Interpreting Data for Digital Investigations Using Excel

As law enforcement investigations become more and more centered around technology, it is imperative that the investigators learn to properly analyze the data they receive from various sources.  Unfortunately, this is not a one-size-fits-all approach as each company has their own way of storing, retrieving, filtering, exporting, and delivering data in response to legal process.  Once the investigator has the data in hand, what do they do with it?  What does it mean?  And how does it relate to the crime or suspect being investigated?

This course will provide an overview of the use of Excel (or other spreadsheet software) as it pertains to data analysis.  In reality, most investigators struggle with using Excel at all, much less using formulas, pivot tables, lookups, cell references, etc.  In this one day course we will expose the participants to various data sources, how to import the data into a spreadsheet, demonstrate various analysis approaches, and how to export the data in a usable format.  Course participants will want to have access to a computer with a spreadsheet program, preferably Excel, and have a fundamental working knowledge of spreadsheets and how they work.

Objectives

• Review various samples of data acquired during investigations
• Demonstrate the import process
• Learn to reference other cells and worksheets
• Utilize various tools in data analysis
• Discuss the importance and use of pivot tables
• Demonstrate the export process
• Review legal aspects of data analysis