Now that you understand the conceptual foundation of decision-making and DSS, in module 2, we start by defining business intelligence (BI), BI architecture, and its components, and relate them to DSS. In lesson 2, you will learn the main components of BI platforms, their capabilities, and understand the competitive landscape of BI platforms. In lesson 3, you will learn the building blocks of business reports, the types of business reports, and the components and structure of business reporting systems. Finally, in lesson 4, you will learn different types of OLAP and their applications and comprehend the differences between OLAP and OLTP. For the practice assignments for this unit, you have the option to (1) use Strategy Desktop to create compelling data visualizations to analyze data and acquire insights into business practices in a peer-evaluated exercise and/or (2) complete Readings for Chapter 2 (under module 2 below) of the Business User curriculum to earn Business User Certification after completing all four 4 Chapters.

This module continues on the top job responsibilities of BI analysts by focusing on creating data visualizations and dashboards. You will first learn the importance of data visualization and the different types of data that can be visually represented. You will then learn about the types of Basic and Composite charts. This will help you to determine which visualization is most effective to display data for a given data set and to identify best practices for designing data visualizations. In lesson 3, you will learn the common characteristics of a dashboard, the types of dashboards, and the list of attributes of metrics usually included in dashboards. Finally, in lesson 3, you will learn the guidelines for designing a dashboard and the common pitfalls of dashboard design. For the practice assignments for this unit, you have the option to (1) use MicroStrategy Desktop Visual Insight to design a dashboard for a Financial Services company in a peer-evaluated exercise and/or (2) complete Readings for Chapter 3 (under module 3 below) of the Business User curriculum to earn Strategy Business User Certification after completing all four 4 Chapters.

This module focuses on how BI is used for Business Performance Management (BPM). You will learn the main components of BPM as well as the four phases of the BPM cycle and how organizations typically deploy BPM. In lesson 2, you will learn the purpose of the Performance Measurement System and how organizations need to define the key performance indicators (KPIs) for their performance management system. In lesson 3, you will learn the four balanced scorecard perspectives and the differences between dashboards and scorecards. You will also be able to compare the benefits of using a balanced scorecard versus using Six Sigma in a performance measurement system. Finally, in lesson 4, you will learn the role of visual and business analytics (BA) in BI and how various forms of BA are supported in practice. For the practice assignments for this unit, you have the option to (1) to use MicroStrategy Desktop Visual Insight to design a dashboard for a Financial Services company in a peer-evaluated exercise, apply these concepts to create a dashboard, blend it with external datasets, and explore various visualization capabilities, and find insights faster in a peer-evaluated exercise and/or (2) Complete Readings for Chapter 4 (under module 4 below) of the Business User curriculum to earn Business User Certification after completing all four 4 Chapters.

Module 5 covers BI maturity and strategy. You will learn different levels of BI maturity, the factors that impact BI maturity within an organization, and the main challenges and potential solutions for a pervasive BI maturity within an organization. The last lesson will focus on the critical success factors for implementing a BI strategy, BI framework, and BI implementation targets. Finally, in your summative project for this unit, you have the option to (1) apply these concepts to create a dashboard, blend it with external datasets, and explore various visualization capabilities and find insights faster. In a peer-evaluated exercise, you will use MicroStrategy visual analytics capabilities to analyze KPIs for a fast food company to find the causes of problems, and/or (2) complete the Business User Certification (under lesson 5.2) of the Business User curriculum.