Data analytics is the science and methodology of using qualitative and quantitative approaches to extracting valuable insights into data from big data sets. This process involves finding key data points, then categorizing the data to analyze connections, patterns, relationships, and other insights. Because data is used in almost every organization, data analytics is a key part of a company’s approach to learning more about its customers, competitors, market trends, and business processes. Data analytics is usually placed into four main sections—descriptive analytics, diagnostic analytics, predictive analytics, and prescriptive analytics.