A Guide To The Methods, Benefits & Problems of The

Interpretation of Data
By Mona Lebied in Data Analysis, Aug 22nd 2018

Data analysis and interpretation have now taken center stage with the advent of the digital age…
and the sheer amount of data can be frightening. In fact, a Digital Universe study found that the
total data supply in 2012 was 2.8 trillion gigabytes! Based on that amount of data alone, it is
clear the calling card of any successful enterprise in today’s global world will be the ability to
analyze complex data, produce actionable insights and adapt to new market needs… all at the
speed of thought.

Business dashboards are the digital age tools for big data. Capable of displaying key
performance indicators (KPIs) for both quantitative and qualitative data analyses, they are ideal
for making the fast-paced and data-driven market decisions that push today’s industry leaders to
sustainable success. Through the art of streamlined visual communication, data dashboards
permit businesses to engage in real-time and informed decision making, and are key instruments
in data interpretation. First of all, let’s find a definition to understand what lies behind data
interpretation meaning.

What Is Data Interpretation?

Data interpretation refers to the implementation of processes through which data is reviewed for
the purpose of arriving at an informed conclusion. The interpretation of data assigns a meaning
to the information analyzed and determines its signification and implications.

The importance of data interpretation is evident and this is why it needs to be done properly.
Data is very likely to arrive from multiple sources and has a tendency to enter the analysis
process with haphazard ordering. Data analysis tends to be extremely subjective. That is to say,
the nature and goal of interpretation will vary from business to business, likely correlating to the
type of data being analyzed. While there are several different types of processes that are
implemented based on individual data nature, the two broadest and most common categories are
“quantitative analysis” and “qualitative analysis”.

Yet, before any serious data interpretation inquiry can begin, it should be understood that visual
presentations of data findings are irrelevant unless a sound decision is made regarding scales of
measurement. Before any serious data analysis can begin, the scale of measurement must be
decided for the data as this will have a long-term impact on data interpretation ROI. The varying
scales include:

 Nominal Scale: non-numeric categories that cannot be ranked or compared quantitatively.

Variables are exclusive and exhaustive.
 Ordinal Scale: exclusive categories that are exclusive and exhaustive but with a logical order.
Quality ratings and agreement ratings are examples of ordinal scales (i.e., good, very good, fair,
etc., OR agree, strongly agree, disagree, etc.).
 Interval: a measurement scale where data is grouped into categories with orderly and equal
distances between the categories. There is always an arbitrary zero point.
 Ratio: contains features of all three.

For a more in-depth review of scales of measurement, read our article on data analysis questions.
Once scales of measurement have been selected, it is time to select which of the two broad
interpretation processes will best suit your data needs. Let’s take a closer look at those specific
data interpretation methods and possible data interpretation problems.

How To Interpret Data?

When interpreting data, an analyst must try to discern the differences between correlation,
causation and coincidences, as well as many other bias – but he also has to consider all the
factors involved that may have led to a result. There are various data interpretation methods one
can use.

The interpretation of data is designed to help people make sense of numerical data that has been
collected, analyzed and presented. Having a baseline method (or methods) for interpreting data
will provide your analyst teams a structure and consistent foundation. Indeed, if several
departments have different approaches to interpret the same data, while sharing the same goals,
some mismatched objectives can result. Disparate methods will lead to duplicated efforts,
inconsistent solutions, wasted energy and inevitably – time and money. In this part, we will look
at the two main methods of interpretation of data: with a qualitative and a quantitative analysis.

Qualitative Data Interpretation

Qualitative data analysis can be summed up in one word – categorical. With qualitative analysis,
data is not described through numerical values or patterns, but through the use of descriptive
context (i.e., text). Typically, narrative data is gathered by employing a wide variety of person-
to-person techniques. These techniques include:

 Observations: detailing behavioral patterns that occur within an observation group. These

patterns could be the amount of time spent in an activity, the type of activity and the method of
communication employed.
 Documents: much like how patterns of behavior can be observed, different types of
documentation resources can be coded and divided based on the type of material they contain.
 Interviews: one of the best collection methods for narrative data. Enquiry responses can be
grouped by theme, topic or category. The interview approach allows for highly-focused data
segmentation.
 A key difference between qualitative and quantitative analysis is clearly noticeable in the
interpretation stage. Qualitative data, as it is widely open to interpretation, must be “coded” so as
to facilitate the grouping and labeling of data into identifiable themes. As person-to-person data
collection techniques can often result in disputes pertaining to proper analysis, qualitative data
analysis is often summarized through three basic principles: notice things, collect things, think
about things.

Quantitative Data Interpretation

If quantitative data interpretation could be summed up in one word (and it really can’t) that word
would be “numerical.” There are few certainties when it comes to data analysis, but you can be
sure that if the research you are engaging in has no numbers involved, it is not quantitative
research. Quantitative analysis refers to a set of processes by which numerical data is analyzed.
More often than not, it involves the use of statistical modeling such as standard deviation, mean
and median. Let’s quickly review the most common statistical terms:

 Mean: a mean represents a numerical average for a set of responses. When dealing with a data
set (or multiple data sets), a mean will represent a central value of a specific set of numbers. It is
the sum of the values divided by the number of values within the data set. Other terms that can
be used to describe the concept are arithmetic mean, average and mathematical expectation.
 Standard deviation: this is another statistical term commonly appearing in quantitative analysis.
Standard deviation reveals the distribution of the responses around the mean. It describes the
degree of consistency within the responses; together with the mean, it provides insight into data
sets.
 Frequency distribution: this is a measurement gauging the rate of a response appearance within
a data set. When using a survey, for example, frequency distribution has the capability of
determining the number of times a specific ordinal scale response appears (i.e., agree, strongly
agree, disagree, etc.). Frequency distribution is extremely keen in determining the degree of
consensus among data points.

Typically, quantitative data is measured by visually presenting correlation tests between two or
more variables of significance. Different processes can be used together or separately, and
comparisons can be made to ultimately arrive at a conclusion. Other signature interpretation
processes of quantitative data include:

 Regression analysis
 Cohort analysis
 Predictive and prescriptive analysis

Now that we have seen how to interpret data, let's move on and ask ourselves some questions:
what are some data interpretation benefits? Why do all industries engage in data research and
analysis? These are basic questions, but that often don’t receive adequate attention.

Why Data Interpretation Is Important

 The purpose of collection and interpretation is to acquire useful and usable information and to
make the most informed decisions possible. From businesses, to newlyweds researching their
first home, data collection and interpretation provides limitless benefits for a wide range of
institutions and individuals.

Data analysis and interpretation, regardless of method and qualitative/quantitative status, may
include the following characteristics:

 Data identification and explanation

 Comparing and contrasting of data
 Identification of data outliers
 Future predictions

Data analysis and interpretation, in the end, helps improve processes and identify problems. It is
difficult to grow and make dependable improvements without, at the very least, minimal data
collection and interpretation. What is the key word? Dependable. Vague ideas regarding
performance enhancement exist within all institutions and industries. Yet, without proper
research and analysis, an idea is likely to remain in a stagnant state forever (i.e., minimal
growth). So… what are a few of the business benefits of digital age data analysis and
interpretation? Let’s take a look!

1) Informed decision-making: A decision is only as good as the knowledge that formed it.
Informed data decision making has the potential to set industry leaders apart from the rest of the
market pack. Studies have shown that companies in the top third of their industries are, on
average, 5% more productive and 6% more profitable when implementing informed data
decision-making processes. Most decisive actions will arise only after a problem has been
identified or a goal defined. Data analysis should include identification, thesis development and
data collection followed by data communication.

If institutions only follow that simple order, one that we should all be familiar with from grade
school science fairs, then they will be able to solve issues as they emerge in real time. Informed
decision making has a tendency to be cyclical. This means there is really no end, and eventually,
new questions and conditions arise within the process that need to be studied further. The
monitoring of data results will inevitably return the process to the start with new data and sights.

2) Anticipating needs with trends identification: data insights provide knowledge, and

knowledge is power. The insights obtained from market and consumer data analyses have the
ability to set trends for peers within similar market segments. A perfect example of how data
analysis can impact trend prediction can be evidenced in the music identification
application, Shazam. The application allows users to upload an audio clip of a song they like, but
can’t seem to identify. Users make 15 million song identifications a day. With this data, Shazam
has been instrumental in predicting future popular artists.
When industry trends are identified, they can then serve a greater industry purpose. For example,
the insights from Shazam’s monitoring benefits not only Shazam in understanding how to meet
consumer needs, but it grants music executives and record label companies an insight into the
pop-culture scene of the day. Data gathering and interpretation processes can allow for industry-
wide climate prediction and result in greater revenue streams across the market. For this reason,
all institutions should follow the basic data cycle of collection, interpretation, decision making
and monitoring.

3) Cost efficiency: Proper implementation of data analysis processes can provide businesses

with profound cost advantages within their industries. A recent data study performed
by Deloitte vividly demonstrates this in finding that data analysis ROI is driven by efficient cost
reductions. Often, this benefit is overlooked because making money is typically viewed as
“sexier” than saving money. Yet, sound data analyses have the ability to alert management to
cost-reduction opportunities without any significant exertion of effort on the part of human
capital.

A great example of the potential for cost efficiency through data analysis is Intel. Prior to 2012,
Intel would conduct over 19,000 manufacturing function tests on their chips before they could be
deemed acceptable for release. To cut costs and reduce test time, Intel implemented predictive
data analyses. By using historic and current data, Intel now avoids testing each chip 19,000 times
by focusing on specific and individual chip tests. After its implementation in 2012, Intel saved
over $3 million in manufacturing costs. Cost reduction may not be as “sexy” as data profit, but as
Intel proves, it is a benefit of data analysis that should not be neglected.

4) Clear foresight: companies that collect and analyze their data gain better knowledge about
themselves, their processes and performance. They can identify performance challenges when
they arise and take action to overcome them. Data interpretation through visual representations
lets them process their findings faster and make better-informed decisions on the future of the
company.

Data Interpretation Problems

The oft-repeated mantra of those who fear data advancements in the digital age is “big data
equals big trouble.” While that statement is not accurate, it is safe to say that certain data
interpretation problems or “pitfalls” exist and can occur when analyzing data, especially at the
speed of thought. Let’s identify three of the most common data misinterpretation risks and shed
some light on how they can be avoided:

1) Correlation mistaken for causation: our first misinterpretation of data refers to the tendency
of data analysts to mix the cause of a phenomenon with correlation. It is the assumption that
because two actions occurred together, one caused the other. This is not accurate as actions can
occur together absent a cause and effect relationship.
 Digital age example: assuming that increased revenue is the result of increased social media
followers… there might a definitive correlation between the two, especially with today’s multi-
channel purchasing experiences. But, that does not mean an increase in followers is the direct
cause of increased revenue. There could be both a common cause or an indirect causality.
 Remedy: attempt to eliminate the variable you believe to be causing the phenomenon.

2) Confirmation bias: our second data interpretation problem occurs when you have a theory or
hypothesis in mind, but are intent on only discovering data patterns that provide support, while
rejecting those that do not.

 Digital age example: your boss asks you to analyze the success of a recent multi-platform social
media marketing campaign. While analyzing the potential data variables from the campaign (one
that you ran and believe performed well), you see that the share rate for Facebook posts were
great, while the share rate for Twitter Tweets were not. Using only the Facebook posts to prove
your hypothesis that the campaign was successful would be a perfect manifestation of
confirmation bias.
 Remedy: as this pitfall is often based on subjective desires, one remedy would be to analyze data
with a team of objective individuals. If this is not possible, another solution is to resist the urge to
make a conclusion before data exploration has been completed. Remember to always try to
disprove a hypothesis, not prove it.

3) Irrelevant data: the third and final data misinterpretation pitfall is especially important in the
digital age. As large data is no longer centrally stored, and as it continues to be analyzed at the
speed of thought, it is inevitable that analysts will focus on data that is irrelevant to the problem
they are trying to correct.

 Digital age example: in attempting to gauge the success of an email lead generation campaign,
you notice that the number of homepage views directly resulting from the campaign increased,
but the number of monthly newsletter subscribers did not. Based on the number of homepage
views, you decide the campaign was a success when really it generated zero leads.
 Remedy: proactively and clearly frame any data analysis variables and KPIs prior to engaging in
a data review. If the metric you are using to measure the success of a lead generation campaign is
newsletter subscribers, there is no need to review the number of homepage visits. Be sure to
focus on the data variable that answers your question or solves your problem and not on
irrelevant data.

Interpretation of Data: The Use of Dashboards Bridging The Gap

As we have seen, quantitative and qualitative methods are distinct types of data analyses. Both
offer a varying degree of return on investment (ROI) regarding data investigation, testing and
decision-making. Because of their differences, it is important to understand how dashboards can
be implemented to bridge the quantitative and qualitative information gap. How are digital data
dashboard solutions playing a key role in merging the data disconnect? Here are a few of the
ways:
 1) Connecting and blending data. With today’s pace of innovation, it is no longer feasible (nor
desirable) to have bulk data centrally located. As businesses continue to globalize and borders
continue to dissolve, it will become increasingly important for businesses to possess the
capability to run diverse data analyses absent the limitations of location. Data dashboards
decentralize data without compromising on the necessary speed of thought while blending both
quantitative and qualitative data. Whether you want to measure customer trends or organizational
performance, you now have the capability to do both without the need for a singular selection.

2) Mobile Data. Related to the notion of “connected and blended data” is that of mobile data. In
today’s digital world, employees are spending less time at their desks and simultaneously
increasing production. This is made possible by the fact that mobile solutions for analytical tools
are no longer standalone. Today, mobile analysis applications seamlessly integrate with everyday
business tools. In turn, both quantitative and qualitative data are now available on demand where
they’re needed, when they’re needed and how they’re needed.

3) Visualization. Data dashboards are merging the data gap between qualitative and quantitative
methods of interpretation of data, through the science of visualization. Dashboard solutions come
“out of the box” well-equipped to create easy-to-understand data demonstrations. Modern online
data visualization tools provide a variety of color and filter patterns, encourage user interaction
and are engineered to help enhance future trend predictability. All of these visual characteristics
make for an easy transition among data methods – you only need to find the right types of data
visualization to tell your data story the best way possible.

To give you an idea of how a market research dashboard fulfils the need of bridging quantitative
and qualitative analysis, and helps in understanding how to interpret data in research thanks to
visualization, have a look at the following one. It brings together both qualitative and
quantitative data knowledgeably analyzed and visualizes it in a meaningful way that everyone
can understand, thus empowering any viewer to interpret it:

To see more data analysis and interpretation examples, visit our library of business dashboards.
Now that we have an understanding of how business intelligence dashboards can help bridge the
gap between traditional quantitative and qualitative data methods, let’s have a little summary of
the data interpretation methods mentioned all along this article.

Data Interpretation Methods Summary List & Tips

Data analysis and interpretation are critical to develop sound conclusions and make better
informed decisions. As we have seen all along this article, there is an art and science to the
interpretation of data. Hereafter is a list-summary of how to interpret data and some tips:

 Collect your data and make it as clean as possible.

 Choose the type of analysis to perform: qualitative or quantitative, and apply the methods
respectively to each.
 Qualitative analysis: observe, document and interview notice, collect and think about things.
 Quantitative analysis: you lead a research with a lot of numerical data to be analyzed through
various statistical methods – mean, standard deviation or frequency distribution for instance.
 Take a step back: and think about your data from various perspectives, and what it means for
various participants or actors of the project.
 Reflect on your own thinking and reasoning: and be aware of the many pitfalls data analysis and
interpretation carries. Correlation versus causation, subjective bias, false information and
inaccurate data, etc.

To Conclude…
The importance of data interpretation is undeniable. Dashboards not only bridge the information
gap between traditional data interpretation methods and technology, but they can help remedy
and prevent the major pitfalls of interpretation. As a digital age solution, they combine the best
of the past and the present to allow for informed decision making with maximum data
interpretation ROI.