Data-Backed Decision Making
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Data-Backed Decision Making
This course is part of Strategic Decision Making Specialization
Instructor: Madecraft
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What you'll learn
Build a working vocabulary for data literacy and apply it to real business decisions.
Navigate the full data pipeline β from collection and governance to interpretation and action.
Develop the critical thinking skills to question data, avoid common pitfalls, and collaborate effectively across your organization.
Skills you'll gain
- SQL
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Data Governance
- Analytical Skills
- Organizational Strategy
- Machine Learning
- Data Literacy
- Change Management
- Professional Development
- Business Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Data Quality
- Statistical Analysis
- Data Analysis
- Data Visualization
- Correlation Analysis
- Data Integrity
- Business Intelligence
- Data Ethics
- Data Pipelines
Details to know
April 2026
8 assignments
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There are 6 modules in this course
Data is everywhere β but knowing how to read it, question it, and act on it is what separates good decisions from great ones. This course gives you a practical, jargon-free foundation in data literacy, designed for professionals who want to work more confidently with data without becoming statisticians or data scientists.
You'll start by building a working vocabulary for data β metrics, reports, charts, and analysis β then move into the organizational side: overcoming resistance, assessing your company's data culture, and taking your first hands-on steps. From there, you'll follow the full data pipeline, learn how teams collaborate around data, and develop the critical thinking skills that turn raw numbers into meaningful action. Along the way, you'll tackle the concepts that trip most people up β data quality, correlation vs. causation, statistical significance, and machine learning β broken down clearly and connected directly to real decisions. You'll finish with a practical framework for applying data literacy through clear goals, curiosity, and collaboration. By the end, you'll have the vocabulary, the mindset, and the tools to engage with data at any level β and the confidence to keep going deeper.
Data is everywhere, but without the ability to read it, even the most powerful information is useless to you. You'll build a working vocabulary for data literacy β from counts and metrics to charts and analysis β so you can start interpreting data with confidence and avoid being misled by it.
What's included
3 videos1 assignment1 discussion prompt
3 videosβ’Total 7 minutes
- Making Better Decisionsβ’2 minutes
- Data Literacy Definedβ’3 minutes
- Importance Of Data Literacyβ’2 minutes
1 assignmentβ’Total 15 minutes
- Demystify Data Literacyβ’15 minutes
1 discussion promptβ’Total 10 minutes
- Where Do You Stand with Data?β’10 minutes
Data is everywhere, but without the ability to read it, even the most powerful information is useless to you. You'll build a working vocabulary for data literacy β from counts and metrics to charts and analysis β so you can start interpreting data with confidence and avoid being misled by it.
What's included
3 videos1 assignment1 discussion prompt
3 videosβ’Total 7 minutes
- Overcoming Data Naysayer Objectionsβ’3 minutes
- Creating A Data Driven Cultureβ’3 minutes
- Getting Started With Dataβ’2 minutes
1 assignmentβ’Total 30 minutes
- Begin Your Data Literacy Journeyβ’30 minutes
1 discussion promptβ’Total 10 minutes
- Where Does Your Organization Stand?β’10 minutes
Raw data is messy, jargon-heavy, and rarely what you expect β and that gap between expectation and reality is exactly where most people get stuck. You'll gain the foundational knowledge to navigate data terminology, set realistic expectations about data quality, and apply core analysis techniques like segmentation and anomaly detection.
What's included
4 videos1 reading2 assignments2 discussion prompts
4 videosβ’Total 12 minutes
- Learning Data Basicsβ’3 minutes
- Setting Realistic Expectationsβ’3 minutes
- Putting Data Togetherβ’3 minutes
- The Art Of Analysisβ’3 minutes
1 readingβ’Total 15 minutes
- Margin Of Errorβ’15 minutes
2 assignmentsβ’Total 60 minutes
- Build Your Data Foundationβ’30 minutes
- Data Basicsβ’30 minutes
2 discussion promptsβ’Total 20 minutes
- The Language of Dataβ’10 minutes
- Finding the Story in the Dataβ’10 minutes
Data doesn't sit still β it moves through an entire pipeline of collection, transformation, interpretation, and governance before it ever informs a decision. You'll map the full journey data takes inside an organization, identify the roles responsible for each stage, and apply governance principles that keep data accurate, secure, and decision-ready.
What's included
5 videos1 assignment1 discussion prompt
5 videosβ’Total 18 minutes
- Understanding The Data Pipelineβ’3 minutes
- Classifying Company Dataβ’3 minutes
- Collaborating With Your Teamβ’4 minutes
- Governing Your Dataβ’3 minutes
- Interpreting Your Dataβ’5 minutes
1 assignmentβ’Total 30 minutes
- Follow The Data Pipelineβ’30 minutes
1 discussion promptβ’Total 10 minutes
- Understanding The Data Pipeline And The Cloudβ’10 minutes
The most valuable data skill isn't knowing how to crunch numbers β it's knowing which questions to ask before you start. You'll sharpen your analytical thinking by applying the right type of analysis to the right problem, distinguishing correlation from causation, and identifying the tools and concepts that turn raw data into decisions.
What's included
6 videos2 assignments1 discussion prompt
6 videosβ’Total 16 minutes
- Start With Questionsβ’2 minutes
- Curiosity Is Goldenβ’2 minutes
- Correlation vs. Causation β’2 minutes
- Helpful Data Toolsβ’2 minutes
- Apply Statistical Conceptsβ’3 minutes
- Apply Machine Learning Conceptsβ’4 minutes
2 assignmentsβ’Total 45 minutes
- Get The Most From Dataβ’30 minutes
- Determining Correlation vs. Causationβ’15 minutes
1 discussion promptβ’Total 10 minutes
- Why Curiosity Is An Important Data Skillβ’10 minutes
Data literacy isn't a solo pursuit β the real payoff comes when you can set clear goals, ask bold questions, and bring others along with you. You'll put your data skills into practice by applying a goal-driven framework, exercising curiosity as a professional tool, and collaborating across your team to turn shared insights into action.
What's included
2 videos1 assignment
2 videosβ’Total 4 minutes
- Data Literacy For Everyoneβ’2 minutes
- You Can Do Itβ’2 minutes
1 assignmentβ’Total 45 minutes
- Putting It All Togetherβ’45 minutes
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