INTRODUCTION – Business Intelligence Tools and Techniques
Join both a complete journey through the Business Intelligence process and an enlightening course into the Google Business Intelligence Certificate. Here, the participant immerses himself into the complexity of engaging with stakeholders using increasingly sophisticated tools to leverage available data and develop dynamic, fast-paced change environments to back informed, strategic business decisions.
More than the technical process of Business Intelligence, this particular course includes a career perspective; hence, participants will have direct involvement in designing their careers through improving their visibility online, creating effective networking and mentorship strategies, and producing a winning portfolio. The initiatives discussed will prepare one with much-needed skills and knowledge to excel in Business Intelligence’s highly competitive world and would set him up for the challenges and opportunities before him.
Learning Objectives:
- Differentiate different types of BI stakeholders.
- Identify the specific goals and needs of each stakeholder.
- Know how to engage the stakeholders to understand objectives for the project.
- Identify how to engage the stakeholders to define specific metrics or reporting tables.
- Gain insight into key concepts engaged in acquiring, manipulating, and integrating data within an organization’s systems.
- Define the real-time monitoring importance of organizations.
PRACTICE QUIZ: TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE ANALYSTS AND ENGINEERS—THE ULTIMATE TEAM PLAYERS
1. Which business intelligence stakeholder studies and improves an organization’s use of computer hardware and software, cloud services, and related technologies?
- Systems software developers
- Applications software developer
- Systems analyst (CORRECT)
- Project sponsor
Correct: A systems analyst does research for an organization. They will find the best ways it can make use of all computer hardware, software, and cloud services-the works. They will show ways to design, implement, and improve information systems in a way that will help the business reach its objectives in an easier way.
2. As they work toward completing a project, a business intelligence professional is periodically sharing project deliverables with stakeholders. In this situation, which of the following might they be providing? Select all that apply.
- Mission
- Product (CORRECT)
- Outcome (CORRECT)
- Service (CORRECT)
Correct: A deliverable is any product, program, or other project output that the project must achieve or complete. It may also include the sharing of the results, products, or services.
3. Effective business intelligence professionals aim to ensure that their work doesn’t create or reinforce bias. What is the term for this principle?
- Fairness (CORRECT)
- Integrity
- Subjectivity
- Governance
Correct: Ensuring that the work does not create or sustain bias is the objective of most effective business-intelligence professionals. Such a principle is referred to as fairness.
PRACTIE QUIZ: TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: NEAR-REAL-TIME MONITORING
1. What is a single, quantifiable data point that is used to evaluate performance?
- Metric (CORRECT)
- Dimension
- Index
- Target
Correct: That is a metric: a single, measurable point with which one can judge performance.
2. Fill in the blank: A key performance indicator is closely linked to business _____ and used to track progress toward a goal.
- Speed
- Processes
- Strategy (CORRECT)
- Intelligence
Correct: KPI stands for a key performance indicator, which is a specific measurable value that’s directly related to the business strategy and helps track progress against a goal.
3. Leaders at an organization want to make more efficient and impactful business decisions. Therefore, they improve their team’s ability to use hardware and software tools to rapidly analyze data and communicate key insights. What business intelligence concept does this situation describe?
- Scale
- Throughput
- Monitoring (CORRECT)
- Performance
Correct: This case is monitoring.Business intelligence for monitoring uses hardware and software tools to quickly analyze data and synthesize key insights for stakeholders so that informed, efficient, and effective business decisions can be made.
QUIZ: MODULE 2 CHALLENGE
1. What are some typical responsibilities of a project sponsor? Select all that apply.
- Invest time and resources into the project
- Represent the business side of a project (CORRECT)
- Assume overall accountability for a project (CORRECT)
- Establish the criteria for project success (CORRECT)
2. What goals do developers use programming languages to achieve? Select all that apply.
- Visualize software applications
- Execute software application (CORRECT)
- Create software applications (CORRECT)
- Test software applications (CORRECT)
3. Fill in the blank: Systems software developers create applications and programs for the _____ used in organizations.
- personal computers
- small technical gadgets
- backend processing systems (CORRECT)
- mobile devices
4. Systems analysts help organizations achieve their business goals. In what ways do they do this?
- They create visualizations, dashboards, and reports.
- They retrieve, organize, and interpret the data.
- They are involved at the very outset of a project and advocate for its undertaking.
- They identify ways to design, implement, and advance information systems. (CORRECT)
5. What is the term for a conscious or subconscious preference in favor of or against a person, group of people, or thing?
- Bias (CORRECT)
- Detachment
- Neutrality
- Impartiality
6. Which business value is used to track progress toward a goal?
- Metric
- Key performance indicator (CORRECT)
- Maturity assessment
- Scalability check
7. A _____ is a method used to enable an accomplishment.
- Tracker (CORRECT)
- milestone
- strategy
- tactic
8. A real estate agency in Georgia uses hardware and software tools to rapidly analyze data and communicate insights about recent apartment rentals in Savannah. This enables the leasing manager and head of marketing to make effective advertising decisions. What business intelligence concept does this scenario describe?
- Monitoring (CORRECT)
- Visibility
- Observation
- Strategy
9. Project sponsors are accountable for a project. What does accountability entail?
- Investing time and resources into the project
- Accepting responsibility for the project (CORRECT)
- Sharing events, changes, and milestones about the project (CORRECT)
- Being answerable for the project (CORRECT)
10. Fill in the blank: Developers use _____ to create, execute, test, and troubleshoot software applications.
- models
- programming languages (CORRECT)
- mapping
- design patterns
11. What are the primary responsibilities of a systems analyst? Select all that apply.
- Determine the best methods for reporting on results
- Identify effective ways to design and implement information systems (CORRECT)
- Study how an organization uses its technologies (CORRECT)
- Improve an organization’s computer hardware and software (CORRECT)
12. Fill in the blank: A _____ is a quantifiable value, closely linked to business strategy, which is used to track progress toward a goal.
- metric
- key performance indicator (CORRECT)
- maturity assessment
- scale
13. Which of the following statements accurately describe metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs)? Select all that apply.
- KPIs support metrics.
- Metrics support KPIs. (CORRECT)
- Metrics are tactical. (CORRECT)
- KPIs are strategic. (CORRECT)
14. Fill in the blank: In order to create, execute, test, and troubleshoot _____, developers use programming languages.
- data models
- software applications (CORRECT)
- dashboards
- data visualizations
15. Which of the following statements accurately describe systems software developers? Select all that apply.
- Systems software developers design computer and mobile applications.
- Systems software developers are largely focused on creating products and solutions for consumers.
- Systems software developers are likely to be stakeholders on a business intelligence project. (CORRECT)
- Systems software developers create applications and programs for backend processing systems. (CORRECT)
16. Fill in the blank: A systems analyst is responsible for the effectiveness of an organization’s _____ to help make it possible to achieve business goals.
- information systems (CORRECT)
- business intelligence dashboards
- models
- data warehouses
17. A key performance indicator (KPI) is a quantifiable value that is linked to business strategy. What are KPIs used for?
- To determine functional effectiveness
- To assess business operations
- To track progress toward a goal (CORRECT)
- To evaluate overall productivity
18. A Portuguese sustainability nonprofit uses hardware and software tools to rapidly analyze data and communicate key insights about greenhouse gas emissions in Lisbon. This enables the board of directors to make effective decisions about what research projects to fund. What business intelligence concept does this scenario describe?
- Visibility
- Monitoring (CORRECT)
- Strategy
- Observation
19. Which of the following statements accurately describe strategy versus tactics? Select all that apply.
- An example of a strategy is a metric.
- An example of a tactic is a key performance indicator.
- A tactic is a method used to enable an accomplishment. (CORRECT)
- A strategy is a plan for achieving a goal or arriving at a desired future state. (CORRECT)
20. Which of the following statements accurately describe applications and systems software developers? Select all that apply.
- Applications software developers are likely to be stakeholders on a business intelligence project.
- Systems software developers are likely to be stakeholders on a business intelligence project. (CORRECT)
- Applications software developers design computer or mobile applications for consumers. (CORRECT)
- Systems software developers create applications and programs for the backend processing systems used in organizations. (CORRECT)
21. A music instrument retailer uses hardware and software tools to rapidly analyze data and communicate key insights about the number of people buying sheet music for certain types of instruments. This enables the store managers to make effective decisions about which instruments to stock. What business intelligence concept does this scenario describe?
- Observation
- Monitoring (CORRECT)
- Strategy
- Visibility
22. Computer programmer, coder, and software engineer are all terms used to describe which stakeholder type?
- Business stakeholder
- Systems analyst
- Developer (CORRECT)
- Project sponsor
Correct: Computer programmer, coder, and software engineer are all terms used to describe a developer. Developers use programming languages to create, execute, test, and troubleshoot software applications.
CONCLUSION – Business Intelligence Tools and Techniques
Thus, the Google Busines Intelligence Certificate is the transformational course to thrust an individual into the action field of Business Intelligence through a series of well elaborated courses aimed at preparing one for a full mastery of the BI processes or ecosystem tools and the vital role BI professionals play in the success of organizations.
The hands-on approach, led by Google experts in the field, ensures the development of practical skills and smooth transitions into the real world. More than its technical dimension, the BI course carefully examines the significant intersection between BI and career development. Participants are empowered to master BI tools and place themselves strategically in the competitive job market; hence, establishing a strong online presence, effective networking approaches, and building an impressive portfolio form part of this all-inclusive learning experience. A graduate from this program will not only be equipped as an ideal BI professional but also be well-rounded, with the requisite knowledge and insights to thrive in the breadth of change brought about by Business Intelligence.