Data analytics is the science of analyzing raw data to make conclusions about that information. It helps businesses optimize its performance, perform more efficiently, maximize profit, or make more strategically-guided decisions.
The techniques can reveal trends and metrics that would otherwise be lost in the mass of information. This information can then be used to optimize processes to increase the overall efficiency of a business or system.
A data analyst collects, cleans, and interprets data sets in order to answer a question or solve a problem. They work in many industries, including business, finance, criminal justice, science, medicine, and government.