Data Analytics for Supply Chain Logistics

Whatever industry you work in, knowing how to harness data to generate insights and drive decision-making is a vital professional skill. In the context of supply chain management and logistics, data analysis could help you boost efficiency, smooth operations, and improve customer satisfaction.

On this microcredential from Deakin University, you’ll gain a comprehensive introduction to data analytics and a toolkit of techniques for preparing, decoding, and visualising data. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to identify useful and actionable insights to drive your decision-making.

Through practical weekly activities, you’ll gain the skills you need to clean, prepare, and analyse data, while also exploring the broader context and ethics of data analysis. You’ll then learn how to apply these skills using real data sets and use cases from the supply chain logistics industry.

Master exploratory data analysis and diagnostic analysis

You’ll start the course by taking a deep dive into two kinds of analysis: exploratory data analysis and diagnostic analysis. While exploratory data analysis enables you to identify general patterns in a data set, you can get more in-depth insights into the cause of these trends through diagnostic analysis.

With the help of your course leaders, you’ll examine every phase of exploratory and diagnostic analysis. From importing and tidying raw data to determining actionable conclusions, you’ll master the many processes involved in data analytics.

Learn how to use data analytics software to interpret and visualise data

As well as an understanding of different types of data analysis, you’ll also gain the technical skills to carry that analysis out efficiently. You’ll develop your data proficiency using a range of digital tools, particularly Microsoft Excel and the data visualisation software Tableau.

You’ll practise using Tableau to tidy your data, create interactive charts, and prepare dashboards to present key business metrics. To ensure your analysis is relevant to supply chain logistics, you’ll be given a genuine industry data set to work with.

Understand how to incorporate storytelling within a business report

In the final week of the course, you’ll zoom out to consider the political, legislative, and ethical context of data. You’ll consider thorny issues surrounding data protection and data governance, reflecting on how they impact stakeholders in supply chain logistics.

By the end of the six weeks, you’ll have an expert understanding of how data can enhance supply chain logistics. The skills and credentials you gain will enable you to elevate your career and drive your organisation’s performance.

How will the skills I learn help my career?

This microcredential will equip you with certificated expertise in a vital area of business today. You’ll learn how to analyse, interpret, visualise, and communicate data, then use your conclusions to drive business decision-making. Throughout the course, your learning will be anchored in the real-world context of supply chain logistics.

You’ll also gain other applicable skills like project management and business analysis, while developing your understanding of data ethics, legislation, and governance. All of this will enable you to harness data in a responsible and informed way to benefit your organisation.

Finally, you’ll have access to a dedicated Tableau student licence during your enrolment. After you successfully complete the microcredential, you’ll have continued access for up to 12 months from the date you joined. This gives you plenty of time to continue developing your data analysis and data visualisation skills using a recognised industry-standard tool.

How will I be assessed?

You will need to write a 1500-word report in which you use data to communicate critical insights in relation to a given scenario from the supply chain logistics industry. You will also create an interactive Tableau dashboard to visualise the data.

In collaboration with:

Rachael Lear

Supply Chain Subject Matter Expert

Rachael Lear has 20 years of hands-on data-driven Global Supply Chain Management and Analytics experience in Trains, Planes, and F1 racing cars, as well as FMCG, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and clinical trials. Alongside operational expertise, Rachael has worked across the UK Government as a Supply Chain SME for UK Critical Supply Chains reviews, UK National Risk Reviews for Supply Chains, and Global Supply Chain Intelligence programmes.