If you're not sure where to start with:
How to collect data
What data to collect
How best to safely store and make data available
How to display the data to your stakeholders
I can help!! Contact me laurie@imaginason.uk and we'll chat about how I can be of assistance.
My name's Laurie Nason, originally from the UK and I have worked in data and databases since the early 1990's when I started worked with Microsoft Access 1.0 (yes, I know I don't look that old!).
For those that don't have a clue what that was check out this Wikipedia page about Microsoft Access.
Since then I have worked in many capacities in the IT industry but my love for data and working out how to collect, process and present it has always been a driving force in my life.
For my full work history please check out my LinkedIn profile.
I am currently living and working at The KAUST School in Saudi Arabia as a Systems analyst, with the bulk of my day to day work involving working with the admin, teachers and staff. I provide them with tools to collect data of many kinds, from standardised testing storage to student health data, to sports events.
I also work closely with other members of the IT team to store, process and display the information to the end consumers.
My 21 year old daughter asked me this so I thought I had better explain myself a bit more!
Simply put, I work closely with my clients all the way through providing a one stop shop from data collecting to presenting the data in a meaningful and usable format.
The normal full process is as follows, though I do not need to be present at all stages if you already have some of the steps in place:
Work out what information is required to be collected (e.g. student test scores) and ask questions around how the final processed data is to be used, which may include thinking about other questions or background information that needs to be present to move on to step 2
Create a method for collecting the data points to make it as easy as possible for the person responsible for collecting it
Part of that method will ensure data integrity and consistency during the data collection process
Once the data is collected - re-checking for consistency and accuracy
Storage of data - is this part of a longer term data collection project, or is it a one off? The answer to this will determine whether the data needs to be archived for future use
Presentation of the final results in a format that will assist the viewer to make informed decisions based on the actual information, not a "gut feeling"
I was always a Microsoft guy (and still am in some respects) - but when I started working at the KAUST school I soon found out that they were a "Google" school, utilising the whole google ecosystem for all their document, spreadsheet, presentation, etc. needs.
From initially being sceptical about using the online systems I grew very quickly to see that the ability to work collaboratively online, at the same time, was way beyond what Microsoft was offering at the time. It made creating spreadsheets and documents a breeze as you could directly share these with other members of the school's google domain in order to iterate versions quickly to get to a practical usable solution.
Over the years of working with Google products, I have been working deeper into using AppScript, Looker (formally Data) Studio and more recently AppSheet to streamline the process even futher and provide a more coherent data flow behind the scenes.
