Roles in the Data Ecosystem

Data analytics involves different professionals working together to turn raw information into meaningful insights.
Each role plays a distinct part in this journey — and understanding these roles helps you see where you fit in.

• A Data Analyst focuses on cleaning, analyzing, and visualizing data to answer business questions.
• A Data Scientist builds predictive models and algorithms, often using machine learning techniques.
• A Data Engineer builds the infrastructure — like databases and pipelines — that make data usable for others.

Although the roles differ, they often work together:

• Analysts interpret data for teams.
• Scientists build models that need clean, reliable inputs.
• Engineers ensure the data flows smoothly and is stored correctly.

You might start as an analyst but later develop engineering or modeling skills — the ecosystem is flexible.

In the next lesson, you’ll explore the skills you need to succeed in these roles and how to grow your toolkit as a future analyst.