What is the First Question to Always Ask About Your Data?

In this third installment of the Mental Models series of The Sensemaker’s Video Podcast, Keith and Jonathan discuss the very first question to ask of any new data set: “What is the grain of the data I’m working with?”

This first question originates from Tableau Visionary Joshua Milligan’s 2015 “Tableau Tip Tuesday” post.

This first step is so vital for any new analysis because, as we will continue to discuss in future mental models around granularity and aggregation, as Tableau Visionary Noah Salvaterra once declared, “The granularity is always in your face.”

Here, Keith demonstrates that, when performing a Tableau analysis, there can be literally a double-digit number of varying grains of the one original data set, each at play simultaneously. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to always comprehend the granularity of the original data that you’re working with.

The Sensemaker’s Video Podcast is a production of Action Analytics.