Overview

This course marks the culmination of the IBM BI Analyst Professional Certificate. It provides you an opportunity to apply data analysis techniques acquired in the previous courses to real-world datasets, allowing you to extract meaningful insights and discover patterns. Throughout the course, you will work with various tools such as Excel for data cleaning and basic visualization, PostgreSQL and pgAdmin for data querying and complex analysis, and Tableau for data visualizations (learners may opt for other data visualization applications such as Cognos or Looker instead). At the end of the course, you will present and highlight the outcomes of the BI Analyst project, emphasizing their impact on decision-making and business performance. Upon completion of the course, you will have a variety of artifacts showcasing your business intelligence skills to include in your portfolio.

Syllabus

Data Cleaning and Preparation Using Excel

In this module, you will be presented with the project scenario with raw datasets to work on. You will assume the role of a BI analyst and complete the tasks assigned to you. Data in raw form is rarely usable as it is. You will be cleaning and preparing the data to ensure the quality, accuracy, and reliability of the data for subsequent analysis. You will then perform some basic analysis using pivot tables to summarize data and calculate aggregates.

Data Querying and Analysis Using PostgreSQL

After preparing the dataset for analysis and conducting a basic analysis using Microsoft Excel, it is time to move to a more sophisticated territory. In this module, you will be loading your cleaned and prepared data to the PostgreSQL server and writing SQL queries using pgAdmin to perform advanced data manipulation to filter and sort the data and calculate aggregates. You’ll also perform a multidimensional analysis using cubes and rollups to observe trends and summarize data along hierarchies.

Data Visualization and Statistical Analysis

Data visualization refers to insights through visually compelling reports and dashboards. In this module, you’ll use Microsoft Excel to create basic charts like line and bar charts and advanced charts like sunbursts and scatterplots to visualize trends and gain insights. Further, you’ll conduct a statistical analysis of the data using regression techniques to predict outcomes.

Data Visualization and Dashboards with Tableau

Tools like Tableau provide advanced visualization capabilities. They allow you to extract more information from the data by providing better sorting and filtering features. They help you create interactive dashboards that enable users to make better decisions. In this module, you’ll be performing advanced data visualization tasks. You’ll create worksheets using advanced filters and emphasizers and then assemble multiple worksheets to create interactive dashboards having features like calculated fields and interactivity allowing the filtering of data across multiple views.

Present Your BI Analysis Findings

In this module, you’ll be presenting your findings. You’ll be creating a PowerPoint presentation telling a compelling story of your analysis. You’ll be asked to include screenshots from tasks performed throughout the course and links to dashboards as proof of completion. Before you begin, you may go through the videos and labs providing guidance on how to present your findings and how to use PowerPoint. The presentation will be uploaded in a PDF format and will be reviewed by your peers. You’ll also be reviewing the work of some of your peers.

Ace Your Job Hunt (Bonus Module)

In this bonus module, you will gain valuable insights and skills to excel in your job search for BI Analyst positions. You will evaluate effective job search strategies tailored to the BI analysis field. You will create a resume and develop an effective portfolio. You’ll build a professional online presence and use networking techniques to help you access hidden job opportunities. You will also learn effective interview guidelines specific to BI analyst positions and demonstrate strong communication and presentation skills during job interviews.