Data Visualization

"Data visualization is the graphical display of abstract information for two purposes: sense-making (also called data analysis) and communication. Important stories live in our data and data visualization is a powerful means to discover and understand these stories, and then to present them to others." Stephen Few

The Center for Business Analytics offers a number of Data Visualization and Business Intelligence trainings both on general concepts and individual tools (Tableau & MS Power BI). Below you will find courses to improve general data visualization and communication skills.

All courses are open to the public and taught online with a live instructor.

       

Data Visualization Professional Training Course Offerings

Upcoming schedule for instructor-led, live, online courses.

A Certificate of Completion is provided with all courses showing number of contact hours (instruction), and field of study as "Information Technology" for continuing education purposes. Power BI courses are 14 contact hours and  equivalent to 1.4 CEU's, except the Introduction - Advanced Analyzing Data with Power BI which is 24 contact hours and 2.4 CEU's.

The term CEU is not a trademarked term; therefore, any educational institution may use it to describe their courses. Professions and industries usually regulate their approved continuing education within their bylaws and not one institute or accrediting body has become a standard to accept in this regard.

Professionals should always consult their Association or regulating body prior to embarking on continuing education and not assume a CEU will be accepted as part of their professional development.

Three classes from the following list:

  • Data Visualization Principles, Storyfinding and Storytelling
  • Introduction to Tableau or Introduction to PowerBI
  • Advanced Tableau or Advanced PowerBI

To achieve a Certificate of Competency, all three classes must be taken through the Center for Business Analytics.  In the event that professional experience meets the prerequisite for a class, another approved class may be substituted (limited to 1 class per Certificate of Competency)

Data Visualization Principles,Story Finding and Storytelling

Data Visualization, Story Finding and Storytelling: Sept. 15, 17, 22, 24, 2025

Transform data into meaningful insights with Tableau Visionary, Jeffrey Shaffer

In this two day course you will learn from data visualization experts about:

  • Using data visualization to analyze complex data sets.
  • Creating visual insights from data that generate action.
  • Design principles for creating effective data visualization.
  • Data visualization software and tools to display and analyze complex data sets.
  • Creating dashboards to monitor organizational status and gain competitive advantage.

Course description

Data by itself is meaningless. Data visualization encompasses a set of techniques and principles that can be used to transform data at its most basic form into charts and tables that can be analyzed and presented to generate insights and spur action. This two-day workshop will teach participants how to use data visualization to both analyze complex data sets to generate insights and to present analytical output as meaningful information. The course will cover data visualization best practices, design principles for creating effective data visualization, and leading software demonstrations (advanced Excel features, Tableau, "R" etc.) to show participants how to effectively display and analyze complex data sets. We will introduce interactive data visualization tools to create data dashboards that can be used to monitor the status of your organization and to create exceptional opportunities for generating competitive advantage. This course is suitable for all levels of participants interested in learning more effective data visualization techniques.

Sessions 1 & 2

  • Introduction to data visualization and why it’s important 
  • Principles of visual perception
  • Understanding the pre-attentive attributes
  • Data visualization fundamentals and best practices
  • Thinking critically about visualization design
  • Compare and contrast real-world examples

Sessions 3 & 4

  • Telling a story through visualization and effectively present results to an audience
  • How to use data visualization to analyze data
  • Creating visual insights from data that generate action
  • Design principles for creating effective data visualization
  • Creating dashboards to monitor organizational status and gain understanding of the data
  • Principles of dashboard design

Course Location:
Virtual via Zoom

As a global airport planning consultancy helping airport leaders around the world make critical investment decisions, we found the insights from Jeff’s class on data visualization and storytelling extremely relevant and useful. Our entire company from the U.S. and Asia participated in this class, which will help us all be better consultants, data scientists, planners. architects, engineers, and urban planners. We have already put some of the lessons learned to good use!

Doug Goldberg, President & CEO, SPS Worldwide Aviation at Strategic Planning Services, Inc.

Tableau and MS Power BI trainings also available

Data Visualization and Tableau Instructor

Jeffrey Shaffer headshot

Tableau Zen Master Jeffrey Shaffer is an expert in applying data visualization to create insights and competitive advantage. Mr. Shaffer is Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Cincinnati in the Carl H. Lindner College of Business where he teaches Data Visualization in the graduate course series for Data Analytics. He is a regular speaker at conferences, symposiums, universities and corporate training programs on the topic of data visualization, he writes for the data visualization blog at Data + Science and he was a finalist in the 2011 Tableau Interactive Visualization Competition. Mr. Shaffer also teaches data visualization at the KPMG Advisory University. Mr. Shaffer is Vice President of Information Technology and Analytics at Unifund. He joined Unifund in 1996 and has been instrumental in the creation and development of the complex systems, analytics and business intelligence platform at Unifund.Replace with your text

For more information on these training courses or custom training, please contact
Headshot of Marilyn Kump

Marilyn Kump

Associate Director

513-556-5710