Nowadays, businesses are driven by the information provided by the data available to them. Data can be in any form, like texts, chats, emails, reports, and anything we do online. Everyone contributes to the data, which has made it grow tremendously. Hence, the name “Big Data” was given to it. By 2025, 463 ZB of data will be created daily, and the Big Data industry will be worth $229.4 billion.

As more and more businesses understand the need for data to run their businesses successfully, the demand for data professionals who can convert the raw data into the correct information has risen. The Big Data generated is so complex that it needs professional interference and interpretation to be valuable to businesses. Data Scientists and Data Analysts are data professionals who help companies convert data into meaningful insights.

Most of us are guilty of using the terms “Data Scientist” and “Data Analyst” interchangeably very often. While data is what they work on, their function differs. Read on to learn about the differences between a Data Scientist and a Data Analyst.

Who is a Data Scientist?

A Data Scientist deals with the discipline of Data Science. Data Science is a multidisciplinary field focused on developing strategies to capture and prepare data for analysis. It also involves developing data models and creating algorithms to be deployed in applications. Data analysts use these models and algorithms in the data analysis process.

A Data Scientist has similar roles to a Data Analyst in that he collects, cleans, and analyzes data to gather information. But he deals with the unknown, i.e., a Data Scientist deals with structured or unstructured data to solve anonymous questions or problems. The main objective of a Data Scientist is to unearth the right questions and find the correct answers. They use advanced data techniques like machine learning to find different approaches to solving problems using programming languages. They spend most of their time cleaning and structuring the data, so efforts are made to automate this process by designing tools, automation systems, and data frameworks. A Data Scientist’s role can be considered a more advanced role than a Data Analyst.

For example, a Data Scientist studies the differences in consumer buying behavior and links it with different demographic criteria to help businesses develop better marketing strategies to target consumers.

A few of the tasks of a Data Scientist are as follows:

• Collecting, cleaning, and structuring the raw data
• Developing data models and algorithms to mine data sets
• Designing tools to automate data collection and processing
• Developing strategies to collect and analyze data
• Creating tools and processes to check data accuracy

Due to a massive demand for Data Scientists globally, many reputed providers offer Data Science certifications online. You can quickly pursue a Data Science course in India and fulfill your dream of becoming a Data Scientist.

Who Is a Data Analyst?

A Data Analyst deals with the field of data analytics. Their job is to process existing datasets to extract meaningful information that helps companies make strategic decisions. It involves the in-depth study of data, which is then structured appropriately to provide relevant information to solve existing business problems or guide future decisions.

Data Analysts help solve known business problems using data visualization techniques, statistical analysis, and primary programming languages like SAS. They collect data to identify or monitor trends to help business managers understand what the data shows. They make the data easier to understand for others by creating reports and presentations.

For example, a Data Analyst can analyze and interpret the sales data of a garments shop to let the business know which garments are in demand in a particular season with a specific age group.

The data analysis process used by a Data Analyst is as follows:

• Identify the business problem or informational need
• Acquire or collect organizational data from various sources
• Organize the collected data into a structured form
• Analyze the organized data to identify trends and patterns
• Interpret the data into meaningful information for the business

If you are interested in pursuing Data Analysis as your career path, check out the Business Analyst certification course offered over the web and kick-start your career.

Data Analyst Vs. Data Scientist

While it might be hard to point out, Data Analysts and Data Scientists differ. They have different objectives and responsibilities. Some of the differences are listed in the following table:

Conclusion

According to the World Economic Forum, Data Analysts and Data Scientists will be in high demand for the next few years. If you want to pursue one of the above two courses in the field of data, you must understand the differences properly and decide which one to follow. It would help to appreciate criteria like education, responsibilities, and salary before deciding the career path that best suits you.