor and in class
For a more structured learning experience, classy style training with an instructor can be very effective. Many universities now offer diplomas and certificates in data analysis and subjects related to someone looking for more advanced or in -depth training.
Personalized training for organizations
Companies seeking to improve the literacy of employee data can benefit from training sessions led by consultants adapted to their specific needs. Unlike the general courses based on theory, personalized training focuses on practical and relevant skills, making it more attractive and immediately exploitable. This improves learning results and serves as a precious team consolidation activity.
Learn through practice
Many people become literate data simply by working more with the data. An excellent way to start is to follow something that seems simple, like personal expenses, in a spreadsheet. Although downloading a bank statement is easy, deciding how to classify expenses requires critical reflection.
What actions will you do according to this data? If your goal is to reduce discretionary expenses, you will have to define what is qualified. Does having friends for dinner count as an entertainment (discretionary) or meals (required)? What will you do with the money you save: Take a vacation or invest it? At your current savings rate, how long will it take to afford this vacation?
Even something as simple as following your expenses forces you to consider the key concepts of data literacy without realizing it.
Data literacy is essential to improve performance in almost all areas in 2025. With more data available than ever, the ability to work with it is as important as diet and exercise for global well-being. There is no better time than now to start or continue your journey to become literate data.
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