Data Wrangling and Data Cleaning: What are the Differences?

Data cleaning and data wrangling are both important steps in the process of working with data, but they refer to different things.

Data cleaning refers to the process of identifying and correcting errors, inconsistencies, and missing values in a dataset. It is the process of making sure that the data is accurate and consistent before it is used for analysis. This includes tasks such as dealing with missing values, removing duplicate data, and correcting errors in the data. Data cleaning is an essential step in the process of working with data because it ensures that the data is of high quality and can be used to make accurate and reliable conclusions.

Data wrangling, on the other hand, is the process of transforming and mapping data from one format or structure to another. It’s the process of manipulating data to make it suitable for analysis. This might include tasks such as merging multiple datasets, aggregating data, and creating new variables. Data wrangling is an important step in the process of working with data because it allows you to make the data usable for your specific analysis.

Data cleaning and data wrangling are often used together, but they are not the same thing. Data cleaning is the process of making sure that the data is accurate and consistent, while data wrangling is the process of manipulating the data to make it usable for analysis. Both steps are essential for the process of working with data, and they need to be performed before any analysis takes place.

Overall, data cleaning and data wrangling are critical steps in the process of working with data. They both require a good understanding of the data and the analysis that is being performed, as well as a good set of tools and techniques to make the process as efficient as possible. By ensuring that the data is accurate and consistent, and that it is in the right format for analysis, organizations can make more informed and data-driven decisions.

Data Wrangling and Data Cleaning Processes

There are defined processes for data wrangling and data cleaning, which are used by most enterprise organizations. These processes typically involve a series of steps that are followed in order to ensure that the data is of high quality and that it is in the right format for analysis.

Data Wrangling Process

For data wrangling, the process typically includes the following steps:

1. Data acquisition: This step involves obtaining the data from various sources and storing it in a central location.
2. Data cleaning: This step involves cleaning the data to ensure that it is accurate and consistent.
3. Data exploration: This step involves exploring the data to understand its structure and content.
4. Data transformation: This step involves transforming the data into a format that is more appropriate for analysis.
5. Data loading: This step involves loading the data into the appropriate analysis tool or platform.

Data Cleaning Process

For data cleaning, the process typically includes the following steps:

1. Data inspection: This step involves reviewing the data to identify any errors, inconsistencies, or missing values.
2. Data validation: This step involves checking the data against a set of rules or constraints to ensure that it is accurate and consistent.
3. Data correction: This step involves making any necessary corrections to the data, such as filling in missing values or removing duplicate data.
4. Data standardization: This step involves ensuring that the data is in a consistent format and that it conforms to a set of standards.
5. Data transformation: This step involves transforming the data into a format that is more appropriate for analysis.

It’s important to note that the specific steps and their sequence may vary depending on the organization, the data and the analysis that is being performed. However, both processes are iterative and requires continuous improvement. Additionally, there are several tools and technologies available that can automate and facilitate many of these steps, such as ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) tools, data cleaning software, and visualization tools.

Data Wrangling and Data Cleaning Tools

There are several popular tools and technologies that can be used to facilitate the steps of data cleaning and data wrangling. Some of the most commonly used tools include:

1. ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) tools: These tools are designed to automate the process of extracting data from various sources, transforming it into a format that is more appropriate for analysis, and loading it into a central location. Some popular ETL tools include Talend, Informatica, and Microsoft SSIS.
2. Data cleaning software: These tools are specifically designed to automate the process of data cleaning. They can be used to identify and correct errors, inconsistencies, and missing values in a dataset. Some popular data cleaning software include Data Ladder and Trifacta.
3. Data visualization tools: These tools can be used to explore and understand the structure and content of a dataset. They can be used to create visualizations such as charts, graphs, and maps that help to identify patterns and trends in the data. Some popular data visualization tools include Tableau, QlikView, and Looker.
4. Data wrangling tools: These tools can be used to transform, manipulate and map data from one format or structure to another. Some popular data wrangling tools include OpenRefine and Trifacta.
5. Programming languages: Some of the popular programming languages that are used for data wrangling and cleaning include Python, R, SQL, and Java. These languages provide libraries, frameworks and packages to perform data cleaning, wrangling and manipulation.
6. Data quality tools: These tools can be used to ensure data is accurate, consistent, and complete. They can help detect errors and inconsistencies in data and also provide suggestions for corrections. Some popular data quality tools include SAP Data Quality and Informatica MDM.

It’s worth noting that these tools are not mutually exclusive and can be used together in a pipeline to perform the tasks. The choice of the tools will depend on the specific needs of the organization, the data and the analysis that is being performed.