My Learning Journal for Data Analytics

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By Preetpal Dhiman

https://issuu.com/preetdhiman/docs/my_learning_journal_da_2023

MY BACKGROUND

Always eager to learn!

Having studied Fashion design, my background has led me to work in various roles, where my experience helped me build my knowledge and understanding, in and around the product.

§ Fashion design gave me insights about creating a product, which is creative and practical.

§ Retail gave me face to face experience with customer’s, happy and with issues when trying on products.

§ Secondly, of the product’s background while unpacking and delivering of goods on the shop floor.

§ Garment technology gave me further insight on tackling with production on the vast issues and challenges that fell between designing a product and delivery to the shop floor.

My passion has grown over the period, diving deep with enthusiasm. I am an ambitious, agile, creative and a very disciplined individual.

My experience covers working in fast pace to RTW fashion businesses in Womenswear, Menswear and Childrenswear.

Through attention to the most minute of details, flawless functionality is what I strive for. In my journey, I am continuously evaluating and assimilating new concepts where re-evaluating what I already know. My versatile skill set helps me stay curious and move forward with an eagerness to learn continuously.

When I learnt about something called Data Analytics, I started looking up for it to see what it exactly does and how it works. This was about 2 years ago…

And then, one fine day. A LinkedIn post from my FRA college, brightened my day up. They were offering places to their alumni on this new course they were about to commence, which was Data Analytics in Retail

..and I couldn’t wait to say YES !!

And the excited journey began with curiosities and learning with what data analytics can do and does.

So,

Let’s take a tour of what I learned during my journey

Functions and Technical Skills

§ Pivot Tables.

§ Cleaning data

§ Filters

§ Mostly used excel functions to help data cleaning, grouping, and sorting

§ VLOOKUP

§ XLOOKUP

§ IF (nested)

§ IF (error)

§ Named ranges

§ Sum

§ Average

§ Count

§ Max

§ Conditional Formatting.

§ Adding Slicers.

§ Viewing and pulling reports.

§ Creating visuals

§ Developing dashboards.

POWER BI Technical Skills

• Connecting to Data Sources

• Transforming Data – using query editor

• Measures and Calculated Columns using DAX functions

• Visualisations

• DAX Functions

• Modelling relationships.

• Cleaning data.

• Fixing structural errors.

• Creating new measures

• Formatting visuals

Functions used were:

• Calculate

• Sum

• Average

• Count

• Max/Min

• If

• And/Or

BI

Not only limited to Excel, but I then was also shown on how to work in Power

Project 1 - Data Cleansing and Security.

This helped me create a complete checklist of considerations and action points and a data flow diagram.

Skills:

Data Lifecycle

Ethical responsibilities when handling any data.

Main risks when combining datasets.

ISO standards.

GDPR

Project 2 - Database Design and Join.

Here, the data was provided and with the use of Power BI, I was able to determine the performance of the store. With the store analysis I was able to calculate the best performing stores given according to its size and structure.

Skills gained:

Analytical skills in Excel, Forming DAX queries

Using power Query Power BI

Risks involved when combining data tables

Modelling relationships and cardinality

Data preparation

Implementing stages of data lifecycle during data analysis

Importance of security standards

Creating a dashboard to visualise findings. Selecting appropriate graphs for data visualisation.

Using drill throughs, slicers and filters

And I was able to deliver the skills I gained in the 2 main Projects below:

MY BACKGROUND continued…

I was always curious to learn about the end results of the products, ‘No. of RETURNS and WHY?’. Which is the result of the product’s success.

Within no time, we received our final project brief, which added to my curiosity and a FINDING.

AND SO, here was my Final Project Brief:

ANALYSING RETURNS DATA FOR AN ONLINE RETAILER

The aim for the retailer was:

‘To target a reduction of just 5% of returns, that will significantly have a meaningful impact on their profitability of the business and improvement’

And let’s get the glimpse what I managed to deliver

RETURNS ANALYSIS FOR LIVE UNLIMITED, A PLUS SIZE ONLINE BRAND DELIVERING PREMIUM WOMEN'S CLOTHING

I created visuals to get me a clear picture of the analysis I was working on

What returned more?

The most Returned product was discovered through analysis.

I added recommendations which I found useful from the brand research I did and did a comp shop analysis; they are added in my separate file of Final project.

FEW RECOMMENDATIONS, THAT I

HELP THE RETAILER

RETURNS :

Higher Sales period

Timeframe between product’s full price and markdown

Are customers buying additional items to meet the free delivery mark?

Sizing analysis via comp shop and fit model measures review Block/ base

PREDICTIVE BUYING TOOL:

Customer profile for their channels ( e.g: Next customers profile, John Lewis customer profile)

MARKDOWN MODELLING:

Best seller’s, repeat stock, seasonal stock, new silhouettes or regular silhouettes

Data of full priced item returns

Comp shop analysis

Reviews and ratings on products

According to the return reason

FOUND MIGHT

Conclusion on Brand Director’s few key points

DELIVERIES IMPACTING REASON FOR PURCHASE

(product delivered after the occasion took place)Minor impact on returns

HIGHER PRICE POINTS HAVE HIGHER RETURNS –Not very true, occasionally.

PRESENTATION + EXPERIENCE COUNTS –

HIGHEST VALUE OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESS –

True, impact on returns was seen. Customers were dissatisfied due to creased/ crumbled arrival of garments

True, if returns reduced by 5%.

Notes are on page opportunities and product analysis.

KPI’SBuying of more quality jersey fabrics with revised sizing and styling will be a major kick for up sales.

FINALLY, WHERE THIS COURSE TOOK ME

I strongly value, sustainable designs and innovations and working with data to benefit retailers by finding solutions. I would like to become a part of the environmental solution with an opportunity to learn, grow and perform within the circle of supportive and creative people.

What specific skills I gained from this course?

§ Excel

§ Power BI

§ Tableau

§ Understanding and interpreting data

§ How information is used to generate data and predictions

§ How it works for retail

Key Professional skills I gained (few mentioned here)?

§ Communication – verbal and visual

§ Meeting Deadline

§ Strong attention to detail

§ Research

§ Critical thinking

§ Resilience

§ Data Software's

§ Technical skills

§ Problem solving

§ NEW SKILL: Data Analytics helped me how to evaluate the data for a clear visibility of the product placement, its success, improvement and efficient solutions.

§ Working on this project has given me a chance to look and research in depth on how the analysis works and has put my skills in action, which I have gained during my study at FRA.

FEW WORDS FROM ME

This course was very thorough and well planned. The stages covered were very intensive for a year long course. It was well executed and for someone looking forward for a career change or even a start in their career.

I am looking forward to the Industry placement opportunity will be a great experience to get an insight of the real world in Data Analytics, this is going to very useful. Everything comes with dedication and passion, and my Tutor Sumaira was one of the main reasons for this. She very well understood my situation and always encouraged me which helped me reach this far. Very approachable, concerned and ready to help at every point with all her patience.

I value her and this opportunity and together would like to thank FRA was helping me reach this far with a wealth of knowledge shared by Sumaira. This is a big take, and the course is a big HIT!!!

Thank you once again!