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Decision Foundations & Diagnostic Analytics

This course is part of AI-Powered Decision Intelligence: Data to Strategic Insights Specialization

Instructor: Professionals from the Industry

Included with

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13 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

13 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Apply decision frameworks and expected utility analysis to evaluate multi-scenario business cases and recommend evidence-based strategic options.
Identify cognitive biases in completed business decisions and design repeatable debiasing checklists for analytics review workflows.
Design and optimize KPI dashboards using visual-design best practices and evaluate descriptive metrics against real stakeholder questions.
Apply root-cause analysis techniques — including 5 Whys and Pareto analysis — to diagnose operational problems and validate findings with data.

Skills you'll gain

Tools you'll learn

Dashboard

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the AI-Powered Decision Intelligence: Data to Strategic Insights Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 13 modules in this course

Transform the way you make decisions at work. In this course, you will build a powerful combination of analytical and diagnostic skills — learning to apply decision frameworks, identify cognitive biases, design clear KPI dashboards, and uncover the root causes behind business problems.

You will work with real-world scenarios drawn from strategy, operations, and performance management. By the end, you will be able to structure ambiguous problems using frameworks like OODA and Cynefin, evaluate risk through utility curves, design dashboards that communicate insights efficiently, and apply root-cause analysis techniques like the 5 Whys and Pareto analysis to validate findings with data. This course is built for analysts, managers, and business professionals who want to move beyond instinct-driven decisions and build a repeatable, evidence-based approach to strategic thinking. Every skill you practice connects directly to the decisions you face on the job.

Module details

Apply expected utility calculations to multi-scenario business cases and recommend optimal strategic choices.

What's included

1 video1 reading1 assignment1 ungraded lab

Evaluate organizational risk preferences by plotting utility curves and interpreting their strategic implications.

What's included

3 videos1 assignment

Apply OODA or Cynefin frameworks to structure unstructured problems and evaluate framework suitability for different contexts.

What's included

3 readings1 assignment

Evaluate alternative decision frameworks for suitability using contextual criteria and strategic alignment principles.

What's included

2 videos1 reading2 assignments

2 videosTotal 8 minutes

The Framework Dilemma: When Good Tools Give Bad Results4 minutes
Framework Comparison Matrix: Systematic Evaluation in Practice4 minutes

1 readingTotal 11 minutes

Framework Evaluation Criteria: Matching Tools to Context11 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 32 minutes

Framework Evaluation and Selection Mastery7 minutes
Decision Theory and Strategic Frameworks: Comprehensive Course Assessment25 minutes

This course objective equips learners to critically examine past business decisions, uncover hidden cognitive biases that shaped outcomes, and recommend practical debiasing techniques to improve judgment, decision quality, and future organizational performance.

What's included

1 video2 readings2 assignments

Design and implement bias-mitigation checklists for recurring reviews and pilot in workplace meetings.

What's included

2 videos3 assignments

Learn to generate descriptive statistics with data quality flagging for robust analytics foundations.

What's included

2 videos1 reading1 assignment1 ungraded lab

2 videosTotal 6 minutes

Why Data Quality Matters in Dashboard Creation2 minutes
Generating Descriptive Statistics with Quality Flagging5 minutes

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Essential Data Quality Checks and Descriptive Statistics10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 6 minutes

Data Quality Assessment and Descriptive Statistics6 minutes

1 ungraded labTotal 20 minutes

Complete Data Quality Assessment and Statistical Profiling20 minutes

Master layout and visual design principles to rebuild cluttered dashboards with measurable improvements.

What's included

2 readings2 assignments

Learn to evaluate dashboard usage patterns and identify low-value elements for strategic optimization.

What's included

2 videos1 reading1 assignment

Synthesize analysis findings into strategic recommendations that align with stakeholder decision-making needs.

What's included

2 videos1 reading3 assignments

2 videosTotal 7 minutes

From Analysis to Strategic Impact2 minutes
Evaluating Metric Sufficiency and Proposing Enhancements5 minutes

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Strategic Metric Selection and Stakeholder Alignment10 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 54 minutes

Comprehensive Stakeholder-Aligned Metric Enhancement Strategy17 minutes
Strategic Metric Evaluation and Enhancement7 minutes
Comprehensive Dashboard Design and Analytics Mastery Assessment30 minutes

Learners will apply the 5 Whys and Pareto analysis to identify dominant drivers of cost-overrun incidents and validate findings with data.

What's included

3 videos1 reading2 assignments

3 videosTotal 14 minutes

Why Root Cause Analysis Matters in Data Analysis3 minutes
The 5 Whys Framework and Pareto Analysis Fundamentals7 minutes
Building Effective Pareto Charts for Cost Analysis4 minutes

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Root Cause Analysis Methodology and Data Integration10 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 22 minutes

Real-World Cost Overrun Investigation16 minutes
5 Whys and Pareto Analysis Assessment6 minutes

Learners will evaluate multiple RCA techniques (Ishikawa, RCA tree) on a sample issue and document the most explanatory approach.

What's included

1 video2 readings3 assignments

1 videoTotal 3 minutes

Building Comprehensive Ishikawa Diagrams for Complex Problems3 minutes

2 readingsTotal 19 minutes

Comparative Analysis of RCA Techniques: Ishikawa, RCA Trees, and 5 Whys12 minutes
Podcast: Expert Insights: Selecting RCA Techniques for Maximum Impact7 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 51 minutes

Comparative RCA Technique Analysis19 minutes
RCA Technique Evaluation Assessment7 minutes
Course-Level Root Cause Analysis Assessment25 minutes

You will explore how generative AI tools can accelerate decision frameworks, data analysis, and root-cause diagnostics — and practice the critical validation habits that keep AI-assisted outputs accurate and trustworthy.