Australian executives are dealing with more data than ever and know they have to improve their skills in reading, working with and analysing it. However, many feel overwhelmed by the task.

A survey of more than 5000 workers in Australia, Singapore, India, China and Japan by visual analytics company Qlik has found the highest levels of data literacy are in India, where 45 per cent of workers are data literate (able to read, work with, analyse and challenge data).

Only 20 per cent of Australian workers fall into that category, while Japan lags the region with only 6 per cent data literacy.

“This revolution of data is hitting every industry, and every organisation now has access to so much information that can drive decisions,” says Jordan Morrow, head of data literacy at Qlik.

“Historically, data and mathematics have been seen to be intimidating. To be data literate does not mean you have become a data scientist, but you do need to build skills within decision literacy and learn to ask the right questions.”

Age not the issue

Data literacy is not simply a generational problem, Morrow says. The survey found young graduates lacked data skills.

“There’s a difference between data literacy and digital literacy,” he says.

“The younger generation are good with technology and digital things but they don’t know how to read, work with, analyse and argue with data.”

Australian executives have a lot to gain from improving their data literacy, Morrow says.

“Executives in the C-suite have so many years of experience, so many years of context and applicability, that helping them to become more data literate will empower them even more in their decision making and drive them away from using gut feel to drive decisions.”