This course is part of the Excel to MySQL: Analytic Techniques for Business Specialization

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Excel to MySQL: Analytic Techniques for Business SpecializationDuke University

About this Course

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In this course, you will learn best practices for how to use data analytics to make any company more competitive and more profitable. You will be able to recognize the most critical business metrics and distinguish them from mere data.
You’ll get a clear picture of the vital but different roles business analysts, business data analysts, and data scientists each play in various types of companies. And you’ll know exactly what skills are required to be hired for, and succeed at, these high-demand jobs.
 
Finally, you will be able to use a checklist provided in the course to score any company on how effectively it is embracing big data culture. Digital companies like Amazon, Uber and Airbnb are transforming entire industries through their creative use of big data. You’ll understand why these companies are so disruptive and how they use data-analytics techniques to out-compete traditional companies.

Flexible deadlines

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

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Course 1 of 5 in the

Excel to MySQL: Analytic Techniques for Business Specialization

Approx. 7 hours to complete

English

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Skills you will gain

Data Analysis
Business Analysis
Business Analytics
Business Process

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Course 1 of 5 in the

Excel to MySQL: Analytic Techniques for Business Specialization

Approx. 7 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.75/5 (856 Ratings)

Daniel Egger

Executive in Residence and Director, Center for Quantitative Modeling

Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University

1,011,799 Learners

8 Courses

Jana Schaich Borg

Assistant Research Professor

Social Science Research Institute

696,824 Learners

7 Courses

Offered by

Duke University

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating96%(38,060 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

28 minutes to complete

About This Specialization and Course

This Coursera Specialization: Excel to MySQL: Analytic Techniques for Business, is about how 'Big Data' interacts with business, and how to use data analytics to create value for businesses. This specialization consists of four courses and a final Capstone Project, where you will apply your skills to real-world business process. You will learn to perform sophisticated data-analysis functions using powerful software tools such as Microsoft Excel, Tableau, and MySQL. To learn more, watch the video and review the specialization overview document we provided. In the first course of the specialization: Business Metrics for Data-Driven Companies, you will be able to learn best practices for using data analytics to make any company more competitive and more profitable; learn to recognize the most critical business metrics and distinguish those from mere data; understand the vital but different roles business analysts, business data analysts, and data scientists each play in various types of companies; and know exactly the skills required to be hired for, and succeed at, these high-demand jobs. Finally, using a 20-item checklist for evaluating a business, you'll be able to score any company on how effectively it is embracing big data culture. Digital companies like Amazon, Uber and Airbnb are transforming entire industries through their creative use of big data. You’ll understand why these companies are so disruptive, and how they use data-analytics techniques to out-compete traditional companies.To get started, please begin with the video 'About This Specialization.'I hope you enjoy this week's materials!

28 minutes to complete

2 videos (Total 8 min), 2 readings

2 hours to complete

Introducing Business Metrics

Welcome! This week we will explore business metrics - the critical numbers that help companies figure out how to survive and thrive. Inside every pile of data is a vital metric trying to get out! By the end of this week, you will be able to: distinguish business metrics from mere business data; identify critical business metrics such as cash flow, profitability, and online retail marketing metrics; distinguish revenue, profitability and risk metrics; and distinguish traditional from dynamic metrics. Included in this week’s course materials is a Cash Flow and P&L statement for Egger’s Roast Coffee, as a supplemental document, so be sure to review it carefully and refer to the glossary for key information.

2 hours to complete

11 videos (Total 90 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

11 videos

Metrics Help Us Ask the Right Questions3mDistinguishing Revenue, Profitability, and Risk Metrics6mDistinguishing Traditional and Dynamic Metrics6mEgger’s Roast Coffee Case Study Part 1 – Definitions13mEgger’s Roast Coffee Case Study Part 2 – How a Profitable, Growing Company can go Bankrupt12mRevenue Metrics – Traditional Enterprise Sales Funnel8mRevenue Metrics - Amazon.com as a Leading Example of Use of Dynamic Metrics - Part 18mRevenue Metrics - Amazon.com as a Leading Example of Use of Dynamic Metrics - Part 26mProfitability/Efficiency Metrics: Inventory Management10mProfitability/Efficiency Metrics: Hotel Room Occupancy Optimization9mRisk Metrics: Leverage and Reputational Risk4m

1 reading

Egger's Roast Coffee Cash Flow and P&L Statements10m

1 practice exercise

Business Metrics30m

Week2

Week 2

2 hours to complete

Working in the Business Data Analytics Marketplace

Welcome! This week, we will meet some great people - all former students of mine - now working at super-interesting and exciting jobs as business analysts, business data analysts, or data scientists. We’ll explore what they do, how their role relates to big data, and the skills they needed to get hired! Our hope is this information will give you a better understanding of the type of data-related job you might apply for once you've completed this specialization, and a sense of the type of company you would find most appealing to work for. By the end of this week, you will be able to: differentiate among different job roles within a company that work with data; identify how each role works with data; and describe the skills required to perform each job role. You will differentiate how different types of companies relate to big data culture, and rank any company according to a 20-item checklist. You will also learn to differentiate how different types of companies relate to big data culture. Included in this week’s materials is a 20-item checklist to rank companies. This week also includes in-video polls so you can see how others are ranking their businesses.

2 hours to complete

15 videos (Total 77 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

15 videos

Roles and Companies as They Relate to Big Data5mThe Business Analyst7mAn Interview with Business Analyst Shambhavi Vashishtha6mDistinguishing the Business Data Analyst and Business Analyst Roles3mAn Interview with Business Data Analyst Tiffany Yu4mThe Data Scientist5mAn Interview with Data Scientist Dai Li4mThe Senior Software Engineer2mOverview of 5 Types of Companies as They Relate to Big Data4mTraditional Strategic Business Consulting4mBricks-and-Mortar Companies7mBarnes and Noble Case Study4mStrategic Business Consulting - Focus on Software/IT Systems Integration3mHardware and Software Companies7mDigital Companies5m

2 readings

Summary of Job Requirements for Data-Centric Roles10m20-Item Checklist for Evaluating A Business10m

1 practice exercise

Working in the Business Data Analytics Marketplace30m

Week3

Week 3

2 hours to complete

Going Deeper into Business Metrics

Welcome! This week we’re going to go deeper into the critically-important metrics for web marketing - metrics every type of business needs to understand in order to survive. We’ll dive into the 'vertical' market of financial services - where digital companies are threatening to take away the market from traditional 'brick-and- mortar' companies.By the end of this week, you will be able to: Identify critical business metrics for all companies engaged in web-based marketing; and identify critical business metrics for financial services companies. You’ll find additional website links that expand some of the course materials covered in this week’s video lectures.

2 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 63 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

7 videos

Web Marketing - Metrics6mWeb Marketing - AdWord Metrics7mWeb Marketing - Segmentation5mFinancial Services Metrics - Money Management and Investing13mThe Equivalence of Different Returns –The Sharpe Ratio8mFour Types of Money Managers and Their Performance Metrics14mVenture Capital and Private Equity Investors6m

1 reading

Links Cited In AdWords Metric Video10m

1 practice exercise

Going Deeper into Business Metrics30m

Week4

Week 4

1 hour to complete

Applying Business Metrics to a Business Case Study

1 hour to complete

1 reading

Reviews

4.6

1709 reviews

5 stars
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4 stars
25.20%
3 stars
4.81%
2 stars
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1 star
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TOP REVIEWS FROM BUSINESS METRICS FOR DATA-DRIVEN COMPANIES

by RAMay 27, 2020

The course has given me a good understanding of the business metrics that can be used by a data-driven company.

The course also described the job roles of a data analyst and data scientist.

by HPFeb 24, 2016

One of the best courses I've taken through Coursera, but also one of the most enjoyed courses. I'd recommend this course for those interested in learning business metrics and business analysis.

by RRMar 29, 2020

I really liked and learned a lot from this Duke University Course about business metrics. I also thought the instructor was excellent and presented the material in a concise and effective manner.

by CVMar 27, 2017

Very good class for those who already have a bit of business analytics knowledge, good buildup to class: starts of slowly with terminology and builds to more technical analyses. Great overall!

View all reviews

About the Excel to MySQL: Analytic Techniques for Business Specialization

Formulate data questions, explore and visualize large datasets, and inform strategic decisions.

In this Specialization, you’ll learn to frame business challenges as data questions. You’ll use powerful tools and methods such as Excel, Tableau, and MySQL to analyze data, create forecasts and models, design visualizations, and communicate your insights. In the final Capstone Project, you’ll apply your skills to explore and justify improvements to a real-world business process. The Capstone Project focuses on optimizing revenues from residential property, and Airbnb, our Capstone’s official Sponsor, provided input on the project design. Airbnb is the world’s largest marketplace connecting property-owner hosts with travelers to facilitate short-term rental transactions. The top 10 Capstone completers each year will have the opportunity to present their work directly to senior data scientists at Airbnb live for feedback and discussion.

Excel to MySQL: Analytic Techniques for Business

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
Will I receive a transcript from Duke University for completing this course?
No. Completion of a Coursera course does not earn you academic credit from Duke; therefore, Duke is not able to provide you with a university transcript. However, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

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Business Metrics for Data-Driven Companies

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