What is The Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate?

The Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate is professional training program available on the online learning platform, Coursera. It comprises of 8 courses developed by Google that can be completed within three to six months. The online course, which is taught by Google experts, teaches the most in-demand skills needed to be an entry-level data analyst in the industry. It includes numerous hours of video lecture content, learning resources, an amazing community of students and practice quizzes.

In this post, I will answer all the questions you have about the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate.

Who Should Take The Google Data Analytics Certificate Course?

This course is suitable for anyone aspiring to become a data analyst. Regardless of being fresh out of college or transitioning from another field, it is a flexible, self-paced online learning experience that equips students on numerous topics across the data analytics field.

How Much Does The Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate Cost?

Coursera gives a 7 day free trial at the beginning of the course and charges you the monthly subscription rate of USD39 once the trial ends. Additionally, there is a financial aid option for students who cannot afford the monthly fees.

What Is The Google Data Analytics Course Curriculum Like?

The specialization consists of eight courses, six of which comprise of the data analysis phases. ASK, PREPARE, PROCESS, ANALYZE, SHARE, ACT. Each course is highly interactive, with practice-based assessments and resources for guidance when needed. I will give a brief breakdown of each course below.

Course 1: Foundation: Data, Data, Everywhere

Firstly, this is the introductory part of the specialization. It focuses on introducing students to what a data analyst’s job entails, skills required to be a successful analyst, tools of data analysis, life cycle of data, data integrity, data fairness measures and so much more.

Course 2: Ask Questions to Make Data-Driven Decisions

The course teaches the importance of defining the business problem of the stakeholders. This is the first phase of data analysis process. Business objectives can be met by asking effective questions and making data-driven decisions. Additionally, it covers different problem types that data analysts encounter, types of data and some spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets) basics.

Course 3: Prepare Data for Exploration

This course covers the basics of data ethics, bias, privacy, rights, and ways of identifying good data sources. It also teaches different data types and structures and dives into the use of SQL and spreadsheets to collect, store and explore data. At this stage of analysis, the data analyst creates security measures to protect their data.

Course 4: Process Data From Dirty To Clean

Here, you’re taught the importance of data integrity, i.e. the accuracy, completeness and consistency of data throughout its life cycle. Moreover, it covers data cleaning and transformation with SQL. You learn how to remove multiple entries and check for bias in your data.

Course 5: Analyze Data to Answer Questions

In this course, the instructors teach how to make sense of all the data collected. Also, you will learn use of SQL and spreadsheets to aggregate data, use formula, functions and SQL queries to perform for data calculations.

Course 6: Share Data Through the Art of Visualization

Story telling via data visualization is a fundamental part of bringing your data insights to life. Here, the program teaches creation of dashboards with BI tool Tableau, which can be crafted into compelling slideshows and shared via presentations to stakeholders.

Course 7: Data Analysis with R Programming

Hands down my favorite course, it teaches the use of R Studio to visualize data and generate data analysis notebooks. R offers a broad collection of visualization libraries and packages, along with extensive online documentation that guides students on their usage.

Course 8: The Capstone Project – Complete a Case Study

The instructor puts the student’s recently acquired analytical skills to test. It is an optional project that once completed, can be used in the student’s online portfolio. Lastly, it also provides the students with helpful materials for their job-hunting process. From interview instances and tips on how to negotiate salaries, the Google Data Analytics course issues a certificate to the students that complete the course. This certificate can be shared across professional networks of one’s choosing. Find mine attached below!

Conclusion

In conclusion, the program provides an enriching educational experience and serves as a stepping stone for data analyst enthusiasts. The demand for data analysts continues to grow globally and rapidly across multiple industries. From health, tech, banking, finance, logistics etc. every industry works with data and requires data analysts to make sense of their numbers and improve business processes. Having the technical and analytical abilities to work with data is not only valuable but very essential. And I know from experience, that the Google Data Analytics Course can help you get that!

To read previous posts, please click here. To follow me on my data journey, please follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Python is quickly becoming the most widely used programming language today. Some of the reasons being how easy to read and versatile it is. It is a language that can be used in different fields. Some include Machine Learning, Data Analysis, Artificial Intelligence. In this article, we will discuss some of the top Python programming language libraries for Data Analysis in 2022. 

NUMPY

Firstly, Numpy. This is a library for numerical analysis with Python. It provides powerful, fast, and efficient operations on robust data. It is the best library when working with numbers and N-dimensional arrays. Simply install Numpy by running the code” import numpy as np“. Some other ways of using Numpy are listed in the image below.

PANDAS

Pandas is the most preferred library to analyze, transform and manipulate data. It provides data structures and operations for working with tabular data. Pandas is used to import, prepare and data. Its eloquent syntax gives the freedom to deal with missing data.

For example, the image below is an illustration of the use of pandas. We imported a datasheet called “names.csv” by calling the import pandas command. that is, “import pandas as pd”. (pd being our alias, you can name it however you want). We also went ahead to read the data from the data source into a pandas Dataframe. Lastly, the data command displayed our datasheet.

The next image includes a list of 8 different built in functions of Pandas in Python.

MATPLOTLIB

This is a library for plotting and visualising data in Python. We can create line-graphs, bar chats, scatter plots, histograms, pie charts with this library. In other words, it is used for its ability to produce publication-quality plots. It also provides an object-oriented API, which can be used to embed those plots into applications. To install, simply enter the code “pip install matplotlib” into terminal.

With a few lines of code, we generated a basic plot using python matplotlib as seen below. In order to import matplotlib, we run the ‘import matplotlib.pyplot as plt‘ command. This reason being matplotlib itself is a very vast library and we want to import only a specific module, in this case the pyplot module. the next line of code “%matplot lib inline” is basically a command that we give matplotlib to make sure all the graphs and charts we create stay inline and within the notebook. We added title, labels (Side X) (Side Y) and colors to our graph to bring in more detail to it.

SEABORN

Lastly, this is another library built upon Matplotlib that is used for creating data visuals. It is a very popular library for machine learning that includes a vast collection of machine learning algorithms. While also being used for making predictions, one of its benefits is to make it easier to produce attractive, publication-quality graphs. It has four mandatory dependencies which are Pandas, Numpy, Matplotlib and Scipy.

To learn more on Python, check out Derek Banas on Youtube, Freedcodecamp (Youtube), Programming with Mosh (Youtube) and online documentations of each library.

CONCLUSION

So there you have it, I have reviewed my personal favorite top python libraries for data analysis in 2022. Although there are thousands of other libraries, this post was written in order to give you an introduction to the most common ones and their functions. These libraries are highly useful, easily adoptable by anyone, and with a great open source online documentation community behind each of them.

Regardless of what kind of goods you sell, your company’s digital presence plays a major role in determining the performance of your business. If you need new ways to reduce operational costs, maximize sales and profits, automate business processes, an e-commerce website is what you need. Having a website gives your business authority and credibility to stand out from the crowd of already existing businesses. There are numerous other reasons why your business needs an e-commerce website. Read on to find out…

BRAND AWARENESS AND REACH

A website is the foundation of any business’s online presence. It’s a fundamental tool that can be used to increase awareness and engagement of brands. A great way to do that is to have a website optimised for SEO chances. This means that people could search for products on google and find you amongst the top results. This would drastically increase your reach and customer base. It would also strengthen your business’s credibility and give you a competitive edge over others.

CONVINIENCE

One of the reasons why your business needs an e-commerce website is convenience. Picture this! There are 2 scenarios. Get in your car, drive down to the store, find the right isle, pick what you want, join the queue, pay at the cashier point, get back into your car and drive home. OR, Scenario 2: Grab your phone, add your favorite soccer boots to cart, checkout in less than 2 minutes, while wearing your PJs and sipping tea at 2am. What scenario would you prefer? Convenience is easily the biggest perk of online shopping. An even better scenario is you being the vendor who receives the credit alerts for those transactions.

SAVES TIME AND RESOURCES

One great advantage is that e-commerce sites do not require you to be physically present where your customers are. There are no overhead costs like renting a store or paying electricity bills and salaries of staff. Also, the internal productivity of your business could increase drastically by simply providing all the possible answers to questions in the ABOUT, FAQs and CONTACT pages of your website.

MAKE MONEY WHILE YOU SLEEP

One saying that I relate so deeply with goes something like “if you are not making money while you are sleeping, you will work till you die”. Sounds funny when you read it as a Nigerian I know but there’s a deep level of truth to it. Waking up to purchase orders makes my day every-time. If I didn’t have a platform where people could patronise without time restrictions, then it would be impossible for me to succeed in 2022. Majority of the purchases happen after working hours. (Impulse shopping after-midnight is a real thing!) Look it up!

CONCLUSION

Social platforms can help you generate leads but a website converts those leads into sales.The good news is I can help your business build a strong online presence by building an e-commerce store. What’s even better is the affordability of it all. I worked continuously for years to become an efficient, experienced web designer with the right skills to give brands the necessary digital awareness needed for their businesses to succeed. Feel free to contact me by filling this form. Let’s build your business up now!

 We know that programming is a fundamental requirement in the tech world today. But did you know that there are tons of other well-paying opportunities that do not require coding?  With interest, dedication and willingness to learn, you can easily land a fantastic job in this field. Read on as i give you six job options that do not require coding abilities.

USER INTERFACE DESIGNER (UI)

User interface designers are responsible for the look and feel of software interfaces. They are the first people who decide the colors, size, layout, form and other visual elements of a website or mobile application. They work closely together with UX Designers.

USER EXPERIENCE DESIGNER (UX)

User experience or UX design is the process of enhancing customer satisfaction through improved efficiency, ease of use and aesthetics of products. They tend to focus on usability and how easy it is for people to interact with a site or application. UI/UX designers can use tools such as Sketch, Figma, Adobe XD, Marvel etc.

TECHNICAL WRITER

This is another essential job role for individuals who do not have interest in coding. Basically, it involves writing technical information in a clear, concise way, good enough for a reader to use for their intended purpose. From writing instructions for users, technical reports, press releases or presentations etc. It is essential for a technical writer to have excellent communication and writing skills and also good knowledge of technical terminologies.

IT SUPPORT TECHNICIAN

Working here allows you to be prepared for anything that can go wrong with a computer or software. You will be responsible for configuring, installing, supporting and repairing computer systems, networks and software applications. A computer support specialist does not need any formal education beyond high school. However, many employers will prefer their employees to have training from an accredited vocational school rather than on-the-job training.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

If you have a great passion for design, or even a sense of creation, graphic design may be for you. You can make a lot of money and clients designing fliers, logos for businesses, product labels, social media posts and alot more. In addition, tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign can be very useful for designing. 

PRODUCT MANAGER

Although this is not a beginner role, a product manager’s job involves conducting market research, business analysis and developing new features of products.  They are proactive in nature and are always on the lookout for innovative ways to enhance the quality of their products or services. Product managers should have an educational background in business or marketing, excellent communication skills and analytical skills.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, we can admit the tech world is growing rapidly. No-code job roles definitely change the world of technology, businesses and lives. However, there are many other roles like SEO, Marketing and Sales, Business and Data Analysis, Digital and content marketing, Web Design and alot more that you can also take interest in. I will talk more about them in my subsequent posts. I also wrote about Web Design HERE. Hope you find it insightful. 

You can also join our community of Females in Tech. It is a powerful space for women to network, inspire and support each other in this amazing workforce of tech. To sign up, click on this link!

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The two terms “web designer” and “web developer” have completely different roles in the website creation process. It is important for those considering a career in this field to have a deep understanding of what sets them apart. I’m talking about the required skillsets, tools, processes, salaries and a lot more. In this article, I’ll explain the difference between web designers and web developers, and how to know who  you need to hire for your projects.

WEB DESIGNERS (A CLOSE LOOK)

Many people use the term “web designer” as a catchall label for “all the people who work on a website”. Although there is no technical definition of what a web designer does, web designers could be UX designers, Visual designers, Interaction designers and so on. A web designer’s job is primarily visual. They create the look and feel of a website. They have to stay up with the latest design trends, create clean and simple layouts, proper navigation channels, understand color theory, use Photoshop or Illustrator to create graphics (when necessary), understand web typography, use HTML/CSS to create web pages and a lot more. Tools like Adobe XD are useful for creating mockups, while Sketch, Illustrator can be used for creating engaging interfaces.

WEB DEVELOPERS

Web developers, sometimes called programmers, on the other hand, are the people who build websites by writing codes that power the website. A web developer’s job is more technical than that of a designer. As a web developer, it’s important to have in depth knowledge of some programming languages like HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP and so on. To get more information about what web development is, read my previous post on Beginner’s Guide to Web Development.

Who to Hire: Web developer vs. Web Designer 

In order to understand whose services you require for certain projects, I have categorized a few tasks in the table below. 

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Which is right for you?

After looking at both closely, considering your career goals and what aspects you are mostly drawn to, I recommend you start learning HTML, CSS, after all they are the most basic foundational requirements for both web design and development. Designers may not code from scratch all the time, but it is vital to have in-depth knowledge of these languages in order to apply the skills where necessary and execute projects effectively.

Do not forget that the best way to learn is through PRACTICE. You can successfully be a self-taught developer or designer by putting in the work. Try to work on a project as you watch, learn and read. There are numerous, effective tutors on youtube and Udemy. You can also join our community of Females in Tech. It is a powerful space for women to network, inspire and support each other in this amazing workforce of tech. To sign up, click on this link!

I believe you are here because you want to create websites, but have no idea how to start or because you find many terms and technical pieces related to web development confusing or even overwhelming. In this post, I’ll do my best to describe the basics you’ll need in order to get started with web development.

Who can be a web developer?

Anyone can be a web developer. Contrary to popular belief, a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science is not a prerequisite to becoming a web developer and creating functional websites. Although i must say that certain habits like dedication, hard-work and passion are extremely vital for success in this field. The beauty about tech is that it’s not reserved for any particular gender or ethnicity—nor is there a clear-cut route. Anyone who wants to do it, simply can, regardless of what field they majored in.

There are 3 specialties in web development. You can choose to be a Front-end developer, a back-end developer or a full stack developer.

Frontend Web Development

This is the aspect of the website that you see and interact with, e.g. menus, buttons, layouts, animations, dropdowns, etc. Front end developers use HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) to lay out a document’s general structure and content, CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) for styling and JavaScript for situations that require advanced interactivity.

Backend Web Development

This focuses on how websites run behind the scenes. It is usually a combination of applications, databases, servers, APIs, etc. It is also known as server-side development. When back-end developers create websites that render on the server-side, they use the same building blocks as front-end developers: HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

Full Stack Development

 This is the combination of both client-side and server-side development. Full stack developers can tackle projects with databases, create user interfaces for the websites and work with clients directly on both sides to successfully complete projects. They require the knowledge of HTML, CSS, Javascript, some backend languages like PHP, Python and databases (SQL).

Why You Should Be A Web Developer

Since the rise of the internet and digital marketing, websites have become a must-have for companies and businesses. Having a strong online presence has emphasised the importance of well designed websites that can connect businesses with their customers globally. Without web designers, this would be impossible. Want to hear more? I’ll give you a few more reasons below:

It Is A Fast Moving Market

Companies and businesses require website updates averagely every two years. This means that there is always need for a developer’s services. It could be building a website from scratch or updating existing infrastructure (Database, maintenance) etc. You can get plenty of clients by simply showing them what’s missing and how you can improve on it.

Enhance Your Creativity

Creating websites requires critical thinking and problem solving techniques. Currently, the internet houses about 1.8billion websites. With unlimited inspirations and resources from the internet, you can quickly enhance your skills by applying the knowledge acquired to the projects you build.

It Pays Well

Averagely, a developer can earn $50,000 – $70,000 (USD) a year depending on the complexity and severity of the project and his/her experience level. The exact duration of a project is a great factor to consider when billing clients for projects. Underestimating the amount of time it takes you to finish a project will definitely hurt your income.

Remote Work

As a web developer, you can earn comfortably working from any where in the world. It can also lead to interesting contacts from different parts of the world. You don’t need to be located in one place to get web development work. In your career as a web developer, you would interact with other specialists like UI/UX designers, web designers, app developers, software developers and so on.

“In some ways, programming is like painting. You start with a blank canvas and certain basic raw materials. You use a combination of science, art, and craft to determine what to do with them.” 

Andrew Hunt

Conclusion

As the world continues to evolve technologically, web developers must continue to improve their skills to remain relevant . Recent Covid 19 pandemic was a revelation that the future of work is remote and the need for highly skilled developers will continue to be in demand. Best part is, learning to code can be done at home. With websites like Free Code Camp, Code Academy, W3Schools, GeeksforGeeks you can be guaranteed to set off your career in this amazing field. There are also a lot of resources you can find on Youtube and Udemy.

I hope this post has been beneficial to you. If you would like start your web development journey with us, please fill this form to begin! Feel free to comment below if you have any questions or recommendations on what topics you’d love to read on next! Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletters to get more information and resources like this.