29  Glossary – Asking Effective and SMART Questions

Action-oriented question

A question whose answers lead to change and help in developing actionable strategies.

Cloud

A digital storage space where data is kept online instead of being saved on a local computer or hard drive.

Data analysis process

The six-phase analytical framework—ask, prepare, process, analyze, share, and act—used to extract insights and guide data-driven decision-making.

Data life cycle

The sequence of stages that data passes through: plan, capture, manage, analyze, archive, and destroy.

Leading question

A question that subtly influences respondents to answer in a particular way, often creating bias in the results.

Measurable question

A question whose answers can be quantified and assessed, allowing analysts to track, compare, and evaluate outcomes objectively.

Problem types

The six common challenges data analysts work on: categorizing things, discovering connections, finding patterns, identifying themes, making predictions, and spotting something unusual.

Relevant question

A question that directly relates to the specific problem or objective being analyzed, ensuring relevance and focus.

SMART methodology

A structured approach to formulating effective questions—each question should be Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Specific question

A question that is simple, significant, and narrowly focused on one topic or closely related ideas, avoiding unnecessary ambiguity.

Structured thinking

A logical, step-by-step method of analyzing a problem by recognizing the current situation, organizing available information, identifying gaps and opportunities, and proposing clear solutions.

Time-bound question

A question that defines a specific timeframe for study, ensuring the data collected is relevant to the period being analyzed.

Unfair question

A question that assumes certain opinions or conditions, or makes it difficult for respondents to provide an honest or unbiased answer.