The analytics process starts with data collection, in which data scientists identify the information they need for a particular analytics application and then work on their own or with data engineers and IT staffers to assemble it for use. Data from different source systems may need to be combined via data integration routines, transformed into a common format and loaded into an analytics system, such as a Hadoop cluster, NoSQL database or data warehouse.

The functions of the data analyst are essential at almost every type of business or organization. The reports and key findings drive decision making and help companies stay on top of business operations, product development, competitors, strategy and much more. The broad application of the data analysis role means high demand for experts in almost every job market.

While data analysis in qualitative research can include statistical procedures, many times analysis becomes an ongoing iterative process where data is continuously collected and analyzed almost simultaneously. Indeed, researchers generally analyze for patterns in observations through the entire data collection phase.