Data storytelling and careers
The world's best analysis is useless if management doesn't understand it. Data storytelling follows three steps:
- Lead with the conclusion: “Jeddah sales fell 18% in February because Sukkari dates were out of stock for two weeks.”
- Show the evidence: one clear chart that proves it, with the key part highlighted.
- Recommend an action: “Raise Jeddah's reorder point from 50 to 80 cartons.”
AI in BI: tools such as Copilot in Power BI now build visuals from a typed question, summarise reports and suggest DAX. The analyst is still responsible for correct numbers and for asking the right question, and that skill isn't replaced by tools.
| Role | What they do | Key tools |
|---|---|---|
| Data analyst | Answers business questions with analysis and reports and presents findings. | Excel · SQL · Power BI |
| BI developer | Builds and maintains data models, dashboards and ETL. | Power BI · DAX · SQL |
| Data engineer | Builds data pipelines and the warehouse at scale. | SQL · Python · Cloud |
| Business analyst | Uses data to support requirements and improvement decisions. | Excel · SQL · BPMN |
Certifications to start with:
The data analyst career in detail →