Starting a new career is always exciting, but beginning my journey as a Data Consultant at The Information Lab's Data School was something I had been looking forward to for a long time. From the moment I applied, I found myself wanting to learn more about the programme, the people, and what it really meant to work with data. Now, after completing my first week, I can honestly say it has exceeded my expectations.
Like many people entering the world of data analytics, I initially thought success would come from learning new software or mastering technical skills. While those are certainly important, my biggest lessons this week had very little to do with technology.
The People Make the Difference
One of the first things that stood out to me was the culture at The Information Lab. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming, approachable, and genuinely invested in helping one another succeed. From trainers to consultants, there is a real sense that collaboration comes before competition.
Coming into a completely new environment can feel intimidating, but that feeling quickly disappears. I realised that asking questions isn't seen as a weakness, it's encouraged. One of the biggest pieces of advice I received was that there is no such thing as a silly question, and that mindset has made learning far more enjoyable.
It All Depends on the Context
One phrase that I heard repeatedly throughout the week was:
"It depends on the context."
At first, I didn't fully appreciate what this meant. I assumed data would always have a single correct answer, but I quickly learned that the value of any analysis depends on understanding the problem you're trying to solve.
The same dataset can tell completely different stories depending on who the stakeholders are, what decisions need to be made, and what questions are being asked. That simple phrase completely changed the way I began looking at data.
Planning Before Doing
Another lesson that had the biggest impact on me was the importance of planning.
It's tempting to open Tableau Prep and immediately start cleaning data, but I soon realised that taking a step back first saves a huge amount of time later.
Before making any changes, I learned to profile the data, understand the structure, identify potential issues, consider relationships between tables, and think about how each transformation would affect the final dataset. Having a clear plan made the entire preparation process much more logical and reduced unnecessary mistakes.
This was something I personally noticed myself improving throughout the week. Earlier on, I had a habit of jumping straight into work, whereas now I naturally spend time questioning the data before making any changes.
My First Friday Project
The highlight of my first week was completing my first Friday Project.
The task involved preparing hospitality datasets that would eventually be used by another analyst. Rather than focusing purely on producing the final dataset, we were encouraged to think like consultants by documenting our approach, explaining our decisions, and creating a workflow that someone else could easily understand and continue working with.
It reinforced that data preparation isn't just about cleaning data, it's about creating something reliable, transparent, and easy for others to use.
Looking Ahead
Although I've only completed my first week, I've already learned lessons that I know will stay with me throughout my career.
I've learned that great analytics starts long before building dashboards. It starts with curiosity, asking questions, understanding the context, planning carefully, and working collaboratively with others.
I'm excited to continue learning over the coming months and to share more of my journey as I develop my skills as a Data Consultant.
If there's one thing I'll take away from week one, it's this:
Never be afraid to ask questions, because every great insight starts with curiosity.