KELLY'S BYTES

By Kelly J. Adams

Hey!

You might’ve noticed that I’ve changed the format of my newsletter. I’ve been spending the last few weeks really thinking about how I want to structure my content from now on. So each newsletter contains:

• Main Lesson: Something I’ve learned or am working on
• 3 bite-sized resources: Still related to data or learning new skills

Main Lesson: SQL Functions

Understanding how data flows into tables has been a game-changer for my SQL workflow. Here’s why:

• Conditional Filtering: CASE WHEN statements let me filter based on specific criteria directly in SQL, reducing extra data cleaning steps.
• Focused Aggregation: I can aggregate data by distinctions like regular actions vs. high-value outcomes, without complex joins or additional processing.

Here’s an example query which counts player actions (like regular moves, bonuses, and high scores) within a date range, helping me spot patterns and anomalies:

For more on using CASE WHEN to streamline data filtering and support product decisions, check out this week’s blog post below!

Bite-Sized Resources

📺 Video: [Data Analytics] How I'd Learn to be a Data Analyst in 2024 from Luke Barousse on everything he’d do to become a data analyst that goes over which tools to learn, where to learn them and more.

🎧 Podcast: [Data Science] Beyond Borders: Elevating Women in Data Science and Leadership from the Women in Data Science Worldwide Podcast. Featuring Hannah Pham, Head of Data Science, Consumers at Pinterest, and her experience as an immigrant and the evolving nature of data science.

📝 Post: [Data Analytics] LinkedIn Post from Karina Samsonova with lessons she learned in her first year as a data analyst.

Courses & Resources

📚 ​Excel Course​: A free course that teaches you Excel from beginner concepts like formulas and functions to more advanced concepts like Power Query.

📚 ​SQL Course​: Learn basic SQL in 4 hours going over things like aggregation, common analysis techniques and more.

📚 ​Python Course​: Goes into not only using Python to analyze data but also visualize it as well with libraries like Matplotlib.

📊 How to Become a Data Analyst: Check out my blog post on how you can become a data analyst.

📊 Data Analytics Resources: View all the resources (e.g. podcasts, courses, etc.) I used to learn data analytics.

The links for my courses are affiliate links. If you decide to purchase the course through this link, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This support helps me continue to provide content. Thank you for your support!

Until next time,

- Kelly