The Well-Grounded Data Analyst you own this product

Solve messy data problems like a pro
David Asboth
Foreword by Reuven M. Lerner
  • January 2025
  • ISBN 9781633437531
  • 472 pages
  • printed in black & white

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Look inside
Complete eight data science projects that lock in important real-world skills—along with a practical process you can use to learn any new technique quickly and efficiently.

Data analysts need to be problem solvers—and The Well-Grounded Data Analyst will teach you how to solve the most common problems you'll face in industry. You'll explore eight scenarios that your class or bootcamp won’t have covered, so you can accomplish what your boss is asking for.

In The Well-Grounded Data Analyst you'll learn:

  • High-value skills to tackle specific analytical problems
  • Deconstructing problems for faster, practical solutions
  • Data modeling, PDF data extraction, and categorical data manipulation
  • Handling vague metrics, deciphering inherited projects, and defining customer records

The Well-Grounded Data Analyst is for junior and early-career data analysts looking to supplement their foundational data skills with real-world problem solving. As you explore each project, you'll also master a proven process for quickly learning new skills developed by author and Half Stack Data Science podcast host David Asboth. You'll learn how to determine a minimum viable answer for your stakeholders, identify and obtain the data you need to deliver, and reliably present and iterate on your findings. The book can be read cover-to-cover or opened to the chapter most relevant to your current challenges.

about the technology

Real world data analysis is messy. Success requires tackling challenges like unreliable data sources, ambiguous requests, and incompatible formats—often with limited guidance. This book goes beyond the clean, structured examples you see in classrooms and bootcamps, offering a step-by-step framework you can use to confidently solve any data analysis problem like a pro.

about the book

The Well-Grounded Data Analyst introduces you to eight scenarios that every data analyst is bound to face. You’ll practice author David Asboth’s results-oriented approach as you model data by identifying customer records, navigate poorly-defined metrics, extract data from PDFs, and much more! It also teaches you how to take over incomplete projects and create rapid prototypes with real data. Along the way, you’ll build an impressive portfolio of projects you can showcase at your next interview.

what's inside

  • Deconstructing problems
  • Handling vague metrics
  • Data modeling
  • Categorical data manipulation

about the reader

For early-career data scientists.

about the author

David Asboth is a data generalist educator, and software architect. He co-hosts the Half Stack Data Science podcast.

Well reasoned and well written, with approaches to solve many sorts of data analysis problems.

Naomi Ceder, Fellow of the Python Software Foundation

An excellent resource for any aspiring data scientist!

Andrew R. Freed, IBM

David’s clear and repeatable framework will give you confidence to tackle open-ended stakeholder requests and reach an answer much faster!

Shaun McGirr, DevOn Software Services

A book version of shadowing a senior data analyst while they explain handling frequent data problems at work, including all the ugly gotchas.

Randy Au, Google

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choose your plan

team

monthly
annual
$49.99
$399.99
only $33.33 per month
  • five seats for your team
  • access to all Manning books, MEAPs, liveVideos, liveProjects, and audiobooks!
  • choose another free product every time you renew
  • choose twelve free products per year
  • exclusive 50% discount on all purchases
  • The Well-Grounded Data Analyst ebook for free