Certificate in Business Analytics for Decision Makers

Business analytics is a quickly maturing field, but many organizations still struggle to tap into the power of available data without being overwhelmed by it. This program is geared to mid- and upper-level managers in  strategic planning, analytics, operations, and many other roles, who need to better understand and communicate the value that business analytics can bring to their organization.

In this course, students will work to build initial action plans to enhance the application of analytics within their organizations by investigating aspects of analytics including requirements, benefits, limits, and organizational effects. This investigation will include assessing the competitive environment and planning context; exploring the skills needed to implement and communicate analytics’ value across the organization; categorizing the implications of planning coming out of analytics; integrating analytics with other strategic processes; and defining data and skilled resource needs across the organization and beyond.

Please note that this course is not intended to teach coding or how to develop predictive analytics models. That is better covered in Certificate in Business Analytics or the Data Science and Visualization online programs.

BUS_DM 501-0 Business Analytics for Decision Makers is under review. Please visit this page to learn more about SPS’s Certificate in Business Analytics and upcoming course sessions.

 

About the Certificate in Business Analytics for Decision Makers

Business Analytics for Decision Makers Program Goals

Students will learn to:

  • Assess the decision making context for their organizations
  • Recognize and communicate the uses of analytics to drive business success
  • Develop action plans to enhance analytics within their organization and integrate it with other strategic processes
  • Assess varying models for building and positioning analytics’ capabilities

Business Analytics for Decision Makers Audience

All those who want to institute a culture of analytics-based decision making in their organization will benefit from the Business Analytics for Decision Makers certificate program, including mid- and upper-level managers in both strategic planning and analytic roles. These leaders may come from any industry, and the skills and knowledge acquired can be applied to areas as diverse as marketing, supply chain management, product development, customer service, and more. As a result of this program, students will better understand how to enable the application of analytics to make strategic decisions that promote profitability and success. Although individuals are welcome, a cohort including analysts and decision makers from an organization are particularly encouraged to attend.

Business Analytics for Decision Makers Program Structure

This course will be delivered remotely via Zoom sessions and Canvas, Northwestern University's online learning management system. The 6-week course will be led by industry leaders with experience in developing analytic teams for major corporations. Activities will include lectures, case study review, small group work, and one-on-one consultations with the instructors. At the end of the program, students will have created an Enterprise Action Plan for how analytics can be implemented in their company or organization.

Each week will consist of a one-hour live synchronous session delivered remotely via Zoom and approximately two hours of asynchronous activities that students will be required to do on their own time. The live sessions will be held at 7:00PM Central Time on Tuesday evenings to accommodate the schedules of working professionals and full-time students.

Weeks 1 and 2: Where We Are
  • Analytics overview
  • Analytics change model
  • Evaluate analytic capabilities and depth of analytics application and maturity at your organization
  • Assess organizational readiness for analytics and depth of application - Step 1 of 3
  • Case Study - Data-driven decision making
  • How to build and communicate the business case for analytics, especially within the context of organizational strategic alignment
Weeks 3 and 4: Where We Want to Go
  • What are the limits of analytics? What are the requirements for an analytics mindset and culture?
  • Critical success factors for building an analytic enterprise
  • Analytics Program Lifecycle
  • Return to Case Study - Apply the Analytics Program Lifecycle
  • Use planning tools to challenge assumptions, explore context, and recognize and address perspectives from within the organization; Mind Mapping, Stakeholder Analysis, Roadmapping, and Scenario Planning
  • Use Organizational Readiness Assessment to create an Action Plan - Step 2 of 3
Weeks 5 and 6: How We Get There
  • Competing on analytics
  • Return to Case Study - Transformation
  • Return to Organizational Readiness Assessment Action Plan - Step 3 of 3
  • Create an Enterprise Action Plan - includes one-on-one coaching with instructors to create a plan that can be immediately applied to your organization
  • Wrap-up and Q & A session with instructors

Business Analytics for Decision Makers Program Courses

Explore all the Business Analytics for Decision Makers Program Courses for detail on the program's offerings.

Business Analytics for Decision Makers Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition for the Business Analytics for Decision Makers program is $2,750. Complete details can be found on the Business Analytics for Decision Makers Tuition and Financial Aid page.

Business Analytics for Decision Makers Faculty

Find out more about the Certificate in Business Analytics for Decision Makers faculty on the Business Analytics for Decision Makers Faculty page.

Find out more about Northwestern's Certificate in Business Analytics for Decision Makers

Contact an Enrollment Adviser

An Enrollment Adviser at Northwestern University School of Professional Studies can help with any inquiries regarding our certificate programs.

Graduate-level Corporate Data Science Training

  • Let us assess your training needs. We will work with you to evaluate your needs and tailor a program that meets your schedule and budget.
  • Your team members will learn together in small online classes and build the skills needed to implement consistent, high-level best practices across your organization.
  • You can increase the decision-making and forecasting ability of your organization without adding new positions.
Find out more about corporate training

 

Business Analytics for Decision Makers Course List

Core Courses:Course Detail
Analytics for Decision Makers BUS_DM 501-0

Predictive business analytics is a quickly maturing field, but many organizations can still struggle to tap into the power of available data without being overwhelmed by it. This program is geared to mid and upper level managers in strategic planning and analytic roles, who need to better understand the value that business analytics can bring to an organization. Over the 3-day course, students will work to build initial action plans to enhance the application of analytics within their organizations by investigating aspects of analytics including requirements, benefits, limits, and organizational effects. This investigation will include assessing the competitive environment and planning context; exploring the skills needed to implement and communicate analytics’ value across the organization; categorizing the implications of planning coming out of analytics; integrating analytics with other strategic processes; and defining data and skilled resource needs across the organization and beyond.

The seminar will be led by industry leaders with experience in developing analytic teams for major corporations. Class sessions will include lectures, case study review, small group exercises and discussion, and one-on-one coaching with the instructors.

 

Registered students can access their online course site here. An activated NetID and password is required for login. *Please note: It may take up to 24-hours for registered students to be added to the online course platform.


View BUS_DM 501-0 Sections