Getting Started with Data

Data can be everywhere in an organization and still be hard to understand. Getting Started with Data offers a clear entry point, moving from basic questions—what data is, and how it becomes information—to the systems and decisions involved in using it well.

Written for readers with either a technical or business interest, this book connects data fundamentals with the realities of analytics, management, and organizational practice.

Start with the foundations

The first section explains how data is created and transformed, and how it is stored in different forms. It introduces relational databases alongside NoSQL approaches, data lakes, and cloud and on-premises storage. This broad tour helps readers place individual terms within a larger picture of how data moves through digital systems.

From analysis to informed decisions

The book then turns to data analytics: the parts of an analysis and the differences between descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive approaches. It also introduces supervised and unsupervised machine learning, data visualization, and the platforms organizations use to support analysis, including warehouses, lakes, lakehouses, and business intelligence tools.

Making data work across an organization

Beyond tools and methods, Getting Started with Data examines pipelines and ETL, data democratization, governance, compliance, auditing, and data quality. Its later chapters consider how an organization can assess its current capabilities, identify improvements, shape an analytics strategy, and build a data team—with technical and business learning paths.

A useful starting point for curious readers

This is an accessible overview for newcomers who encounter data in their studies or work and want a stronger grasp of the language, systems, and practices involved. Readers seeking a broad map of the data landscape—from storage and analysis to teams and organizational use—will find a structured place to begin.