I feel that the concept that will help me most in my future classes, and in my career, is Data, Business Intelligence and Competitive Advantage. As a financial analyst, my day-to-day consists of dealing with massive amounts of data, compiling it and searching for trends. This is a tedious process, and my company only uses Google Docs. I am very familiar with using Excel, and that is primarily how I have always stored my data. The concept of storing and accessing data is of tremendous importance in my career. I have used SAP at my previous employer, and I use it in my current role as well. It is amazing technology for data processing and analyzing, and it was interesting to learn how it all works. I especially found it interesting to find out more about data mining and warehouses. Knowing how all this data is processed behind the scenes gives me a better understanding of how to use it better to my advantage.

Learning about Microsoft Access is something that I will use in my daily work life as a Financial Analyst. I have been involved with data analysis for 4 years now, and I have come a very long way in how I organize my data, however I still had a lot to learn. Having the ability to build relationships among the databases allows me to look at data from so many more angles, and with much more ease. I love the idea of creating my own forms, and allowing them to capture the data I need. This limits what data is entered, unlike Excel, where it is possible to enter data in an incorrect area, leading to skewed information. Using programs like Microsoft Access allows me to provide accurate information gathered through business intelligence.

Lastly, the concept of data visualization is not only intriguing, but also extremely helpful. Just looking at all data in number form makes it easy to miss trends and patterns. We humans process data much more efficiently when we can visualize it in a simplistic way. Not all stakeholders are technologically advanced, which is why I must find unique and simple ways to display data for those that I need to present it to. People like the Vice Presidents, C-suite executives, and Directors are not always on the same level as others or familiar with how to translate data, so it is especially important in those circumstances. I continue to study data visualization in my free time because it will help me design even better presentations and perhaps facilitate my promotion within the company.