Tag: data

Forward Motion

Carl Setzer3 Comments
gray and black laptop computer

I haven’t written about this much, but my current career development focus is on Data Analysis. To start with, I like working in Excel. I’ve found spreadsheets fascinating since the days of Lotus 123. In addition, as many of you know, I spent the Pandemic working on a degree in Web Application and Cloud Development at Edmonds College. During that, I spent a huge amount of time studying data: databases, database construction, SQL, database theory and design. That was some of my favorite coursework.

Recently, I discovered the role of data analyst. It looks like a fantastic blend of these elements. And it’s a growing field, which says a LOT in today’s economic climate! This looks like a way I can make a solid contribution now, and have lots of room to grow. It seems a great blend of my past, my studies, and where I am right now, in order to grow into the future.

Digging a bit deeper, I see some key areas for growth in the short-term.

  • Data Visualization:
    • I have not worked with Tableau or Power BI…or any of the other visualization tools. I have created presentations where I manually built visualizations (yay PowerPoint!), mostly graphs, but a few times with PhotoShop. I’m really looking forward to diving in deeper to what I can do with Power BI (which is my next series of course work on Coursera).
  • Excel:
    • I’m a solid user of Excel, having it used it extensively in pretty much every role I’ve had in the past 20 or so years. Budgets, project tracking, dashboards, project feasibility, and operations analysis, I’ve done all of these in Excel. But there’s always room to grow! And it’s an evolving product, so even more to keep learning.
  • Statistics:
    • I have only a rudimentary understanding of statistics. I want to expand that greatly. I think I’ll take statistics at Edmonds College soon.

These are the short-term learnings I’m planning on feeding myself with. I also think that the WGU BS in Data Analytics looks really interesting. And having that Bachelors will be valuable, and that knowledge critical.

During my studies at Edmonds, we touched on big data, data lakes, data warehouses, as well as No SQL based stored data. This all looks fascinating to me.

So, I’ve launched into the Data Analytics studies with Coursera’s Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst Professional Certificate. I finished the first course yesterday, Preparing Data for Analysis with Microsoft Excel. It was solid review of my skills, which I appreciated. Now, I shift to Power BI, which will be new. I’m pretty excited for Power BI. And I’m excited at what my future holds.

I hope the same for you!

Looking Forward: Career Thoughts

Carl Setzer
close up photo of survey spreadsheet

I’m a bit behind on my 2025 planning. This “bug” I’ve been fighting has sapped away SO much energy. As I’m FINALLY feeling my energy return (at least more of it) this week, I’m starting to map out what my career direction and focus looks like in 2025 and forward.

Quick summary: I spent the pandemic working on a degree in Information Systems with its main focus on Web Development. In a weird twist of fate, I finished it right as the tech sector meltdown was hitting hardest. Competing with 500k+ tech workers has made the transition challenging. But I did land an IT role. Currently, I work 1/2 time as an IT/Systems Analyst for the Edmonds Waterfront Center, and 1/2 as a “tech savvy” Administrative Assistant. I feel like I’m straddling both my past and my future. My vision of my future, though, is to move full-time into IT/Information Systems. And that’s the plan I’m building.

However, that’s not a narrow enough focus. Within this umbrella is a huge array of roles. Network administrator, help desk analyst, web developer, systems analyst, information security, and data analyst….and there’s plenty more! First world problems, a plethora of riches….you know.

Anyway, focus, right?

After looking over my notes, exploring all the projects I’ve worked on the past few years, reviewed the classes I’ve taken, exploring what I’ve found the most fulfilling, most valuable, and even what I thought was the most fun, I have pretty much narrowed things down to what I’ll call “data systems”.

I’ve worked with data in many settings, and have spend many hours with Excel. And I like this stuff! While studying for my ATA, I got to work with a LOT of database systems and tools. Besides extensive projects in Access, I got to do a lot of work with SQL. Not just MySQL, but also SQL Server, and even a few variants of Oracle. I find this stuff endlessly fascinating. And I see that “data” is a huge growth area in our economy. Between data analytics, data security, data warehouses, and data lakes, there’s a huge need for people who both understand these systems and structures, but also, well, enjoy it! My experience with data is pretty extensive as well. From budget tracking for my teams at both Starbucks and Microsoft, creating dashboards for real estate teams, and tracking projects and feasibility for construction companies, I’ve done a lot.

Looking towards the future, I want to dive deeper into key skills. First, Data Visualization. I have studied design and worked extensively with PowerPoint. Power BI and Tableau are a logical next step. Thus, I’ve started the Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst course on Coursera. I also want to build my skills in Python/R and Statistics. Perhaps via the IBM Data Analyst Cert or Google’s Data Analytics Cert. I’ll evaluate that as I move forward.

As I was cementing my data plan, a YouTuber that I value, Network Chuck, posted a video with a “Hacker” career roadmap (really, network engineering/cybersecurity). It sounded so cool! But, as much as it sounds awesome, I need to accept I’ve made my roadmap and need to move forward with it.

I recognize the place of privilege I’m in, where I have all these options that I struggle to choose amongst. For that, I’m grateful.

So, I know some of you have experience in this area. I’d love your thoughts on my framework/vision (I’m still turning it into a plan). And if you have any advice, I’d deeply appreciate your thoughts.

Microsoft Security Issue

Carl Setzer2 Comments
woman in black hoodie holding a bank card

Over the past few days, I’ve been receiving multiple emails from Microsoft’s Account Team with single-use codes. At first, I assumed that my son or wife was trying to access the account. And the folks at Microsoft added the text “If you didn’t request this code, you can safely ignore this email. Someone else might have typed your email address by mistake.” But I started to get concerned as the number of these messages increased and no one said “hey dad, I can’t get in the Office”. Finally, I decided it was time to figure out what was going on.

So, I first logged into my Microsoft account (account.microsoft.com) and went to the security panel. From there I opened “View My Activity”.

What I saw alarmed me. There multiple attempts to log in from places like Vietnam and Guyana.

Now, I was pretty confident in my account’s security. I update my password regularly and use a strong password. And when I looked at the “session activity” it states that “incorrect password entered”. Which seems pretty solid. I’m pretty sure that an old password has been leaked from a data breach and is in some list available on the dark web.

But I think it’s not adequate. Exploring further, I realize that I had not yet enabled two-factor authentication, nor connected it to my authentication app. So, I fixed that promptly. I firmly believe everyone really should do these steps for all their account. Do you know where to do that? I thought I’d help out by adding the steps.

One enables that from the Advanced security panel.

I encourage all of you to make sure your security settings are using the most up-to-date protocols:

  • Multifactor authenication
  • Authentication Apps
  • Pass Keys

Also, I opted to sign out of EVERY app. Yeah, it’s a bit of a pain, but I don’t want to have my information compromised. I like that I can do that from the control panel.

Anyway, we really can’t be too safe on today’s internet, can’t we?

Have you seen a spike in Microsoft Single Use Code emails that are not from you? Let me know in the comments.

Animated Navigation Bar: 50 Projects in 50 Days

Carl Setzer2 Comments
person encoding in laptop

Today we created an animated navigation bar with (mostly) CSS. I easily see a use case for this one, which makes it that much more fun.

You click on the “x” or the double line (depending on the view you’re in) to change the animation.

Besides growing my developer skills, I’m considering what work I should/could do in the near term. It’s going to be a bit before I feel ready to do coding interviews, much feel ready to jump into a production environment. But that’s not the only thing I can do with all that I’ve learned over the past few years.

My studies have covered a pretty broad swath of technology. Besides the keys to web development (HTML, CSS, and JavaScript), we also looked at JQuery and PHP. Stretching beyond the rudiments, we went pretty deep into databases (theory as well as design), system analysis and design, and project management (amongst other things). Also, I added some courses in Cisco Networking (the internet is a network, right?), desktop support (one more class then I will have a certificate in desktop support), and system architecture. Combining this with my pre-ATA career, I think this sets me up to be a great system analyst. I understand the technical side of things, and what business leaders want/need. I will do an excellent job bridging the gap between “business” and IT. Thus, I’m leaning that way in my job search.

What do you think? Any guidance you have to offer me as I transition? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

DNA, Technology and Unintended Consequences

Carl Setzer

From Wired Magazine: “There’s No Such Thing as Family Secrets in the Age of 23andMe”

This looks at the fascinating intersection of biological tech with democratized data, laden with so many “unintended consequences” in the DNA market (is it right to call this a “market”?).

I believe there was no way to guess these issues would come up when humanity first developed medical insemination. DNA databases and the commodification of DNA data: I doubt we could’ve guessed this coming about 10 years ago, much less in the 1970s.

Many, many questions, so few answers. The way forward seems murky. I guess it always is.

Data Saturation and Sanity

Carl Setzer
pile of covered books

I, like so many others, have hit the wall: data overload. There’s SO much out there, interesting and readily available. Free, or so for all practical intent; very few barriers. Not too long ago, price helped keep this in check. Our resources to spend on magazines, newspapers and the like naturally limited out data-stream. Yes, we had free at libraries, but content was still limited (by the fiscal concerns of libraries as well as any particular mag being used or destroyed by another patron) and there was the time commitment. Clearly the topography has changed.

Content commodified: for creatives, this might be horrifying. I have a bit of that reaction. But this condition needs to drive a focus on quality. We content creators need to create the best stuff we can. And be aware of the subjective nature of “best”.

But “best” can still be buried within a sea of adequate. The tools for navigating this are still being crafted. I consider the hundreds of email I delete a day. All those newsletters I subscribed to. I’m interested in them, value the quality, yet am pushed past my time limits and am simply stuck. Then there’s my Google reader steam I haven’t so much as looked at in ages. And social media? Besides Facebook, I’m not trying to keep up with everything. I can’t read every Tweet. And I don’t have thousands in my stream. Much less Google+, Quora, LinkedIn, et masse. Nope: no keeping up with all of this without sacrifice.

I haven’t come close to mastery. Though I’ve explored ideas, from Franklin-Covey to Getting Things Done…still the feeling remains. Ignoring streams isn’t a satisfying solution. I tend to binge and purge.

What about you? You got this down? How go you triage your data-stream?