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Jamie Champagne

This course will teach you what business intelligence is and why it is a necessary skill set and topic to successful organizations.

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This course will teach you what business intelligence is and why it is a necessary skill set and topic to successful organizations.

In this course, What Is Business Intelligence, you’ll learn to define business intelligence and why organizations need to incorporate “BI” as it is known into their organization. First, you’ll identify what technology business intelligence refers to. Next, you’ll explore the business intelligence activities that take place to deliver business value through a hands-on example. Finally, you’ll learn how to define the structures business intelligence roles can take in an organization. When you’re finished with this course, you’ll have the skills and knowledge of the value of business intelligence and the skillsets required to be successful and needed to consider what business intelligence means to you, your organization and team, and your future.

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Overview
Introduction to Business Intelligence
Business Intelligence Technology and Tools
Business Intelligence in Practice
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Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Teaches the basic concepts of business intelligence
Shows how data can be used to drive organizational success
Explains the role of business intelligence in organizations
Helps learners understand the importance of business intelligence
This course is ideal for those who want to learn the basics of business intelligence

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Reviews summary

A clear introduction to business intelligence

According to learners, this course is a highly effective introduction to Business Intelligence, especially for absolute beginners and professionals seeking foundational knowledge. Students frequently highlight its clear and concise explanations of complex BI concepts and its well-organized structure. The course excels at defining what BI is, its business value, and the various roles within an organization, which many found helpful for career insights. While a brief hands-on example is included and appreciated, some with prior data experience found the course too high-level and theoretical, wishing for more in-depth tool discussions or practical applications. Overall, it serves as a solid starting point for understanding BI fundamentals.
Offers helpful understanding of BI roles and career paths.
"As someone looking to transition into a data-related role, this provided a clear roadmap of what BI entails and the necessary skill sets."
"The section on BI roles was particularly insightful for career planning."
"Highly recommended for business professionals seeking to understand data's impact."
Specifically tailored for those new to Business Intelligence.
"Highly recommend for anyone starting out!"
"Good course for a beginner."
"It's okay for absolute beginners, but not for those with prior exposure."
"This course perfectly demystified Business Intelligence for me."
Establishes a strong basis for understanding BI.
"This course was a fantastic introduction to Business Intelligence."
"A solid overview of Business Intelligence. It covers the what and why very well."
"Excellent and foundational course! It cleared up a lot of misconceptions I had about Business Intelligence."
"As an overview, this course is quite decent. It lays out the foundational concepts clearly."
Provides an easily understandable introduction to BI.
"The instructor explained complex concepts in a very clear and concise manner, making it easy for a complete beginner like me to grasp."
"Excellent course to understand the fundamentals of Business Intelligence, it provided a clear roadmap of what BI entails."
"The content is well-organized and the pace is comfortable. The instructor's voice is clear, and the slides are informative."
"I loved this course! It perfectly demystified Business Intelligence for me."
Offers broad conceptual understanding, but limited practical depth.
"If you already have some background in data or IT, you might find it too basic. I was hoping for more practical insights or case studies."
"Honestly, this course felt a bit too elementary... There wasn't enough practical application or depth for me, even for an introductory course."
"It's an introductory course, and it serves that purpose. However, it's very theoretical. The 'hands-on example' was too brief to be truly impactful."
"I was hoping for a bit more detail on specific tools mentioned, even just a brief demo, but it stayed very high-level."

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 What Is Business Intelligence? with these activities:
Read 'Business Intelligence: A Managerial Perspective' by Ramesh Sharda
Gain a comprehensive understanding of the concepts, trends, and challenges in business intelligence from a managerial perspective.
Show steps
  • Read and summarize key chapters of the book.
  • Discuss key concepts with peers or a mentor.
Develop a business intelligence dashboard
Develop a hands-on understanding of the process of creating a business intelligence dashboard that will provide insights into an organization's data.
Show steps
  • Identify the business objectives of the dashboard.
  • Gather data from relevant sources.
  • Clean and prepare the data for analysis.
  • Create visualizations to represent the data.
  • Design and develop the dashboard.
Attend industry conferences and meetups
Connect with professionals in the field of business intelligence, exchange knowledge, and stay updated on industry trends.
Show steps
  • Research and identify relevant conferences and meetups.
  • Attend events and participate in discussions.
One other activity
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all four activities
Write a blog post on a current trend in business intelligence
Stay informed and share knowledge by researching and writing about a current trend in business intelligence.
Show steps
  • Research and identify a current trend in business intelligence.
  • Develop an outline and write the blog post.

Career center

Learners who complete What Is Business Intelligence? will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Business Intelligence Analyst
Business intelligence analysts use data analysis and visualization tools to help organizations make better decisions. The knowledge and skills gained in this course can help you build a strong foundation for a career in this high-demand field.
Chief Data Officer
This executive-level role is responsible for overseeing all aspects of an organization's data strategy. This course can help you develop the business intelligence and data management skills necessary to succeed in this role.
Data Analyst
Professionals in this role are responsible for analyzing large amounts of data in order to extract meaningful insights, identify trends, and create reports and presentations. This course can help you develop the data analysis skills necessary to succeed in this role, including data mining, statistical analysis, and data visualization.
Business Analyst
Business analysts leverage skills such as analytical reasoning, problem-solving, technical knowledge, and communication skills to accomplish their tasks. This course, What Is Business Intelligence, can help prepare you for this role by providing you with foundational knowledge of business intelligence concepts, technologies, and methodologies.
Market Research Analyst
Market research analysts conduct research on target markets, competitors, and industry trends to help organizations make informed decisions. This course can provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in this role, including data analysis, forecasting, and market segmentation.
Financial Analyst
Financial analysts analyze financial data to make recommendations on investments, financial planning, and other business decisions. This course can provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in this role, including financial modeling, data analysis, and forecasting.
Data Scientist
Data scientists combine the skills of data analysis, machine learning, and statistics to solve complex business problems. This course can provide you with a solid foundation in business intelligence concepts and technologies, which can be a valuable asset in this role.
Marketing Manager
Marketing managers are responsible for developing and executing marketing strategies to promote products and services. This course can provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in this role, including market research, brand management, and digital marketing.
Software Developer
Software developers design, develop, and maintain software applications. This course can provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to develop business intelligence applications.
Information Technology Manager
IT managers oversee the strategic planning and implementation of information technology systems within organizations. This course can provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in this role, including IT project management, budgeting, and vendor management.
Product Manager
Product managers are responsible for leading the development and marketing of products. This course can provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in this role, including product planning, market research, and customer relationship management.
Database Administrator
Database administrators are responsible for the management and maintenance of organizational databases. This course can provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in this role, including data modeling, query optimization, and data security.
Sales Manager
Sales managers are responsible for developing and executing sales strategies, leading sales teams, and achieving sales goals. This course can provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in this role, including sales forecasting, account management, and negotiation.
Operations Manager
Operations managers are responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating the activities of an organization's operations. This course can provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in this role, including operations planning, process improvement, and supply chain management.
Project Manager
Project managers are responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. This course can provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in this role, including project planning, budgeting, and risk management.

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 What Is Business Intelligence?.
Provides a comprehensive overview of business intelligence from a managerial perspective. It covers the key concepts, technologies, and applications of business intelligence, and provides practical advice on how to implement and use business intelligence solutions.
Provides a practical guide to business intelligence for decision makers. It covers the key concepts, technologies, and applications of business intelligence, and provides practical advice on how to use business intelligence to make better decisions.
Provides a concise guide to business intelligence for decision makers. It covers the key concepts, technologies, and applications of business intelligence, and provides practical advice on how to use business intelligence to make better decisions.
Provides a comprehensive overview of data warehousing, which key technology for business intelligence. It covers the concepts, design, and implementation of data warehouses, and provides practical advice on how to use data warehouses to support business intelligence applications.
Provides a detailed guide to dimensional modeling, which key technique for designing data warehouses. It covers the concepts, principles, and best practices of dimensional modeling, and provides practical advice on how to use dimensional modeling to create effective data warehouses.
Provides a comprehensive overview of big data, which key technology for business intelligence. It covers the concepts, technologies, and applications of big data, and provides practical advice on how to use big data to improve business performance.
Provides a comprehensive overview of data science, which key technology for business intelligence. It covers the concepts, technologies, and applications of data science, and provides practical advice on how to use data science to improve business performance.
Provides a comprehensive overview of business intelligence for beginners. It covers the key concepts, technologies, and applications of business intelligence, and provides practical advice on how to use business intelligence to improve business performance.
Provides a comprehensive overview of business intelligence for beginners. It covers the key concepts, technologies, and applications of business intelligence, and provides practical advice on how to use business intelligence to improve business performance.

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