When it comes to data interpretation, visualization and analysis are two of the most important practices to master, as they are complementary to each other. Projecting unclear data renders its analysis and subsequent decision-making process almost irrelevant, as no one can truly tell what your data means.

In the same vein, if you showcase a clean design for what is ultimate non-curated data, everyone in that meeting will most likely struggle to find the start, middle and end point of your presentation, even though it is dressed up nicely.

For this very reason, we at The KPI Institute have created two courses – the Certified Data Visualization Professional and Certified Data Analysis Professional, which will harmonize your working knowledge of data.

 

The Certified Data Visualization Professional

Visual communication is effective only when it is aligned with the way people see and think. This course provides insights on the importance of data visualization, fundamental principles, as well as means to increase non-verbal communication skills through effective visualizations.

The C-DV course will help you improve communication within your company, through visual displays of quantitative data. You will learn how to communicate visually in an effective way and how to increase reporting efficiency, leading to a better understanding of the presented data, and thus, to smarter and quicker strategic decisions, as well as improved data analysis capabilities.

 

Learning objectives

• Understand the fundamentals of creating and designing a visual representation for your intended users;
• Select the right communication channel in accordance with the target audience;
• Learn how to collect and design standardized data inputs and outputs;
• Apply the design techniques required to create an effective visual representation;
• Discover key steps in improving your organizational and departmental visual communication.

Creating clean, streamlined and expressive data visualization designs is a meticulous task. There is a lot of minutiae when working on this aspect, so for ease of learning, we’ve divided this course into 7 modules, as follows:

1.Content standardization

• Systematically adjust your data before creating a visual representation
• Identify the most relevant information required to be communicated

2.Channel selection

• Identify the most appropriate channel to communicate your data
• Align your visual representation to the viewer’s needs

3.Structure

• Define the terms balance, proportion, movement, unity and emphasis
• The significance of movement to effective graphic design

4.Format

• Provide every visual representation with all the relevant information
• Select the appropriate graph according to your predefined objectives

5.Express

• Choose the right typography for your audience taking into consideration function and aesthetics
• Understand the color theory

6.Report

• Explore reporting methods and their taxonomy
• Improve organizational performance through balanced reporting to provide clarity

7.Assess

• Understand the importance of a checklist, self-evaluation and peer-evaluation
• Ensure maximum efficiency of the entire process of creating a visual representation

 

The Certified Data Analysis Professional

Most companies that look to retain a strong presence on the market use data analysis at length, in order to pinpoint troughs and developments. As shown by an Intelligent Utility Report from 2011, successful businesses juxtapose historical data with current information, so as to get a good grasp over trend developments.

Moreover, a Deloitte Analytics Trends report from 2015 further reinforces this notion, by highlighting how certain leading organizational entities have started training their employees in tax analytics analysis, in order to better understand the company’s current state vs its would-be state, if any tax changes were to occur.

This type of proactive forethought and predictive mindset is what turns good companies into great industry leaders. One might have access to data, most certainly, but making use of it through thorough analysis and interpretation is what’ll ultimately secure them a winning spot in the market.

Our C-DA course gives you the capability to analyze statistical data on the finest of levels, so that you can feel confident when endorsing certain strategic business decisions.

 

Learning objectives

• Develop a hands-on, practical overview of data analysis
• Integrate statistical concepts and analysis tools that are widely used in corporate analytics environments
• Analyze examples of practical applications for statistical methods, used in solving real-life business issues
• Acquire mastery of basic MS Excel and statistical techniques through practical exercises

Over the course of more than 120 editions of the C-DA, we’ve found it best to divide it into 4 modules. While not as many as the C-DV course, the difference lies in the fact that when it comes to data visualization, there are several different notions that have to be tackled individually. Regarding data analysis, there are fewer elements to take into consideration, however these have much more depth to them and require greater focus in order to fully understand. As a result, this course’s modules are as follows:

 

2.1 Understanding data analysis

• Basic data analysis processes; data quality; data source taxonomy; organizing, synthesizing and aggregating data

2.2 Data Analysis Tools and processes

• Statistical Analysis Tools; Data visualization and pattern detection; data comparison; univariate and multivariate analysis; regression analysis

2.3 Advanced data analysis techniques

• Probability and confidence; From exploratory to predictive modelling; data dimensionality; software enablers for Data Analysis

2.4 Data presentation

• Essential aspects in data analysis outputs; summarization capacity for data interpretation

In recent years, one trend that has become commonplace is workload management optimization through data analysis, which allows for an efficient delegation of responsibilities. Back in 1776, one of the fathers of economics, Adam Smith, wrote in his magnum opus – The Wealth of Nations, that great values comes from the division of labour, since worker specialization equates to greater efficiency.

This is as true today as it was back then, only today we have access to meaningful data analysis knowledge, techniques & software that can help us pinpoint with greater accuracy where we have to allocate what, why and in what fashion.

Both data visualization and data analysis are core processes that turn on the light in an otherwise dark room for businesses. Instead of bumping through the dark, we can illuminate our way with data analysis, in a very pleasant, coherent and clean fashion, through data visualization.

Making use of one without the other is still better than none at all, but great organizations understand the value of combining the two, into one seamless process that behaves like a gift which keeps on giving . Curated data enables informed decisions. Clean, appealing, user-friendly curated data enables a clear vision, in addition to informed decisions.