Business Analytics Executive Overview from Coursera

Businesses run on data, and data offers little value without analytics. The ability to process data to make predictions about the behavior of individuals or markets, to diagnose systems or situations, or to prescribe actions for people or processes drives business today. Increasingly many businesses are striving to become “data-driven”, proactively relying more on cold hard information and sophisticated algorithms than upon the gut instinct or slow reactions of humans.

This course will focus on understanding key analytics concepts and the breadth of analytic possibilities. Together, the class will explore dozens of real-world analytics problems and solutions across most major industries and business functions. The course will also touch on analytic technologies, architectures, and roles from business intelligence to data science, and from data warehouses to data lakes. And the course will wrap up with a discussion of analytics trends and futures.

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Overview & Module 1 Analytics Beyond the Spreadsheet

This first module exposes and explains key data and analytics concepts from Big Data to data warehousing to natural language query, and everything in-between. Next we will explore various analytic techniques, types of visualizations, and types of analytics solutions. The course will continue with identifying and learning about key data and analytics roles and organization structures, including chief data and analytics officers, data scientists, and analytics centers of excellence. Alternatives to direct hiring, such as outsourcing and crowdsourcing, will also be covered. Finally, the course will scrutinize analytic trends and futures.

Module 2 Industry and Business Function Analytics

Over the course of the module, you will also see how data and analytics in each of these organizations can be used in similar ways, in similar business functions. Accordingly, you will appreciate that to be truly data-driven, you need not only look to examples in your own industry, but, also learn and apply analytics concepts from organizations in other fields.

Module 3 Staffing and Organizing for Analytics

In this module you will learn a bunch of crucial analytical roles and the emergence of new roles in organizations from the C-suite down to various analyst roles. You will take a brief look at the job descriptions and the responsibilities. You will also put yourself in either a job seeker’s or a recruiter’s shoes to see what kind of skill sets are the most important and which position fits you the best. For example, it will introduce you to the three core skills of the data scientist and the crucial soft skills required to be a successful data scientist.

Module 4 Analytics Success Today and Tomorrow

This module explores telling stories, through data, that connect emotionally with your audience. It will also review examples and figures that make the concept easy to understand. You will learn the major do’s and don’ts of creating dataviz and rules that lead to the clear depiction of your findings. This unit specifically focuses on Dona Wong’s guidelines for good data visualization and charts. The last leg of Module 4 teaches the three tests that help you improve your visualization. In the final step of dataviz execution, you will learn the McCandless Method for presenting visualizations. This five-step process produces the most effective communication of the graphics to your audience.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Serves as a solid foundational course

Develops essential analytics principles

Examines real-world applications of analytics across various industries

Introduces emerging trends and future prospects in analytics

Reviews summary

Enjoyable course on business analytics overview

Learners say this course was good and enjoyable. This course provided an engaging, practical overview of business analytics. Many students commented on how knowledgeable and interesting the lectures were. However, some feedback suggested that the peer-reviewed assignments took too long to review. Overall, students felt this course was an excellent opportunity to learn about the applications of data analytics in business.

Instructor is knowledgeable and interesting.

"knowledgeable and a lot of insight towards the role of analytics in the business world and in a nations economy and its different elements."

"The tutor helped me a lot in completing the assignments and quizes through his extended lecture videos."

Real-world examples are provided.

"This course provided very practical and current information that could be applied to many workspaces."

"The real-world examples are on point for each lesson."

Peer-reviewed assignments can take too long.

"Liked everything except the peer-reviewed assignment. Four reviews is too many."

"It took several weeks to get submissions to review after I had finished everthing else."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Business Analytics Executive Overview with these activities:

Organize your notes and materials

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Keep your notes and materials organized so you can easily find what you need.

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Create a system for organizing your notes.
File your notes and materials.
Review your notes and materials regularly.

Follow tutorials on data analytics

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Learn new data analytics skills and techniques.

Browse courses on Data Analytics

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Find tutorials online or on YouTube.
Follow the tutorials.
Practice the techniques you learn.

Explore SQL tutorials

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Enhance your understanding of SQL by exploring comprehensive tutorials.

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Identify reputable resources for SQL tutorials.
Select tutorials that align with your skill level and course objectives.
Follow the tutorials step-by-step and work through the exercises.
Document any challenges or questions you encounter.

Six other activities

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Review the textbook

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Familiarize yourself with the key concepts and techniques covered in the course.

View Data Science for Business: What You Need to... on Amazon

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Read the assigned chapters from the textbook.
Take notes on the key concepts and ideas.
Complete the end-of-chapter exercises.

Attend a data analytics workshop

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Learn about new data analytics tools and techniques from industry experts.

Browse courses on Data Analytics

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Find a data analytics workshop.
Register for the workshop.
Attend the workshop.

Complete data analysis exercises

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Reinforce your understanding of data analysis concepts and techniques.

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Find practice exercises online or in textbooks.
Complete the exercises.
Check your answers.

Develop a data visualization dashboard

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Create a visual representation of data to communicate insights and findings.

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Choose a dataset to visualize.
Design your dashboard.
Develop your dashboard.
Present your dashboard.

Develop a data analysis project

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Apply the concepts and techniques learned in the course to a real-world problem.

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Identify a problem that you want to solve.
Collect and clean the data.
Analyze the data.
Develop a solution.
Present your findings.

Write a blog post about data analytics

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Share your knowledge and insights about data analytics with others.

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Choose a topic that you are interested in.
Research your topic.
Write your blog post.
Publish your blog post.

Career center

Learners who complete Business Analytics Executive Overview will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Data Analyst

As a Data Analyst, your job is to transform raw data into a usable format. You will have a strong understanding of data analysis techniques and be able to use them to identify trends and patterns. This course will equip you with the skills you need to succeed in this role, including data mining, data visualization, and statistical modeling. It will also introduce you to the latest trends and technologies in data analytics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Business Analyst

A Business Analyst is responsible for analyzing and interpreting business data to identify opportunities and solve problems. You will need to have a strong understanding of business processes and be able to use data analysis to improve them. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including data mining, data visualization, and statistical modeling. It will also introduce you to the latest trends and technologies in data analytics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Data Scientist

A Data Scientist uses scientific methods and algorithms to extract knowledge from data. You will need to have a strong understanding of data analysis techniques and be able to use them to solve business problems. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including data mining, data visualization, and statistical modeling. It will also introduce you to the latest trends and technologies in data analytics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Market Researcher

Market Researchers are responsible for gathering and analyzing data to understand customer needs and preferences. You will need to have a strong understanding of research methods and be able to use them to collect and interpret data. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including data mining, data visualization, and statistical modeling. It will also introduce you to the latest trends and technologies in data analytics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Market Researcher

Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts are responsible for analyzing financial data to make recommendations on investments. You will need to have a strong understanding of financial markets and be able to use data analysis to identify opportunities and risks. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including data mining, data visualization, and statistical modeling. It will also introduce you to the latest trends and technologies in data analytics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst

Operations Research Analyst

An Operations Research Analyst uses mathematical and statistical techniques to solve business problems. You will need to have a strong understanding of operations research techniques and be able to use them to improve business processes. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including data mining, data visualization, and statistical modeling. It will also introduce you to the latest trends and technologies in data analytics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Research Analyst

Risk Analyst

A Risk Analyst is responsible for identifying and assessing risks to a business. You will need to have a strong understanding of risk management techniques and be able to use them to develop and implement risk management strategies. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including data mining, data visualization, and statistical modeling. It will also introduce you to the latest trends and technologies in data analytics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Risk Analyst

Management Consultant

A Management Consultant helps businesses improve their performance. You will need to have a strong understanding of business processes and be able to use data analysis to identify opportunities and solve problems. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including data mining, data visualization, and statistical modeling. It will also introduce you to the latest trends and technologies in data analytics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Management Consultant

Product Manager

A Product Manager is responsible for managing the development and launch of new products. You will need to have a strong understanding of product development and be able to use data analysis to identify customer needs and preferences. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including data mining, data visualization, and statistical modeling. It will also introduce you to the latest trends and technologies in data analytics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Sales Analyst

A Sales Analyst is responsible for analyzing sales data to identify trends and opportunities. You will need to have a strong understanding of sales techniques and be able to use data analysis to improve sales performance. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including data mining, data visualization, and statistical modeling. It will also introduce you to the latest trends and technologies in data analytics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Analyst

Marketing Analyst

A Marketing Analyst is responsible for analyzing marketing data to identify trends and opportunities. You will need to have a strong understanding of marketing techniques and be able to use data analysis to improve marketing performance. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful in this role, including data mining, data visualization, and statistical modeling. It will also introduce you to the latest trends and technologies in data analytics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Analyst

Data Engineer

A Data Engineer is responsible for designing and building data systems. You will need to have a strong understanding of data engineering techniques and be able to use them to build scalable and reliable data systems. This course may be useful as it provides an overview of data analytics concepts and technologies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Engineer

Web Developer

A Web Developer is responsible for designing and building websites. You will need to have a strong understanding of web development techniques and be able to use them to build scalable and reliable websites. This course may be useful as it provides an overview of data analytics concepts and technologies.

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Database Administrator

A Database Administrator is responsible for managing and maintaining databases. You will need to have a strong understanding of database management techniques and be able to use them to ensure that databases are reliable and performant. This course may be useful as it provides an overview of data analytics concepts and technologies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator

Software Engineer

A Software Engineer is responsible for designing and building software applications. You will need to have a strong understanding of software development techniques and be able to use them to build scalable and reliable software applications. This course may be useful as it provides an overview of data analytics concepts and technologies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer