Introduction to Data Analysis

Description

Whatever your profession. Whatever your field. As a professional, and certainly as a leader, you will be asked to make a decision based on data. This course will introduce the different types of decisions made in an organizational setting, why quantitative analytics is important and how quality data can affect decision making. Since quantitative analytics is used in various settings, this course also offers insight into how research is used in different sectors and how it varies accordingly. From a management perspective, the course highlights appropriate methods on a case by case basis, and ways to ensure quality and accuracy through design.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course participants will be able to:

• Explain why quantitative analysis and analytics is important in decision making
• Explain the types of decisions that can be made analytically in an organizational setting
• Describe different decision making models and tools
• Identify the fundamental concepts of measurement including levels of measurement, reliability and validity, errors, measurement and information bias
• Explain how quality data affects decision making (GIGO principle)
• Describe methods of ensuring the quality of data
• Evaluate techniques for ensuring accurate research design
• Describe how research is used in different settings: business, education, health care, the military, government, nonprofits
• Explain data management techniques including transforming data, recoding data, and handling missing data
• Apply appropriate decision making techniques to a specific case

Intended Audience

This course is targeted to individuals who meet or exceed the following professional demographics:  

• Entry-level public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.   

• Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.   

• Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.  

• Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.