When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Professional Certificate.
Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate from Microsoft
There are 5 modules in this course
In this course, you will gain the skills to create impactful reports and interactive dashboards using Microsoft Power BI, helping businesses make data-driven decisions. The course focuses on the data visualization process. You will gain practical skills like designing professional reports, optimizing layouts for different audiences, and leveraging Power BI’s interactive features.
Additionally, you will explore how to use Power BI to integrate data from various sources, transform it into meaningful insights, and present it in a visually engaging way. Ultimately, you will learn how to create user-centered dashboards and reports, ensuring clarity and actionable insights.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Explain the data visualization process and how it drives business intelligence.
- Create dashboards in Power BI.
- Create interactive reports in Power BI.
This course is for anyone interested in a career in data analytics and business intelligence, or for roles that require working with business data, such as marketing and sales professionals. It will help you develop specific skills in effectively communicating data insights to business stakeholders.
To be successful in this course, you should already be proficient in extracting, transforming, and loading data in Microsoft Power BI, as well as using multiple data sources and configurations to build a semantic model.
You should also know how to use Power Query, create and customize effective visualizations, and write data analysis expressions to calculate statistics. Moreover, knowing about the fundamentals of business intelligence, principles for ethical data handling, and understanding business needs will put you in a position to succeed.
To complete this course, you’ll need:
- A laptop or desktop PC with Microsoft Windows
- At least 8 gigabytes of RAM
- A stable internet connection
- Power BI Desktop
- Microsoft 365
This module introduces the importance of data-driven decision-making in business contexts. You will explore how visual analysis and insights improve efficiency, competitive edge, and business performance. Key topics include the role of data in shaping business strategy and various professionals involved in the data analysis process.
Knowledge check: AI visualizations and reports•15 minutes
Module quiz: Business intelligence•30 minutes
User experience in reports
Module 2•5 hours to complete
Module details
Focusing on improving user interaction, this module teaches you how to create intuitive and navigable reports. It covers essential techniques such as drillthrough, hierarchies, and bookmarks to optimize the user experience. You will also explore interactivity through buttons, slicers, and filters, ensuring reports cater to varied business needs.
What's included
11 videos8 readings7 assignments
Show info about module content
11 videos•Total 65 minutes
Report hierarchies•5 minutes
Report drill-through•5 minutes
Adding bookmarks•6 minutes
Slicers•7 minutes
DAX filter context in visualizations•6 minutes
Adding buttons•6 minutes
Sorting and filtering data in reports•6 minutes
What is an aggregation?•6 minutes
Aggregation functions in DAX•6 minutes
Creating an aggregation table•5 minutes
Module summary: User experience in reports•6 minutes
8 readings•Total 75 minutes
Adding URLs•10 minutes
Exemplar: Configure a hierarchical report•10 minutes
Cross-filter and cross-highlight•10 minutes
Exemplar: Create an interactive report•10 minutes
DAX aggregation cheat sheet•10 minutes
Storage modes in aggregation tables•10 minutes
Exemplar: Create an aggregation•10 minutes
Additional resources: User experience in reports•5 minutes
7 assignments•Total 165 minutes
Activity: Configure a hierarchical report•30 minutes
Knowledge check: Report navigation•15 minutes
Activity: Create an interactive report•30 minutes
Knowledge check: Interactive reports•15 minutes
Activity: Create an aggregation•30 minutes
Knowledge check: Aggregating data•15 minutes
Module quiz: User experience in reports•30 minutes
Dashboards
Module 3•5 hours to complete
Module details
This module guides you to create dashboards in Power BI Service that provide quick, high-level overviews for stakeholders. You will also learn about workspaces and how dashboards differ from detailed reports. Topics include configuring dashboards for diverse business requirements and mobile devices and overcoming common limitations like pinned visuals.
What's included
11 videos7 readings7 assignments
Show info about module content
11 videos•Total 62 minutes
What is a workspace?•6 minutes
Creating a workspace•6 minutes
Assign workspace roles•5 minutes
What is a dashboard?•6 minutes
Creating a dashboard•5 minutes
Optimize a dashboard for mobile devices•6 minutes
Limitations of pinned visuals•5 minutes
Publishing reports and dashboards•6 minutes
Subscribing to reports and dashboards•6 minutes
Configuring data alerts•6 minutes
Module summary: Dashboards•6 minutes
7 readings•Total 65 minutes
Workspace settings•10 minutes
Roles cheat sheet•10 minutes
Exemplar: Create a shared workspace•10 minutes
Dashboard vs report design•10 minutes
Exemplar: Building a dashboard•10 minutes
Exemplar: Alerting on profit margin•10 minutes
Additional resources: Dashboards•5 minutes
7 assignments•Total 165 minutes
Activity: Create a shared workspace•30 minutes
Knowledge check: Introduction to workspaces•15 minutes
Activity: Building a dashboard•30 minutes
Knowledge check: Introduction to dashboards•15 minutes
This module focuses on optimizing Power BI performance and ensuring data security. You will be introduced to Power BI’s Performance analyzer tool, along with techniques for fine-tuning DAX queries and improving report speed. The module also covers security measures, including row-level security and managing dataset permissions, ensuring sensitive data is protected.
What's included
13 videos5 readings6 assignments
Show info about module content
13 videos•Total 79 minutes
Introduction to the Performance analyzer•6 minutes
Resolving performance issues in DAX•7 minutes
Using variables for performance•6 minutes
Sharing information safely•6 minutes
Sharing via links•6 minutes
Data sensitivity labels•6 minutes
Dataset permissions•6 minutes
Sharing outside your organisation•6 minutes
What is row-level security?•7 minutes
Static vs dynamic row-level security•6 minutes
Configuring static row-level security•5 minutes
Dynamic row-level security with DAX•5 minutes
Module summary: Performance and security•6 minutes
5 readings•Total 45 minutes
Tuning report performance•10 minutes
Exemplar: Improving DAX performance•10 minutes
Permissions cheat sheet•10 minutes
Exemplar: Share information•10 minutes
Additional resources: Performance and security•5 minutes
Knowledge check: Working with sensitive data•15 minutes
Knowledge Check: Row-level security•15 minutes
Module quiz: Performance and security•30 minutes
Final project and assessment: Building powerful reports and dashboards in PowerBI
Module 5•4 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, you will synthesize the skills and knowledge you acquired throughout the course by completing the final course project and the final graded quiz. You will apply your expertise to a real-world business scenario, using Power BI to identify and analyze the root cause of a problem. This hands-on project challenges you to demonstrate your ability to integrate various analytical techniques and create impactful data visualizations that drive business insights and decision-making.
What's included
1 video5 readings2 assignments1 plugin
Show info about module content
1 video•Total 6 minutes
Course recap: Building powerful reports and dashboards in PowerBI•6 minutes
5 readings•Total 80 minutes
About the final project and assessment•10 minutes
Final project: Visualizing data for stakeholders•40 minutes
Showcase your skills•10 minutes
Coursera community•10 minutes
Next steps•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 120 minutes
Self-review: Visualizing data for stakeholders•30 minutes
Course quiz: Building powerful reports and dashboards in PowerBI•90 minutes
1 plugin•Total 20 minutes
Exemplar: Visualizing data for stakeholders•20 minutes
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Our goal at Microsoft is to empower every individual and organization on the planet to achieve more.
In this next revolution of digital transformation, growth is being driven by technology. Our integrated cloud approach creates an unmatched platform for digital transformation. We address the real-world needs of customers by seamlessly integrating Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, LinkedIn, GitHub, Microsoft Power Platform, and Azure to unlock business value for every organization—from large enterprises to family-run businesses. The backbone and foundation of this is Azure.
This Professional Certificate is designed for aspiring junior data scientists who want to kickstart their careers in the business intelligence industry. It is also for current professionals who are seeking a greater understanding of data visualization fundamentals.
This program is for you:
- If you are interested in the field of data analytics and visualization or are just beginning to work in a junior data analyst role.
- If you want to switch or start a career in the field of data analytics and visualization.
- If you already work in data analytics and are seeking a greater understanding of data visualization fundamentals. Earning a Microsoft Data Visualization certificate can help you advance your career or address gaps in your knowledge, skills, and abilities.
What background knowledge is necessary?
This program is for anyone interested in data analytics and visualization; there are no prerequisites. To get the most out of the learning experience, it is recommended to follow the courses in sequence, as each one builds on the skills and knowledge gained in the previous ones.
How long does it take to complete the Specialization?
It typically takes 5 to 6 months to complete the 5 courses. But some learners may go through the content faster.
What is data visualization?
Data visualization is the graphical representation of data, using visual elements like charts, graphs, and maps. It helps simplify complex data sets, allowing users to easily understand trends, patterns, and insights, ultimately aiding in decision-making and communication.Â
What does a junior data scientist or data analyst do?
A junior data scientist or data analyst collects, processes, and analyzes data to help organizations make informed decisions. They work with data visualization tools such as Microsoft Power BI, create reports, identify trends, and support business insights. They also collaborate with teams to improve data-driven strategies, spot opportunities and solve problems.
What jobs can I get with junior data visualization skills?
With the skills acquired from this Professional Certificate, you can qualify for entry-level positions such as junior data analyst, business intelligence (BI) analyst, or reporting analyst. These positions focus on analyzing data, creating reports and dashboards, and using tools like Microsoft Power BI to present actionable insights, helping organizations make data-driven decisions.
Will I be able to complete this course online?
Yes, this course is entirely online, allowing you to study at your own pace from anywhere with an internet connection. You can access your lessons, readings, and assignments anytime and anywhere via the web or your mobile device.
Do I need to take the courses in specific order?
Yes. We highly recommend taking the courses of each certificate program in the order they are presented. The content in the courses builds on information from earlier courses.Â
What will I be able to do upon completing the Professional Certificate?
Once you've completed the Microsoft Data Visualization Professional Certificate, you will possess the essential skills and knowledge to thrive in this dynamic field. These skills enhance your practical experience and career prospects in data visualization, ensuring you are well-prepared to tackle challenges in entry-level roles. This certificate is valuable to share within your professional network.Â
Throughout the program, you engaged with hands-on activities, final course projects, and assessments, mastering fundamental concepts such as:
- Interpreting datasets and communicating findings to stakeholders through visualizations using Power BI.
- Analyzing data to extract insights that inform business decisions.
- Creating visually appealing and interactive reports and dashboards.
- Applying advanced data modeling techniques, including the use of Data Analysis Expressions (DAX).
- Applying statistical analysis techniques and leveraging AI-driven tools to uncover hidden insights and trends.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Specialization?
No, completing the Microsoft Data Visualization Professional Certificate does not grant university credit. However, by successfully completing all the courses in the program you will receive a professional Coursera certificate, which is valuable for career development. The certification is recognized globally, so it enhances your credibility and marketability to potential employers. It demonstrates your proficiency in data visualization tools like Microsoft Power BI.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. 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 Certificate?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Certificate, 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.