Data Driven Decisions

You already have the data. You already have the tools. This workshop gives you the repeatable process to connect them.

Course Overview

A hands-on workshop for anyone who uses data to make decisions

Why Attend?

You already have the data. You already have the tools. This workshop gives you the repeatable process to connect them.

In this hands-on course, you will take a single, messy dataset and walk it through the entire data-driven decision cycle. You will learn how to assess data quality, refine it into a trustworthy source, visualize it to find insights, use those insights to set strategic priorities, and build a reliable system to collect better data from the start. By the end of the day, you will have a proven framework you can apply to any data challenge in your organization.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for executives, managers, analysts, and professionals across government and private enterprise — anyone who uses data to make decisions about projects, initiatives, programs, or operations. No advanced technical skills are required.

Core Skills You Will Master

• The Data X-Ray: Use Power Query to automatically surface hidden data quality issues.

• Data Refinement: Apply a repeatable 5-step process to clean and standardize any dataset.

• Interactive Visualization: Build a two-page Power BI dashboard to see your portfolio health and performance trends.

• The D.A.T.A. Framework: Apply a structured decision-making model to set strategic priorities and respond to a crisis.

• System Building: Create a smart Microsoft Form and a secure SharePoint List to build a reliable data collection process.

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Course Outline

Module 1: The Foundation

• Lab 1: The Data X-Ray

• Lab 2: Hands-On Data Refinement with Power Query

• Lab 3: Building an Interactive Dashboard in Power BI

Module 2: The Strategy

• Lab 4: Goals, Performance Targets, and Thresholds

• D.A.T.A. Framework Checkpoint: Prioritizing with the Priority Matrix

Module 3: The System

• Lab 5: Building a Data Collection Form

• Lab 6: Building a SharePoint List

• D.A.T.A. Framework Case Study: Managing a Portfolio Crisis

The M365 Tools You Will Use

• Excel + Power Query

• Power BI Desktop

• Microsoft Forms

• SharePoint Lists

• Bonus: We will also demo how to use Teams, Whiteboard, and OneNote to support your decision-making process.