course 1 – foundations of business intelligence

Module 2: Business Intelligence Tools and Techniques

GOOGLE BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE

Complete Coursera Study Guide

INTRODUCTION – Business Intelligence Tools and Techniques


Embark on a comprehensive exploration of the Business Intelligence (BI) process in this enlightening course within the Google Business Intelligence Certificate. Participants will delve into the intricacies of engaging with stakeholders, leveraging cutting-edge tools to harness the full potential of available data, and implementing the dynamic capabilities of rapid monitoring to facilitate informed and strategic business decisions.

This course goes beyond the technical aspects of BI, incorporating a forward-looking perspective on career development. Participants will actively shape their professional journey by enhancing their online presence, crafting effective networking and mentorship strategies, and creating an impressive portfolio. These career-centric initiatives are strategically designed to equip individuals with the tools and insights needed to stand out in the competitive landscape, making them well-prepared for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the dynamic field of Business Intelligence.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the different types of BI stakeholders.
  • Identify the particular goals and requirements of each stakeholder.
  • Explain how to engage with stakeholders to understand project goals.
  • Explain how to engage with stakeholders to learn why they need a metric or reporting table.
  • Recognize key concepts involving how to acquire, manipulate, and integrate data with an organization’s systems.
  • Explain the importance of real-time monitoring to 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: The systems analyst studies and improves an organization’s use of computer hardware and software, cloud services, and related technologies. They also identify ways to design, implement, and advance information systems in order to make it possible to achieve business goals.

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: They might be sharing outcomes, products, or services. A deliverable is any product, service, or outcome that must be achieved in order to complete a project.

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: Effective business intelligence professionals aim to ensure that their work doesn’t create or reinforce bias. This principle is called 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: A metric is a single, quantifiable data point that is used to evaluate 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: A key performance indicator is a quantifiable value, closely linked to business strategy, which is used to track progress toward 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 situation describes monitoring. Business intelligence monitoring involves using hardware and software tools to rapidly analyze data and communicate key insights, which enable stakeholders to make efficient and impactful business decisions.

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

In conclusion, the Google Business Intelligence Certificate offers a transformative learning experience, propelling participants into the dynamic realm of Business Intelligence. Through a comprehensive journey spanning multiple courses, learners gain a profound understanding of BI processes, tools, and the pivotal role BI professionals play in organizational success. The hands-on approach, guided by Google employees entrenched in the field, ensures practical skill development and a seamless transition into real-world scenarios.

Beyond the technical aspects, the program uniquely addresses the crucial intersection of BI and career development. Participants are empowered to not only master BI tools but also strategically position themselves in the competitive job market. Crafting a compelling online presence, developing effective networking strategies, and creating an impressive portfolio become integral components of this holistic learning experience. As learners complete the program, they emerge not only as adept BI professionals but also as well-rounded individuals equipped with the skills and insights necessary to thrive in the ever-evolving landscape of Business Intelligence.