From Coder to Analyst: Why Change Your Field

Years ago I worked as a programmer and sort of as a coder. I dealt with the development of tailor-made web applications — for example, an international website with a translation engine, interfacing with many APIs, security against hacking attacks that ran under our hands.

Most days were the same: come to work, turn on the dev environment, go to lunch and turn off the dev environment again in the evening.

Over time, I began to miss something about it.

So when the opportunity arose to start processing and analyzing data, I threw myself in that direction.

Below I have listed 5 reasons why it has not let me go to this day. And why should you, coders, look after web analytics too.

Perspective of the field

IT and online are growing. But not all specialties have a bright future ahead.

There is already a trend that some companies are switching to rented solutions such as Webnode, Wix, Webflow and the like, because as a result they get the same good website at a significantly lower price. We also recommend clients to build websites on a rented solution. A coded site doesn't make sense for most of them.

I suppose Web programmers and coders will soon be solving only about 5% of specific web applications, the rest can be done by secretaries.

And I'm not talking about AI. Already today she is able to write code and bring programming closer to the masses. And it will continue to develop. Coding abilities will be playfully replaced by artificial intelligence over time.

It is not easy to replace a web analyst (although some of the work can be automated). He's a human with overlap into a lot of fields, which automates itself very poorly. Moreover, the field is becoming increasingly complex - both technologically and knowledgeably.

Web analytics will simply be companies and continue to needto make them evaluate data from AI.

Jackpot.

Diversity of knowledge

Analytics, at first glance, seems like a combination of programming, mathematics and common sense. But the beauty of it is that it needs Expansion into many other fields.

In order to help designers with data, an analyst needs to know how a designer works.

In order to help marketers, an analyst must have at least a little understanding of marketing. By analogy, this applies to managemet.

Thus, the ideal analyst is more like a multidisciplinary position combining all the above-mentioned professions. I find that great because I enjoy learning things, having overlap and constantly shifting. In analytics, you have no chance of stunting.

Technology

I enjoy technology. Web analytics are not just about them, they play an important role.

When setting up, you need a decent knowledge of javascript and the behavior of browsers on individual platforms.

When setting up server metering, one touches cloud technologies.

When integrating data, you need to understand orchestration tools, ETL, databases and data warehouses.

Thus, web analytics gives you the opportunity to work with tools for mining data from databases or neural networks.

People and communication

Analytics is not just about technology. It is about communication with clients, management, designers, marketers. It's about training, explaining, conveying conclusions, setting up processes. Analytics in its own way connects the world of ones and zeros with the world of people.

I lacked communication with people on programming. As an analyst, I have a lot more to her. But at the same time, a big part of my job is sitting behind a monitor with headphones on my ears without anyone interrupting me.

I dabble in dates like a proper introvert.

Impact on clients' business

The output of the work of the analyst is improvement and knowledge. Analytics helps companies determine where they need to improve — for example, whether to focus on marketing or customer support. It helps designers understand How people use the service firms.

I'm always a little nervous when I see that the management of some company based on my data has made a key decision. For example, about the direction of the company, or the cancellation of a part of marketing activities that, according to the data, does not bring any benefit.

At such moments, the effects of the analyst's work are most visible. At the same time, those impacts make sense -- my data saves clients money, energy, and time.