Introduction to Business Analytics
Introduction to Business Analytics
Skills you’ll gain
What if everyday decisions were guided by evidence, not hunches?
Brett Vanderblock, a data and analytics leader, teaches practical ways to source, govern, analyze, and visualize data, then extend it with AI and machine learning for forecasting and automation. Drawing on experience building scalable data products and teaching analytics, he emphasizes clarity, repeatability, and impact.
After this course, you'll turn raw data into confident, defensible decisions by being able to:
- Think like a data professional to solve business problems with clarity and logic.
- Translate raw data into strategic insights that drive better decisions.
- Select appropriate analytics methods for each use case.
- Build and integrate data sources across departments to uncover broader insights.
- Apply basic statistics, pivot tables, and dashboards to extract and communicate trends.
- Use AI tools to automate data tasks, forecast outcomes, and mitigate bias.
Syllabus
Download syllabus-
1
Demonstrate the value of data Data becomes valuable when tied to real outcomes. 2m
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2
Choose the right type of analytics Different questions require different tools. 3m
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Build a real-world data source map You need to know what you're working with. 2m
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Combine data sources across departments Data integration reveals deeper stories. 4m
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3
Apply basic data governance Data chaos leads to bad decisions. 4m
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Use pivot tables to extract insights Pivot tables cut through noise. 3m
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2
Apply simple statistics to trends Basic math can power big decisions. 3m
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3
Build a dashboard that tells a story Dashboards need to speak clearly. 4m
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4
Create a lightweight reporting system One-time reports waste effort. 3m
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Use AI to streamline data collection Manual entry is a thing of the past. 3m
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Use AI to forecast business outcomes Forecasting no longer requires coding. 2m
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3
Predict customer churn using AI In subscription-based businesses, driving retention is key to your business health. 3m
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4
Spot AI bias and correct it AI needs supervision. In this lesson, you'll identify a biased prediction output and revise your dataset to improve fairness and reliability. 2m
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Analyze sales data to drive growth Sales data reveals missed opportunities. In this lesson, you’ll filter sales performance data and recommend actions based on gaps and growth areas. 4m
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2
Optimize campaigns with analytics Marketing needs accountability. In this lesson, you’ll visualize marketing expenses and interpret what’s working. 3m
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3
Run your business with clean data Clean financial data is the foundation of sound decision-making. 3m
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4
Decode psychographic consumer data Emotions drive decisions. In this lesson, you’ll plot psychographic survey responses and evaluate consumer sentiment to steer messaging. 3m
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Build confidence as a data professional You now have a hands-on foundation for making analytics work for you. 1m
Certificate
Certificate of Completion
Awarded upon successful completion of the course.
Instructor
Brett Vanderblock
Brett Vanderblock is a data scientist with Patagonia and co-founder of Think Fast Analytics. He has proven experience surfacing insights across industries, from start-ups, state and local governments, higher education, healthcare, to retail. He is always furthering his deep expertise in machine learning, data visualization, and data pipelines. An educator at heart, Brett enjoys providing "data therapy" to enable others to realize the benefits of their data through self-service analytics.
Brett Vanderblock
Data Scientist
Accreditations
Link to awards
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