How do I get started with Python?

These days this is the most frequent question I get asked. Python is a very useful tool to almost anyone in business, although there is a perception that it may be difficult to use, and is for developers only.

The problem Python can help to address is a "problem" casued by technology itself.

Spreadsheets are a wonderful tool for ad-hoc data analysis and reporting. They become a problem when they become institutionalized into business procedures though. This is because they are difficult to automate and document, and run in a repeatable way. Sure, VBA can help, but not much. And this is the clue to where to get started in Python.

Because Python with tools like Pandas and Matplotlib becomes what in many ways is a spreadsheet driven by repeatable automation. And that is why I encourage as many professionals as possible to start to learn Python. Automating one spreadsheet is simple, a great learning project, and a way to reduce business risk. Oh, and also a way to learn a valuable skill!

It's not difficult to learn Python, but it is difficult to teach it in a way that allows students to apply it easily and effectively. And I deeply understand that, and that is why I teach.