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Strategic Data Storytelling

Learn to craft data insights into narratives that spur action and create value.

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Storytelling with Data

At a Glance

Enrollment:
Open Enrollment
Length:
8 weeks
Format:
Online
Total CEUs:
4.7 CEUs
Investment:
$2,800
Also offered in:

Upcoming Dates

December Start

Students may register up to 7 days after the course start.

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Learn about strategic data storytelling from industry insiders.

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The University of Chicago’s Strategic Data Storytelling course will provide you with the techniques and tools you need to craft insights into compelling narratives. Over eight weeks, you will learn the art of conveying data meaningfully to improve stakeholder decision-making.

Designed For

Designed for professionals who work with data science teams and data scientists interested in transitioning into client-facing roles.

Learning Objectives to Become a Data Storyteller

Storytelling and visualization tools are necessary to communicate data insights. This course will walk you through creating compelling data stories to effectively convey results to stakeholders. You will also learn to align and adjust them to your business goals and target audience.

After completing the course, you will be able to:

  • Identify which business needs can be addressed with data.
  • Distill data into key points using infographics, dashboards, reports, and stories.
  • Anticipate and manage questions from diverse audiences.
  • Enhance decision-making by using appropriate cues and indicators for specific audiences.
  • Earn a credential certifying completion from the University of Chicago and become part of the UChicago network.
Man sitting at a desk with his hand on his chin thinking with question marks on the board behind him.

Ready to Take Your Career to the Next Level?

Register today and unite your professional practice with our distinctive blend of academic rigor and real-world application.

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Strategic Data Storytelling Curriculum

You will learn to: 

  • Translate data into economic value while assessing effective data visualization strategies that link insights to business objectives.
  • Analyze data to determine patterns, key insights, action items, and storytelling potential.
  • Describe the key elements of a successful data story: knowing one’s audience, defining a goal, maintaining engagement, and being explicit about the takeaways.
  • Identify where and how a data story achieves its intended goals and where it can be optimized.
  • Use imaging tools to create data visualizations that align with the needs of the data story.
     

Methodologies and Techniques:

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Alteryx

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Tableau

Strategic Data Storytelling Online Format Features

  • Self-paced interactive learning modules with a variety of engaging learning activities, assignments, and resources.
  • Live sessions that bring you, your peers, and your instructor together to learn collaboratively about the current state of the field, engage with real-world problems, and explore authentic solutions.
  • Continuous support from your instructional assistant, who will accompany you on your journey through the content, answer your questions, and provide feedback on your work.

Weekly Course Schedule

Learn the key elements of data stories, data privacy, the Tableau and Alteryx platforms, visualization tools, and data visualization trends to better understand the current data visualization landscape.

Learn how to make a business case and understand the data required to build it.

Examine exploratory data analysis, visualization vs. analysis, working with incomplete data, and data quality assessment and visualization.

Explore blending logic and persuasion in writing, structuring a recommendation tree, motivating by explaining why, and being your own skeptic.

Visualize time series data and proportions, map capabilities, and perform custom mapping.

Use color and size in visualization, visualize networks and trees, create dashboards and stories for insights, and chart color for optimal legibility.

Discover the principles of strategic decision-making and visualization, an introduction to visual analytics and best practices, and fundamental industry KPIs and metrics to drive storytelling effectiveness.

Connect key learnings for practical application and evaluate team presentations based on those learnings.

Earn a Credential in Strategic Data Storytelling

After successful completion of this course, participants will receive credentials certified by the University of Chicago including a digital badge to recognize their achievement.

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Meet Your Instructors

Our highly trained instructors are courageous thinkers and passionate leaders who leverage years of industry expertise and up-to-date knowledge of terminology, tools, and trends to deliver an unparalleled learning experience. Through their rigorous discourse, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and field-shaping contributions, they create practical solutions and pioneering innovations that enrich our world.

These instructors teach this course regularly. If you wish to know who the current teacher is, please speak to your enrollment advisor.

Rebeca Pop, UChicago instructor

Rebeca Pop, MA

Founder of Vizlogue

Rebeca Pop is the founder of Vizlogue and an expert in data visualization and data storytelling who has delivered presentations to over 3,500 participants all around the world. Pop's approach to training is grounded in a deep understanding of adult learning strategies and combines hands-on exercises...

Learn more about Rebeca

Bridget Sheehan

Bridget Sheahan, MBA, CFA

Vice President of Analytics and Insights, Vericast

Bridget Sheahan works as the VP of Analytics and Insights at Vericast, a global media and marketing services company. She leads teams that work with companies of all sizes and verticals to create, innovate, and consult on marketing strategy. Prior to her current role, Sheahan held a number of...

Learn more about Bridget

Career Outlook

The global big data market is expected to grow to $229.4 billion by 2025, and an increasing number of organizations are in need of storytelling techniques—and data storytelling professionals—to communicate and visualize their data effectively. Nonprofits and Fortune 500 companies alike find this approach raises awareness of a brand, issue, product, or trend and inspires audiences to take action. Possessing both analytical skills and the ability to weave data into compelling narratives, data storytellers and visualization specialists are prized by enterprises that want to maximize their data’s value.

$ 61 k

The average salary for an insight analyst in the United States.

22 x
$ 229.4 B

Potential Job Titles for Professionals with Data Storytelling Skills

  • Analytics Specialist
  • Business Analyst
  • Data Analyst
  • Data Architect
  • Data Engineer
  • Data Modeler
  • Data Storyteller
  • Data Visualizer
  • Database Administrator
  • Digital Analytics Insights Specialist
  • Insight Analyst
  • Insight Specialist
  • Machine Learning Engineer
  • Software Engineer
  • Statistician

How Do I Get Started?

  • Complete the form on the registration page.

  • Pay the tuition fee through our secure gateway.

  • Receive a welcome email with your login information for the virtual campus.

  • Gain access to the course content prior to the start date.

Of Interest