As someone who recently started a new job, I quickly realised that my ability to report data effectively was crucial for my role in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). I enrolled in Google Cloud’s “Prepare Data for Looker Dashboards and Reports” course to improve my reporting skills and, ultimately, my job performance. Here’s a look back at my experience and the key lessons I learned along the way.
Why I Enrolled
Getting a new job comes with its own set of challenges. For me, the immediate need was to enhance my SEO reporting ability. I had often seen beautifully crafted Looker Studio reports created by colleagues, and I knew that building similar reports could give me a competitive edge. While my familiarity was initially with Looker Studio, I soon discovered that this course was more about Looker itself—a difference that I only came to grasp later.
What I Expected to Learn
Before starting the course, I aimed to learn how to build effective, data-driven dashboards and get hands-on experience with Looker. I was particularly interested in:
- Understanding basic data visualisation concepts.
- Learning to build basic looks and dashboards in Looker.
- Gaining practical skills that would help me improve my existing SEO reporting framework.
Key Learning Points
Practical Hands-On Labs
The hands-on labs were the backbone of this course. They helped structure what initially seemed like an overwhelming amount of information. Through these labs, I learned step by step how to:
- Build basic looks and dashboards.
- Use Looker tools for filtering and sorting data, which proved essential in making sense of large datasets.
Filtering and Sorting Data in Looker
One of the most useful modules was on filtering and sorting data. It provided me with the practical skills to manipulate data and derive insights—a crucial part of creating meaningful reports. The hands-on approach here cemented my understanding and boosted my confidence in using these features.
Confusing Terminology
One area that still puzzles me is the difference between functions, operators, and dimensions. Although these terms appear to be basic in the realm of data science, they felt foreign and sometimes confusing as I navigated through the course content. Despite this, the structured guidance of the labs helped me slowly piece together their roles within Looker.
Reflections and Outcomes
At the end of the course, I achieved a significant milestone—earning the “Analyze and Visualize Looker Data” skill badge. It wasn’t an easy journey; the challenges were real, and completing the course was demanding. That sense of achievement makes the extra effort truly worthwhile.
After adding the badge to my LinkedIn profile, I received a flurry of congratulatory messages, further validating the skills I had acquired. Although I came into the course with a need to work with Looker Studio, I learned that the principles behind Looker are highly transferable. Even if I can’t yet apply all the insights directly to Looker Studio, the foundational knowledge is invaluable.
Looking Ahead
The course has set me on a path towards more confident data reporting in my current role. Even though I still have questions—especially around some of the terminology—I now have the practical skills to build functional dashboards and understand data better than before.
This narrative not only highlights what I learned but also the real challenges and achievements I experienced along the way. If you’re stepping into a new role or just want to enhance your data skills, this course might be the step you need.
For more information on the course, visit Prepare Data for Looker Dashboards and Reports on Google Cloud Skills Boost.
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