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Ed Wiley, Ph.D.
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What's inside

Syllabus

In this lesson, you'll meet your instructor and learn about what this course is going to cover.
In this lesson, you'll learn about the principles of data science to help you build a solid foundation.
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Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Teaches how to build a data driven culture and team, which is vital for organizations seeking to leverage data science
Taught by Ed Wiley, Ph.D., who is recognized for their work in data science
Covers strategic, human capital, and technical requirements for data science, providing a comprehensive understanding
Develops strategic execution skills for developing an organizational data science strategy, which is crucial for unlocking its potential
Offered through Udacity, a reputable provider in online education
May require prerequisites or additional knowledge, which could pose a barrier to some learners

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Reviews summary

Strategic data science for leaders

According to students, this course offers a valuable high-level strategic overview of data science, specifically tailored for business leaders. Learners appreciate its focus on understanding the business case for data science and how to foster a data-driven culture within their organizations. It is consistently highlighted as accessible for non-technical professionals, providing the necessary insights to engage with data science teams and initiatives. However, prospective learners should be aware that it is not a technical deep dive; those seeking hands-on coding or practical implementation skills will find it too conceptual. Its strength lies in equipping leaders with the strategic understanding needed to unlock data's business potential without requiring prior technical expertise.
Helps leaders communicate effectively with data teams.
"I can now understand and contribute more effectively in strategic discussions with our data analysts and data scientists."
"It significantly improved my ability to ask the right, insightful questions about ongoing data science projects and their objectives."
"The course provided me with the necessary vocabulary and context to effectively bridge the gap between business and tech departments."
Focuses on real-world business value and team culture.
"The modules on building a data-driven culture and team within an organization were incredibly insightful and actionable for my role."
"I learned how to construct a compelling business case for data science initiatives, which is invaluable for securing buy-in and resources."
"It directly addresses how to leverage data for tangible operational improvement and sustainable business growth."
Ideal for business leaders without prior tech skills.
"As a business leader with no prior tech background, I found the data science concepts presented in this course very easy to understand and apply."
"I didn't need to learn any coding; the focus was precisely on what matters for high-level decision-makers and strategic planning."
"The course excels at bridging the communication gap between pure business strategy and the technical world of data science teams."
Provides high-level data science strategy for leaders.
"I now have a clear understanding of data science's strategic role in business operations and how it aligns with overall company goals."
"This program helped me grasp the big picture of data-driven decision making without getting bogged down in technical details."
"It's perfect for leaders who need to guide their teams and initiatives from a high-level perspective, not do the coding themselves."
Not suitable for those seeking hands-on coding skills.
"If you're hoping to learn specific tools like Python or R, this course is not for you; it's purely strategic and managerial in scope."
"While valuable for leaders, I wished there was a bit more on actual implementation challenges beyond the conceptual framework."
"Don't expect to become a data scientist from this; it's designed to help you lead and manage data science functions effectively."

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 Data Science for Business Leaders with these activities:
Read Data Science for Business: What You Need to Know about Data Mining and Data-Analytic Thinking
Provide an overview of the concepts and techniques of data science and data-analytic thinking.
Show steps
  • Read chapters 1-5
  • Summarize the key concepts of each chapter
  • Identify how these concepts relate to the course material
Follow a Machine Learning Algorithm Implementation Tutorial
Gain practical experience implementing machine learning algorithms.
Show steps
  • Choose a machine learning algorithm and find a tutorial on how to implement it
  • Follow the tutorial and implement the algorithm yourself
Practice Data Preprocessing and Feature Engineering
Reinforce understanding of techniques for cleaning and preparing data for analysis.
Browse courses on Data Preprocessing
Show steps
  • Complete the data preprocessing tutorial on Kaggle
  • Practice feature engineering techniques on a real-world dataset
Two other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all five activities
Develop a Data Science Project Proposal
Apply the course concepts to a real-world data science problem.
Browse courses on Data Science Project
Show steps
  • Identify a data science problem to solve
  • Develop a project proposal outlining the problem, data sources, and methodology
Contribute to an Open-Source Data Science Project
Gain hands-on experience and contribute to the data science community.
Browse courses on Data Science Project
Show steps
  • Find an open-source data science project on GitHub
  • Contribute to the project by fixing bugs or adding new features

Career center

Learners who complete Data Science for Business Leaders will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Data Scientist
A Data Scientist analyzes raw data, identifies trends, and develops machine learning models to solve business problems. This course will help you build the skills needed to understand the strategic, human capital, and technical requirements for successful data science projects. You will also learn how to create a data-driven culture and team, which is essential for maximizing the value of data in your organization.
Business Analyst
A Business Analyst works with stakeholders to understand their business needs and develop solutions that meet those needs. This course will help you build the skills needed to make a business case for data science initiatives, and to create a data strategy that aligns with your organization's goals.
Product Manager
A Product Manager is responsible for the development and launch of new products. This course will help you build the skills needed to understand how data can be used to improve product development and marketing.
Marketing Manager
A Marketing Manager is responsible for developing and executing marketing campaigns. This course will help you build the skills needed to use data to target your marketing efforts and measure their effectiveness.
Sales Manager
A Sales Manager is responsible for leading a sales team and achieving sales targets. This course will help you build the skills needed to use data to identify and target potential customers, and to close deals.
Operations Manager
An Operations Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of a business. This course will help you build the skills needed to use data to improve efficiency and productivity.
Financial Analyst
A Financial Analyst provides financial advice to individuals and businesses. This course will help you build the skills needed to use data to analyze financial statements and make investment decisions.
Consultant
A Consultant provides advice and guidance to businesses on a variety of topics. This course will help you build the skills needed to use data to identify opportunities and solve problems for your clients.
Entrepreneur
An Entrepreneur starts and runs their own business. This course will help you build the skills needed to understand how data can be used to validate your business idea, and to develop a business plan.
Data Engineer
A Data Engineer designs and builds the systems that store and process data. This course may be helpful if you are interested in working with data at a more technical level.
Software Engineer
A Software Engineer designs and develops software applications. This course may be helpful if you are interested in working with data as part of a software development team.
Statistician
A Statistician collects, analyzes, interprets, and presents data. This course may be helpful if you are interested in working with data in a more research-oriented role.
Machine Learning Engineer
A Machine Learning Engineer designs and builds machine learning models. This course may be helpful if you are interested in working with data to develop artificial intelligence applications.
Data Analyst
A Data Analyst cleans, transforms, and analyzes data to identify trends and patterns. This course may be helpful if you are interested in working with data at a more entry-level position.
Database Administrator
A Database Administrator maintains and manages databases. This course may be helpful if you are interested in working with data at a more technical level.

Reading list

We've selected nine books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Data Science for Business Leaders .
Provides a comprehensive overview of deep learning. It covers the key concepts and techniques of deep learning, and it includes practical examples and exercises.
Provides a comprehensive reference guide to data science. It covers the key concepts and techniques of data science, and it includes practical examples and case studies.
Provides a comprehensive overview of reinforcement learning. It covers the key concepts and techniques of reinforcement learning, and it includes practical examples and exercises.
Provides a comprehensive overview of machine learning with Python. It covers the key concepts and techniques of machine learning, and it includes practical examples and exercises.
Provides a comprehensive overview of data science for business leaders, covering topics such as data mining, data-analytic thinking, and how to use data to make better decisions.
Provides a guide to artificial intelligence for business leaders, covering topics such as natural language processing, computer vision, and how to use AI to improve business operations.

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