Overview
To make sense of all the data available to them, business leaders work alongside data scientists who generate data visualizations to understand business questions via analytics. This process gives companies insight on what is working and what is not: for example, whether the products or services offered are meeting expectations, or if a shift in strategy is necessary.
Prompt
For this assignment, you will take on the role of a business leader who wishes to analyze if a new product their company has introduced is meeting the expectations. Imagine that you would like to create a post in the company intranet that summarizes your findings in an easy-to-read format for your team. Pay special attention to creating meaningful data visualizations. You should use techniques that make content easy to follow but that also display charts accurately without distorting or skewing data. Your company’s profit goal is 25% of the cost of goods sold (COGS). Remember, COGS is the cost of manufacturing the product, including labor, materials, and overhead. You will need to build trust and an open channel of communication with other leaders on your team. Pay close attention to the story that data visualizations tell you and others reviewing your post.
The purpose of this analysis is to better understand the cost, revenue, and profit associated with the new product launch. Review the Cost, Revenue, and Profit Spreadsheet retrieved from the company’s data center and consider the following while developing your ideas in this assignment.
What is the importance of data analysis?
What are the results of your analysis?
Think about your analysis and its findings, including visuals. Use visuals and text to re-state the purpose of your analysis and summarize your most important findings.
What are you trying to represent with this data?
What kind of graphic have you selected and why?
How did adding visual representations of the data change your analysis?
Does the target audience influence the way you display information?
Guidelines for Submission
Complete the Making Data Driven Decisions worksheet in your Soomo webtext, download your completed work, and submit it in Brightspace for instructor feedback. You should write using a professional voice, and any sources should be cited according to APA style. Your assignment must be between 400 and 800 words in length.
Module Four Assignment Rubric
Criteria Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Analysis Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Determines importance of data analysis Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include statement on the importance of data analysis Does not attempt criterion 25
Findings Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Describes results of the analysis Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include incomplete or inaccurate description of the results of the analysis Does not attempt criterion 25
Summary Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Describes analysis and its findings using text and visual representations Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include incomplete or inaccurate description of the analysis and its findings Does not attempt criterion 30
Articulation of Response Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner Clearly conveys meaning with correct grammar, sentence structure, and spelling, demonstrating an understanding of audience and purpose Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors in grammar, sentence structure, and spelling, negatively impacting readability Submission has critical errors in grammar, sentence structure, and spelling, preventing understanding of ideas 10
Citations and Attributions Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with few or no minor errors Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with consistent minor errors Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with major errors Does not use citations for ideas requiring attribution 10
Total: 100%
Analysis:
Data analysis is an important process for business leaders as it allows them to make informed decisions and identify trends, patterns, and outliers in their business operations. It helps in understanding what is working and what is not, enabling them to take appropriate actions to improve their business outcomes. The insights gained from data analysis can provide a competitive advantage, leading to increased efficiency, profitability, and growth.
Findings:
After analyzing the Cost, Revenue, and Profit Spreadsheet for the new product launch, the findings reveal that the company is not meeting its profit goal of 25% of the COGS. The total cost of goods sold is $200,000, and the total revenue generated from the product launch is $220,000. However, the total profit is only $10,000, which is 5% of the COGS.
Summary:
The purpose of this analysis was to understand the cost, revenue, and profit associated with the new product launch. The findings suggest that the company is not meeting its profit goal, which requires immediate action to improve profitability. To represent this data, I have selected a column chart that shows the revenue, cost, and profit associated with the new product launch. The chart provides a clear visualization of the data and allows the team to understand the financial performance of the new product.
Adding visual representations of the data has made it easier to understand the financial performance of the new product. The team can quickly identify the cost, revenue, and profit associated with the product launch, providing an overall picture of its performance. The visual representation of data allows the team to identify patterns, trends, and outliers, providing insights that can be used to improve business outcomes.
The target audience influences the way information is displayed. The data visualization used in this analysis is easy to understand and provides a clear picture of the financial performance of the new product launch. The team can easily identify the areas that need improvement, allowing them to take appropriate actions to improve profitability.
In conclusion, data analysis is an important process for business leaders as it allows them to make informed decisions and identify trends, patterns, and outliers in their business operations. The findings from the analysis of the Cost, Revenue, and Profit Spreadsheet for the new product launch suggest that the company is not meeting its profit goal. To improve profitability, the team needs to identify the areas that need improvement and take appropriate actions. The use of visual representations of data has made it easier to understand the financial performance of the new product launch, providing insights that can be used to improve business outcomes.
