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Business Intelligence Analytics program launch: Keep up with the digital climate.

Udacity is launching a new Business Intelligence Analytics Nanodegree program. And it couldn’t come at a better time. Business intelligence skills are in higher demand than ever. Business intelligence analysts gather, analyze, and compile data in order to make strategic recommendations for enterprises. 

With the current global economic turmoil, making the right decisions has become urgently important as companies navigate uncharted waters. Gaining an edge on competitors is the only way to stay afloat. Leveraging data is the most effective way to do that. Being “data-driven” is no longer an option—it’s an obligation. 

Calling all career-switchers, beginner data analysts, Power BI skill-seekers, and more. 

This program is perfect for early-stage data analysts and/or individuals who are interested in learning business intelligence tools. Even non-data professionals can benefit from this program. A good candidate for this course should have:

  • Basic understanding of how to read different types of charts like pie charts, line charts, and column charts 
  • Basic skills in exploring and communicating data, such as investigating and communicating raw data to understand the columns of the data and their meaning
  • Basic knowledge of Microsoft Excel, including the use of basic functions such as SUM and AVERAGE

If you don’t meet the criteria, consider taking our free introductory course focused on data analytics basics. 

The BI tools we’ll cover. 

In this business intelligence course, learners will find out how enterprises can combine data types and sources to create a useful data model. Plus, you’ll learn how to ensure that the data is accurate and consistent. A graduate will have the ability to: 

  • Identify the type of data analytics strategy used in a given situation and where they stand in the data analytics lifecycle.
  • Load, clean, and organize data in Power Query, and create relational tables in Power Query and Power BI.
  • Effectively source data in Power BI and create a clean and efficient data model for analysis.
  • Help an enterprise to understand future risk, analyze different markets, or make decisions critical to an organization.

The program is broken up into 3 courses: Intro to Data Analytics, Data Preparation and Modeling, and Predictive Data Analysis. This first course establishes the data analytics lifecycle, provides an overview of Power BI, and covers other fundamental concepts. Course 2 dives deep into the preparation phase, preparing learners to effectively source data in Power BI to create a clean and efficient data model for analysis. The last course introduces tools used for predictive analysis that can help an enterprise understand future risk, analyze different markets, and make other critical decisions.

Build the portfolio of a BI pro. 

Each course has a corresponding project in which learners utilize the skills they learned in that respective course. These projects are open-ended and experiential, meaning they mirror real workplace challenges. 

In the first project, Out-of-the-Box Analytics, learners will create their own Power BI dashboard after assessing data, loading it, cleaning it, and applying the right analytics to deliver insights. Next, in the Population Statistics Data Model, project learners will ingest, clean, and connect data from various data sources to perform a sophisticated analysis in Power BI. Lastly, in the Commercial Flight Analysis in the State of New York project, learners will use historical flight data and passenger satisfaction scores to predict flight delays and recommend improvements that maximize passenger satisfaction.

Instructors who have seen it all. 

Our instructors have flexed their skills in the workplace and know firsthand how business intelligence can help enterprises make critical decisions. 

Ivan Vega is a senior analyst at T-Mobile. On evenings and weekends, he teaches both SQL and data visualization courses for master’s programs at Mary’s College of California. He has been teaching for over 2 years and has been an analyst for over 8 years.

Joseph Lozada works at The Planet Group, engaging with clients in the energy industry across the U.S. He helps clients collect data, set up data infrastructure, and provide data analysis and forecasting so that they can better understand their operations and finances. He also works as an adjunct instructor of Excel and Microsoft Power BI analytics at the Community College of Rhode Island.

Lastly, Daniel Roca has worked for many years in business intelligence and data science and has used Power BI to find unique patterns in data to support decision-making. He is passionate about solving problems through data analytics, and loves the challenge of finding innovative ways to create efficient and impactful data-oriented solutions.

Interested in boosting your BI analytics skills? Enroll in Udacity’s Business Intelligence Analytics Nanodegree program today.

Kate Reardon
Kate Reardon
Kate Reardon is a copywriter on the Creative Team at Udacity. She came from an agency background, specializing in tech, before she made the jump to in-house. When she’s not promoting Udacity’s mission through the written word, she’s probably exploring San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park with her dog, Annie.