The Data School - Reflection

by Aj Basnet

I know how cliché it sounds but the last four months really does feel like a blur. I remember meeting my fellow DS6ers for the first time in the lobby like it was just yesterday. All of had diverse background, life experiences, strengths and weaknesses but we all ended up working very well with lots of ‘highs’ and very little ‘lows’.

Like most people who join The Data School (DS), they would have only used Tableau for the application process. That is one the best thing about the DS, everyone here is selected for their data analytical skill and eagerness to learn rather than simply raw Tableau knowledge. In the next few months, you will be fully equipped multiple times over with the skills required for Tableau and Alteryx consultant.

In this blog post, I want to share few of the lessons I learned during my time in DS.

 

  • Embrace every opportunity – this is probably the only time in your life you will get paid a salary just to simply learn, so make sure you take advantage of it. This includes going to events, user groups, networking, etc.

 

  • At the same time make sure you do not overwork and burnout. A lot of people get very passionate about Tableau and data analytics but make sure you are taking a break from this world every so often.

 

  • For the next 16 weeks of your life, you will spend at least 40 hours with the same group of people, mostly in the same room, so it is expected that you will not always get along but make sure respect each other and work together as a team.

 

  • Don’t forget when you joined The Data School, you also joined The Information Lab so if you have any problems with work, clients or just something personal, there are a lot of people who are just a convo message away from your solution.

 

  • Pod is a very important component of how well your time in DS will be, so make sure you try your best to attend every event. It’s also a good opportunity to meet other DS members and the core team, in a more casual environment.

 

  • Projects weeks are the closest alternative to working in placement, as you get to work on a real-life project with real clients. These projects will not only improve your data analytics skills but also soft skills required by every consultant

 

  • Lastly, whenever you feel the work is too difficult and challenging, keep reminding yourself that what DS is all about. I will never forget a core team member telling is after just one week of DS, we are all already the best 10% Tableau user in the world.

 

Working hard or Hardly working

First client project presentation

 

 

Photo credit  – Andy Kribel  (@VizWizBI ) and Tom Brown (@_tombrown_)

 

Mon 14 Aug 2017

Wed 09 Aug 2017

Tue 08 Aug 2017