Duration : 2 weeks

Almost everyone works with data in some form. Understanding how to do so effectively is a critical skill in a data-rich world. But to get the most out of your numbers and present a clear and compelling narrative, you need the skills to draw out the story beneath the data and communicate it to different audiences.

Data Storytelling and Visualisation, an online course from Economist Education, ensures you improve your skills and bolster your confidence in working with data. It teaches you how to develop a “data mindset”: a way to think about problems in business and the world at large, and recognise how data can help you make better decisions. Over two stimulating weeks, you will discover how best to visualise different data sets, and spot and avoid common pitfalls.

People new to data and chart-making will gain a set of practical, foundational skills. Those who work with data regularly will benefit from tips on honing their data-storytelling skills and making simple but powerful data visualisations. Both groups will learn how to create a culture of data-led problem-solving, guided by The Economist ’s award-winning data journalists, and receive detailed feedback on their charts from course tutors.

This is a foundational course for people who review, analyse or prepare reports and presentations using data, as well as those who want to use data in decision-making. It will benefit professionals looking to build their confidence in communicating insights from data to various audiences. It will also be valuable to those with analytics experience who would benefit from advice on visualising and presenting data. This course is designed for leaders, managers and decision-makers interested in learning practical techniques, as well as analysts and analytics managers who need to communicate specialist information and insights to an audience with persuasive power.

This course does not provide detailed, technical instruction in complex visualisations such as videographics or the most intricate infographics. However, even professionals with advanced data-visualisation skills stand to benefit from the course’s insights into unearthing the story beneath data and visualising the narrative clearly and beautifully.