Everyday Statistics, with Eddie Davila

- [Instructor] The intense use and study of statistics today wouldn't be possible without software. Spreadsheets have brought statistics into the lives of nearly every manager, no matter the industry. And while Excel wasn't the first widely available spreadsheet, by the mid-1990s the Microsoft Office Suite brought Excel into most homes and nearly every office. Excel empowered the masses to interact with data in ways we never imagined. The curiosity about data that was unleashed by the popularity of spreadsheets was an influence on the growth and development of tools like SAP, SPSS, SAS, Salesforce, and Tableau. Nowadays, dozens of other data and statistics tools are on the market and every year, newer applications and platforms become available. It's become intimidating and confusing for organizations and individuals to pick the right tool for their needs. Here are just a few issues to consider before trying to choose the right package. Importing data. How does the data get into the system? Is the system flexible enough to accept everything from spreadsheets to social media data? Also, is the system capable of capturing real-time data? Robustness, if your datasets are huge, you'll need to consider the strength of the engine in your tool. Too much data can slow down the system or even crash it. Ease of use. Having the best and most powerful tool isn't much use if you don't know how to use it. Consider how difficult it might be to learn the new system. In some cases, an organization may need to find high priced and skilled analysts. Discovery, analytics packages generally assist in providing a picture of the past, present, and future, but some systems can now help you discover things that you weren't even looking for. Partners, sharing data with customers, employees, and business partners is essential for coordination. Does the system allow for secure sharing of data, even if partners do not have this software package? Visualization, charts, graphs, and infographs have the ability to grab a person's attention. A stats package with visualization features can both help in communication and also make an impact. Devices, laptops, tablet computers, and phones. Each provide opportunities and challenges for both statistician and their audience. While most packages now work on multiple devices, the experience on each device may vary greatly. Today's data software packages and platforms are often impressive. They can do so many different things and they can often produce stunning visuals. Before you invest in any package, take stock your needs. It can narrow down your choices and help lead you to the best statistical tool for you.