Why Attend
In today’s complex business world, effective analytical skills are essential for professionals who are looking to add long-term strategic value to their organization. While problems differ in complexity, almost all of them can be approached in a structured manner that increases the chances of finding a successful solution. By attending this course, you can master the art and science of dealing with complex data using solid analytical skills.
However, analyzing the data and reaching the right conclusion is only half of the problem. The other half is ensuring that decision makers understand and support your conclusion. Therefore, this course will also include a section on how to effectively persuade others of the appropriate course of action using evidence based analytics to ensure that the organization is making the right decision.
Course Methodology
The course uses a mix of interactive techniques, such as analytical tools, case studies, presentation development, presentation delivery and individual feedback.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Apply recognized problem solving techniques and approaches
- Analyze problems and find factual data to support decisions
- Distinguish, evaluate and summarize relevant information
- Generate a broader and more unique range of solutions
- Arrive at objective and well-reasoned decisions consistent with the available information
- Present results in a structured manner for maximum impact and influence
Target Audience
Analysts, managers and professionals who are looking to build their analytical skills as well as those who are interested in improving their decision making capabilities based on analytical evidence.
Target Competencies
- Analytical thinking
- Analysis of data
- Assessing data patterns
- Structuring data
- Evidence based research
- Results orientation
Course Outline
- Analytical thinking skills
- Understanding how we think and reason
- Adding value to your organization
- Balancing multiple conditions impacting a business situation
- Moving from pieces to the big picture
- Generating creative solutions
- Structuring problems
- The importance of structuring
- Dividing issues into manageable sections
- The use of logic trees in problem solving
- Foundations of conditional logic
- Foundations of disjunctive logic
- Using conditional logic versus disjunctive logic
- Challenges in effectively using different kinds of logic
- Collecting data
- Getting the right data
- Types of research
- Primary research development
- Secondary research development
- Conducting informational interviews
- Asking ‘so what?’
- Summary versus synthesis
- Assessing the value of information
- Focusing on facts
- Eliminating extraneous information
- Analyzing and transforming data
- Structuring data
- Transforming data
- The power of visual representation
- Guidelines for business graphs
- Using Excel for data analysis
- The power of pivot tables
- Using pivot tables for analysis
- Seeking patterns
- Studying trends
- Questioning results
- Developing possible solutions
- Communicating and convincing
- Turning data into findings
- Building effective arguments
- Communicating findings by telling a story
- Story telling elements
- The current situation
- Difficulties in making the situation better
- Possible paths to resolution
- Presenting to senior management
