Data Analysis in Business and Industry

Almost everyone in industry has ideas to test, theories to try out to make things stronger, faster, more reliable and so on. Data is gathered to provide evidence of problems or of solutions. People want to make full and proper use of their data. But few in industry have the experience and self-assurance to apply a wide range of statistical methods and ideas. Yet the use of data for evidence, for testing ideas, is a major focus of applied statistics. Over the past 20 years the author has worked with a wide range of people in industry to help them look at existing data sets, and to plan efficient ways of gathering new data. This book fills a niche by offering a guide for those working with industrial data who want to separate the signals from the noise, and weigh the evidence for or against their ideas using sound statistical methods. It provides guidance which is accessible, makes good use of modern software facilities, and sticks to the practicalities and priorities of the business user. The approach emphasises 'how to do things', 'how to interpret results', 'when to seek statistical advice'