INTRODUCTION – Data-Driven Results Through Business Intelligence
The Google Business Intelligence Certificate begins with a foundational course designed to introduce participants to the essential concepts of business intelligence (BI). This introductory module offers a comprehensive overview of the roles of BI analysts and engineers, helping participants understand how these professionals contribute to organizational success. By exploring the tools and techniques used by BI experts, participants will learn how to leverage BI to drive informed decision-making and improve business operations.
Throughout this course, you’ll gain a clear understanding of the distinctions between BI and data analytics, highlighting their unique contributions while also recognizing the overlaps. This will help you understand their individual significance in an organizational context. The course will also serve as a stepping stone for diving deeper into BI methodologies and tools, empowering you to confidently navigate the dynamic field of business intelligence.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the key concepts and learning outcomes of the program.
- Identify organizations that typically employ BI analysts and teams.
- Explore the role of BI professionals within organizations and the types of tasks they handle.
- Identify potential collaborators who work with BI professionals to provide inputs or co-develop technical solutions.
- Differentiate between data analytics and business intelligence, clarifying their unique applications.
- Learn about the three core BI stages: capture, analyze, and monitor.
- Understand the BI professional’s role in developing and executing an effective BI strategy.
- Identify essential tools used by BI analysts in their daily work.
- Gain insight into how data is acquired, manipulated, and integrated with organizational systems.
- Understand the impact of BI on improving organizational performance and decision-making.
- Understand the program structure and expectations to guide your learning journey.
PRACTICE QUIZ: TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: ORGANIZATIONS AND TEAMS THAT BENEFIT FROM BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
1. What are the typical responsibilities of a business intelligence analyst? Select all that apply.
- Evaluate and streamline devices, infrastructures, and information channels.
- Gather requirements from stakeholders, partners, and team members. (CORRECT)
- Retrieve, organize, and interpret an organization’s data. (CORRECT)
- Create visualizations, dashboards, and reports. (CORRECT)
Business intelligence analysts gather requirements from stakeholders, partners, and team members. They leverage their understanding of large datasets to retrieve, organize, and interpret data. They then create visualizations, dashboards, and reports to communicate insights effectively. Business intelligence engineers evaluate and optimize devices, infrastructures, and information channels to improve data flow and system performance.
2. Fill in the blank: To enable different computer programs to communicate with one another, companies can use an application programming _____. This is a set of functions and procedures that integrate diverse systems.
- dashboard
- requirement
- interface (CORRECT)
- channel
To enable different computer programs to communicate with one another, companies can use an application programming interface (API). An API is a set of functions and procedures that allow diverse systems to interact and integrate.
3. Which stakeholders do business intelligence professionals collaborate with in order to maximize available data and data tools?
- Information technology professionals (CORRECT)
- Data warehousing specialists
- Data analysts
- Data governance professionals
Business intelligence professionals collaborate with information technology (IT) professionals to maximize the use of available data and data tools. IT professionals test, install, repair, upgrade, and maintain the hardware and software solutions that support data operations.
PRACTICE QUIZ: TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE STRUCTURES AND STAGES
1. A business intelligence professional is considering how effectively their team is able to use the data available to them in order to extract actionable insights. What BI concept is the focus of this situation?
- Data structure
- Data governance
- Data analysis
- Data maturity (CORRECT)
Correct: This situation focuses on data maturity, which describes the extent to which an organization can effectively use its data to extract actionable insights.
2. In business intelligence, which stage might involve querying a database to return a financial dataset or accessing a spreadsheet of marketing campaign data?
- Analyze
- Capture (CORRECT)
- Share
- Monitor
Correct: In business intelligence, the capture stage might involve querying a database to retrieve a financial dataset or accessing a spreadsheet containing marketing campaign data. This stage deals with static, historical data, focusing on past events or performance.
3. In what ways might data analysis be used in order to help business intelligence professionals provide data-driven insights? Select all that apply.
- Automating processes and information channels
- Exploring why things happened (CORRECT)
- Understanding relationships between data points (CORRECT)
- Examining data more in-depth (CORRECT)
Correct: Data analysis can help business intelligence professionals provide data-driven insights in various ways. Some examples include exploring why events occurred, understanding relationships between data points, and conducting in-depth examinations of the data.
PRACTICE QUIZ: TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: HOW BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE MAKES AN IMPACT
1. What concept involves managing the people, processes, and tools used in the business intelligence process?
- Business intelligence strategy (CORRECT)
- Business intelligence governance
- Data maturity
- Data governance
Correct: Business intelligence strategy involves managing the people, processes, and tools that are used throughout the business intelligence process.
2. A data pipeline is a series of processes that transports data from different sources to a new destination. What happens to the data at this destination?
- Archival or destruction
- Storage and analysis (CORRECT)
- Graphical representation
- Live monitoring
Correct: A data pipeline is a series of processes that transfers data from various sources to a destination for storage and analysis.
3. A business intelligence professional wants to improve a procedure in order to achieve better outcomes. To do this, they repeat the procedure over and over until they get closer to the desired results. What business intelligence concept does this situation describe?
- Monitoring
- Flow
- Iteration (CORRECT)
- Transformation
Correct: This situation describes iteration. Iteration involves repeatedly executing a procedure to progressively move closer to the desired result.
PRACTICE QUIZ: ASSESS YOUR READINESS FOR THE GOOGLE BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE CERTIFICATE
1. What is data science?
- The collection, transformation, and organization of data in order to draw conclusions, and drive informed decision-making
- A field of study that uses data to create new ways of modeling and understanding the unknown (CORRECT)
- A tool for organizing data elements and how they relate to one another
- A process used to solve complex problems in a user-centric way
Correct: Data science is a field of study that uses data to create new ways of modeling and understanding the unknown.
2. What is the key difference between qualitative and quantitative data?
- Qualitative data describes the kind of data being analyzed; quantitative data describes how much data is being analyzed.
- Qualitative data is subjective; quantitative data is specific.
- Qualitative data is about the quality of a product or service; quantitative data is about how much of that product or service is available in the marketplace.
- Qualitative data measures qualities and characteristics; quantitative data measures numerical facts. (CORRECT)
Correct: Qualitative data measures qualities and characteristics; quantitative data measures numerical facts.
3. Which of the following statements accurately describe wide and long data? Select all that apply.
- Long data subjects can have data in multiple columns.
- Wide data subjects can have multiple rows that hold the values of subject attributes.
- Wide data subjects can have data in multiple columns. (CORRECT)
- Long data subjects can have multiple rows that hold the values of subject attributes. (CORRECT)
- Correct: Wide data subjects can have data in multiple columns. Long data subjects can have multiple rows that hold the values of subject attributes.
Correct: Wide data subjects have data spread across multiple columns, while long data subjects have multiple rows that hold the values of subject attributes.
4. Structured data is likely to be found in which of the following formats? Select all that apply.
- Digital photo
- Audio file
- Database table (CORRECT)
- Spreadsheet (CORRECT)
Correct: Structured data is organized in a specific format, such as rows and columns. It is typically found in tables or spreadsheets.
5. Fill in the blank: A Boolean data type can have _____ possible values.
- Two (CORRECT)
- infinite
- five
- three
Correct: A Boolean data type can have two possible values.
6. What is the term for the individuals who have invested time and resources in a project and are interested in its outcome?
- Subject-matter experts
- Executives
- Project sponsors
- Stakeholders (CORRECT)
Correct: Stakeholders are individuals who have invested time and resources in a project and are interested in its outcome.
7. When collecting data for a study, what are some reasons to consider sample size? Select all that apply.
- To include as many participants as possible in the study
- To eliminate certain segments of a population
- To make sure a few unusual responses don’t skew results (CORRECT)
- To collect data that represents a diverse set of perspectives (CORRECT)
Correct: Considering sample size ensures that the data represents a diverse set of perspectives and helps prevent skewed results or inaccurate conclusions.
8. The SMART methodology can be used to ask a question that promotes change. What type of SMART question leads to change?
- Action-oriented (CORRECT)
- Results-focused
- Transformational
- Motivational
Correct: A SMART question that promotes change is action-oriented.
9. Which of the following inquiries are leading questions? Select all that apply.
- How did you learn about our company?
- How satisfied were you with our customer representative? (CORRECT)
- In what ways did our product meet your needs? (CORRECT)
- What do you enjoy most about our service? (CORRECT)
Correct: Leading questions include: “How satisfied were you with our customer representative?” “In what ways did our product meet your needs?” and “What do you enjoy most about our service?” These questions direct the respondent toward a particular answer, often because they suggest the answer within the question itself.
10. Which of the following data security tools can be used to ensure only specific people can access, edit, and download a spreadsheet? Select all that apply.
- Filters
- Tabs
- Sharing permissions (CORRECT)
- Encryption (CORRECT)
Correct: Encryption and sharing permissions can be used to ensure that only specific individuals have access to, can edit, and can download a spreadsheet.
11. Which type of bias is the tendency to construe ambiguous situations in a positive or negative way?
- Confirmation bias
- Cultural bias
- Interpretation bias (CORRECT)
- Observer bias
Correct: Interpretation bias is the tendency to construe ambiguous situations in a positive or negative way.
12. Before completing a survey, an individual acknowledges reading information about how and why the data they provide will be used. What concept does this describe?
- Transaction transparency
- Openness
- Consent (CORRECT)
- Privacy
Correct: This concept is called consent. Consent is a key aspect of data ethics, which assumes an individual’s right to understand how and why their personal data will be used before agreeing to provide it.
13. A data analyst commits a SQL query to a repository as a new and improved query. Then, they specify the modifications they made during data cleaning and why they were made. What process does this scenario describe?
- Data reporting
- Data transferal
- Creating a changelog (CORRECT)
- Sharing results
Correct: This scenario describes creating a changelog.
14. Fill in the blank: To remove leading, trailing, and repeated spaces when cleaning data, use the _____ function.
- EXTRACT
- TRIM (CORRECT)
- CLEAN
- CLIP
Correct: To remove leading, trailing, and repeated spaces when cleaning data, use the TRIM function.
15. Which spreadsheet tool changes how cells appear when values meet a specific condition?
- Protected ranges
- Alternating colors
- Conditional formatting (CORRECT)
- Data validation
Correct: Conditional formatting is a spreadsheet tool that alters the appearance of cells when their values meet a specific condition.
16. Fill in the blank: In a spreadsheet, the SPLIT function divides a text string around a ___ and puts each fragment into a new, separate cell.
- substring
- indicator
- mark
- delimiter (CORRECT)
Correct: A delimiter is the specified character separating each item.
17. The date and time a photo was taken is an example of which kind of metadata?
- Structural
- Administrative (CORRECT)
- Representative
- Descriptive
Correct: The date and time a photo was taken is an example of administrative metadata.
18. In spreadsheets, an absolute reference is used to lock a function array so that rows and columns don’t change if the function is copied. What symbol is used to create an absolute reference?
- Asterisk (*)
- Ampersand (&)
- Hash (#)
- Dollar sign ($) (CORRECT)
Correct: A dollar sign is used to create an absolute reference.
19. Which spreadsheet function vertically searches for a certain value in a column in order to return a corresponding piece of information?
- VALIDATE
- VLOOKUP (CORRECT)
- VALUE
- VIEW
Correct: VLOOKUP vertically searches for a certain value in a column in order to return a corresponding piece of information.
20. When creating a SQL query, which JOIN clause returns all matching records in two or more database tables?
- INNER (CORRECT)
- LEFT
- RIGHT
- OUTER
Correct: The INNER JOIN clause returns all matching records in two or more database tables.
21. In a SQL query, which calculation does the modulo (%) operator perform?
- It finds the square root of a number.
- It applies an exponent to a value.
- It returns the remainder of a division calculation. (CORRECT)
- It converts a decimal to a percent.
Correct: The modulo operator returns the remainder of a division operation when used in a SQL query.
22. What are the main benefits of using a programming language to work with data? Select all that apply.
- Automate decision-making
- Save time (CORRECT)
- Easily reproduce and share work (CORRECT)
- Clarify the steps of analysis (CORRECT)
Correct: There are three main benefits of using a programming language to work with data: easily reproducing and sharing work, saving time, and clarifying the steps of analysis.
23. What goals are programming languages designed to achieve? Select all that apply.
- Data governance
- Data visualization (CORRECT)
- Data cleaning (CORRECT)
- Data transformation (CORRECT)
Correct: Programming languages are designed to facilitate effective data transformation, cleaning, and visualization.
24. What is the term for programming code that is freely available and may be modified and shared by the people who use it?
- Open-source (CORRECT)
- Non-dependent
- Common-design
- One-access
Correct: Open-source code is freely available and may be modified and shared by the people who use it.
25. To demonstrate how often data values fall into certain ranges, what type of data visualization should be used?
- Bar chart
- Histogram (CORRECT)
- Correlation chart
- Tree map
Correct: To demonstrate how often data values fall into certain ranges, use a histogram.
26. A dashboard is designed to share insights about the housing market in a city. What type of data visualization would be most effective at demonstrating how the city’s annual home sales have risen over time?
- Pie chart
- Area chart
- Scatter plot
- Line chart (CORRECT)
Correct: To demonstrate how often data values fall into certain ranges, use a histogram.
27. What type of visualizations enable the data in a presentation to automatically update and change over time?
- Customized
- Discrete
- Dynamic (CORRECT)
- Static
Correct: Dynamic visualizations allow the data in a presentation to automatically update and change over time, reflecting the most current information.
28. Why is it more effective to label a data visualization instead of using a legend? Select all that apply.
- Labels help keep people’s attention on relevant data by redirecting their focus away from outliers.
- Labels can be placed near the data, whereas legends are typically positioned away from the data. (CORRECT)
- Labels allow for text explanations to be placed directly on the visualization. (CORRECT)
- Labels make the data visualization more accessible because they don’t rely on the ability to interpret color. (CORRECT)
Correct: It is often more effective to label a data visualization rather than using a legend for several reasons: labels can be placed directly near the data, they improve accessibility, and they allow for text explanations to be incorporated directly into the visualization.
29. A data visualization reveals two variables in the data that rise and fall at the same time. When variables are related in this way, what is likely happening?
- Polarity
- Divergence
- Correlation (CORRECT)
- Causation
Correct: When two variables in a visualization rise and fall at the same time, this is an example of correlation. Correlation measures the degree to which two variables change in relation to each other.
30. Which of the following are appropriate uses for filters in data visualization tools? Select all that apply.
- Hiding outliers that do not support the hypothesis
- Highlighting individual data points (CORRECT)
- Providing data to different users based on their particular needs (CORRECT)
- Limiting the number of rows or columns in view (CORRECT)
Correct: Filters can be used to highlight individual data points, limit the number of rows or columns displayed, and provide customized data to different users based on their needs.
QUIZ: MODULE 1 CHALLENGE
1. In order to transform data into actionable insights, what do business intelligence professionals work to automate? Select all that apply.
- Iterations
- Models
- Information channels (CORRECT)
- Processes (CORRECT)
2. What are some of the primary responsibilities of a business intelligence engineer? Select all that apply.
- Create visualizations, dashboards, and reports to use when presenting and communicating insights
- Evaluate and streamline various devices, infrastructures, and information channels (CORRECT)
- Troubleshoot and find solutions to security issues, application permissions, and updates (CORRECT)
- Design, configure, implement, and improve data tools and processes (CORRECT)
3. An application programming interface integrates computer programs, forming a connection that enables them to communicate with each other. What does it use to accomplish this? Select all that apply.
- Platforms
- Tables
- A set of functions (CORRECT)
- Various procedures (CORRECT)
4. Fill in the blank: The primary reason business intelligence professionals collaborate with the _____ department is to maximize the company’s software and hardware.
- information technology (CORRECT)
- data analysis
- data warehousing
- project management
5. Which of the following statements accurately describes what data analytics and business intelligence professionals do when working to achieve higher levels of data maturity? Select all that apply.
- Both use data to answer questions about what happened.
- Data analysts solve business problems by examining data through a specific topic or subject-matter lens. (CORRECT)
- Business intelligence analysts build data-reporting tools and dashboards for continuous monitoring. (CORRECT)
- Business intelligence analysts ensure reporting tools are practical and efficient. (CORRECT)
6. A business intelligence professional is working for a local photography business. In which business intelligence stage might they access a spreadsheet that contains data about a seasonal marketing campaign?
- Report
- Monitor
- Capture (CORRECT)
- Analyze
7. What are stakeholders most likely to do during the business intelligence monitor stage?
- Discover key relationships between data points
- Identify connections that were not easily apparent
- Understand why something happened
- Gain insights about what’s happening in the organization right now (CORRECT)
8. Business intelligence strategy is the management of the people, processes, and tools used in the business intelligence process. What are some key considerations with regard to the tools part of this concept? Select all that apply.
- Deciding who is responsible for business intelligence rules and policies
- Confirming access to needed technologies (CORRECT)
- Establishing key performance indicators (CORRECT)
- Considering which dashboards, reports, and other solutions will be most effective (CORRECT)
9. Which business intelligence tool is used to keep data consistent across systems and explain to users how it’s organized?
- Dashboards
- Data visualizations
- Data models (CORRECT)
- Pipelines
10. What business intelligence process involves gathering data from source systems, converting it into a useful format, and bringing it into a unified system?
- Data models
- Dashboard
- ETL (CORRECT)
- Data visualization
11. Fill in the blank: To enable disparate _____ to communicate, business intelligence professionals integrate them using an application programming interface.
- data repositories
- databases
- file managers
- computer programs (CORRECT)
12. Which team members maximize a company’s software and hardware resources so they may be used effectively in business intelligence projects?
- Information technology professionals (CORRECT)
- Project managers
- Data analysts
- Data warehousing professionals
13. A business intelligence professional learns that a company is not using customer data to make decisions. What actions might they make in order to achieve higher levels of data maturity? Select all that apply.
- Examine data through a specific topic or subject-matter lens
- Establish repeatable methods for monitoring operations (CORRECT)
- Create dashboards to continuously analyze and monitor data (CORRECT)
- Build data-reporting tools (CORRECT)
14. Business intelligence strategy is the management of the people, processes, and tools used in the business intelligence process. What are some key considerations with regard to the people part of this concept? Select all that apply.
- Documenting everything that has been learned
- Understanding the vision for the business intelligence process (CORRECT)
- Getting feedback from people with diverse perspectives (CORRECT)
- Deciding who is responsible for business intelligence governance (CORRECT)
15. What are some benefits of data models? Select all that apply.
- Monitor and share live, incoming data
- Provide clear directions when navigating a database (CORRECT)
- Keep data consistent across systems (CORRECT)
- Organize data elements and how they relate to one another (CORRECT)
16. Fill in the blank: ETL is a type of _____ that enables data to be gathered from source systems, converted into a useful format, and brought into a data warehouse or other unified destination system.
- Dashboard
- programming language
- pipeline (CORRECT)
- package
17. What is an application programming interface?
- A tool for managing the availability, integrity, and security of data based on internal standards and policies
- A process or set of rules followed to achieve a specific task
- A software application that brings together data analysis tools in a single place
- A set of functions and procedures that integrate computer programs, forming a connection that enables them to communicate (CORRECT)
18. What are some typical tools involved in the business intelligence monitor stage? Select all that apply.
- Records
- Models (CORRECT)
- Dashboards (CORRECT)
- Pipelines (CORRECT)
19. What steps are involved in the ETL process? Select all that apply.
- Visually depict data insights
- Convert data into a useful format (CORRECT)
- Bring data into a warehouse or other unified destination system (CORRECT)
- Gather data from source systems (CORRECT)
20. Fill in the blank: Business intelligence involves automating processes and information channels in order to transform relevant data into _____ for decision-makers.
- actionable insights (CORRECT)
- business strategies
- relevant metrics
- connected systems
21. Which of the following statements correctly describes the roles of business intelligence engineers versus business intelligence analysts?
- Engineers create data visualizations, dashboards, and reports; analysts present their findings to team members.
- Engineers apply their knowledge of large datasets; analysts are responsible for less complex types of intelligence.
- Engineers gather requirements from stakeholders; analysts apply those requirements to evaluate devices, infrastructures, and information channels.
- Engineers design, configure, implement, and improve tools; analysts use those tools to retrieve, organize, and interpret data. (CORRECT)
22. Business intelligence projects often require the help of information technology (IT) professionals. What are some of the typical responsibilities of these team members? Select all that apply.
- Bring data into an internal company database
- Write code specific to the project goals
- Test software (CORRECT)
- Install, repair, and upgrade hardware (CORRECT)
23. A business intelligence professional is working for a global food service provider. In which business intelligence stage might they download a spreadsheet that contains data about grocery orders over the past six months?
- Monitor
- Capture (CORRECT)
- Report
- Analyze
24. Business intelligence strategy is the management of the people, processes, and tools used in the business intelligence process. What are some key considerations with regard to the processes part of this concept? Select all that apply.
- Establishing key performance indicators
- Asking data governance professionals about the solutions being used (CORRECT)
- Creating a feedback system to confirm that users are getting value from the tools (CORRECT)
- Training and educating users (CORRECT)
25. Which business intelligence team members are responsible for the formal management of an organization’s data assets?
- Data governance professionals (CORRECT)
- Information technology professionals
- Data analysts
- Data warehousing specialists
Correct: Data governance professionals are responsible for the formal management of an organization’s data assets. This may involve managing the availability, integrity, and security of data based on internal standards and policies.
26. Fill in the blank: To get clear directions when navigating a database, business intelligence professionals use _____, which organize data elements and how they relate to one another.
- data visualizations
- data models (CORRECT)
- dashboards
- pipelines
27. A business intelligence professional is working for a national shipping company. In which business intelligence stage might they query a database to return a dataset about last month’s shipping speeds?
- Analyze
- Capture (CORRECT)
- Monitor
- Report
28. What events might occur during the monitor stage of the business intelligence process? Select all that apply.
- A company transforms data in order to investigate more deeply.
- Information channels provide data that reveals a business opportunity. (CORRECT)
- Decision-makers are given business insights through a dashboard. (CORRECT)
- A company uses automated processes to transform data into intelligence. (CORRECT)
29. When helping their organizations achieve data maturity, business intelligence professionals are typically responsible for which of the following tasks? Select all that apply.
- Examining data through a specific topic or subject-matter lens
- Establishing repeatable methods for monitoring data (CORRECT)
- Working on large-scale projects that are helpful to multiple stakeholders (CORRECT)
- Building data-reporting tools and dashboards (CORRECT)
Business intelligence professionals are typically more involved in building data-reporting tools and dashboards, establishing repeatable methods for monitoring data, and working on large-scale projects that benefit multiple stakeholders.
30. Fill in the blank: The business intelligence stages of capture, analyze, and monitor help determine BI’s business value, as well as an organization’s _____.
- troubleshooting expertise
- data transformation frequency
- data maturity level (CORRECT)
- process automation capability
The business intelligence phases of capture, analyze, and monitor help determine BI’s business value, as well as an organization’s data maturity level. Data maturity refers to the extent to which an organization can effectively use its data to extract actionable insights.
31. In business intelligence, what does ETL stand for?
- Extract, transform, and load (CORRECT)
- Equate, transact, and label
- Estimate, target, and log
- External, temporary, and live
ETL stands for Extract, Transform, and Load. It is a type of data pipeline that allows data to be gathered from source systems, transformed into a useful format, and loaded into a data warehouse or other centralized destination system.
CONCLUSION – Data-Driven Results Through Business Intelligence
In conclusion, this foundational course marks the beginning of an enriching journey into the world of business intelligence through the Google Business Intelligence Certificate. Participants have explored the key roles of BI analysts and engineers, gaining valuable insights into the tools and techniques that drive informed decision-making and process improvement. The understanding of the distinctions between BI and data analytics provides a solid foundation for navigating the complexities of the field.
With guidance from Google employees deeply immersed in the BI landscape, learners have engaged in hands-on activities, simulating real-world tasks and developing practical skills to prepare them for success in BI roles. This reflection underscores the importance of the knowledge gained, setting the stage for further exploration and application of business intelligence principles in future courses. As participants progress, they are equipped to leverage BI tools and methodologies, positioning themselves for successful careers in this dynamic and critical field.