MS Excel — BASIC Automation & Data Analytics Insight
The Skills Gap is Real!
“Automation”, “Data Analytics” — are two of the trending topics over the last several years. In the business world, at a very basic level, that begins with Microsoft Excel.
Over the last few years, I have periodically given an Excel survey that I created, to different organizations I work with.
I have accumulated almost 135 responses, mostly from business professionals who use Excel everyday.
In general, the broad lack of understanding of Excel, and the software’s capabilities, has been a sobering realization for me. Many professionals believe they “are proficient” with the tools, but the survey results (ok, not a statistical study…) indicates otherwise.
I decided to do some basic “data analysis” of the responses. Here’s what I did:
Assigned the 41 survey questions to categories of Automation, Data Analysis and Navigation. I then charted the results to get a sense for how equipped the professionals who have taken the survey are to undertake BASIC automation and data analytics type projects using Excel.
Here are the results:
Survey participants answered the questions on a scale 1–5, with 1 = Weak and 5 = Strong
Automation
Data Analysis
What are your thoughts? How ready are professionals to adapt and thrive in the automation and data analytics driven world that is rapidly taking over in businesses?
If we are going to be ready and capable, it starts with the basic tools we use everyday. In many cases, that is Microsoft Excel…
There is much work to be done!
