The Power of Storytelling: How to Visualize Data in the Cloud

Overview

This is the fourth of five courses in the Google Cloud Data Analytics Certificate. In this course, you’ll focus on developing skills in the five key stages of visualizing data in the cloud:

storytelling, planning, exploring data, building visualizations, and sharing data with others.

You’ll also gain experience using UI/UX skills to wireframe impactful, cloud-native visualizations and work with cloud-native data visualization tools to explore datasets, create reports, and build dashboards that drive decisions and foster collaboration.

Syllabus

• Introduction to the power of storytelling: How to visualize data in the cloud
Introduction to Course 4
Course 4 overview
C.J.: A day in the life of a data analytics customer engineer
Helpful resources and tips
Lab technical tips
Explore your Course 4 scenario: TheLook eCommerce
Welcome to module 1
Why visualization matters
Ways that cloud data enhances storytelling
Planning phases of the data visualization workflow
Dashboard design for effective communication
Dashboard strategies for answering business questions
Test your knowledge: Become a storyteller with cloud data
The importance of UX/UI design
Design decisions for data visualizations
Foundational concepts of design: Structure and aesthetics
Foundational concepts of design: Usability and accessibility
Additional design concepts to consider
Design principles and strategies for dashboards
Test your knowledge: Basic principles of UI/UX design
Wrap-up
Glossary terms from module 1
Module 1 challenge
• Methods for visualization planning and design
Welcome to module 2
Data types to consider for visualizations
The importance of data type identification
Visualization techniques for different data types
Activity: Choose an effective visualization type
Activity Quiz: Choose an effective visualization type
Activity Exemplar: Choose an effective visualization type
Test your knowledge: Data type implications on visualizations
Introduction to business intelligence dashboards
4 types of business intelligence dashboards
Benefits of scorecards
Test your knowledge: Business intelligence visualization types
SMART questions for stakeholders
[Supplemental] Tips for effective teamwork
Dashboard alignment with stakeholder needs
Test your knowledge: Strategies for stakeholder alignment
Strategies for translating stakeholder requests
Introduction to wireframes for stakeholder alignment
The importance of the user journey
Lateefat: Meet the needs of cloud customers
How to build a wireframe in Google Slides
Activity: Analyze a wireframe
Activity Quiz: Analyze a wireframe
Test your knowledge: Translate stakeholder requests with wireframes
Wrap-up
Glossary terms from module 2
Module 2 challenge
• Access, explore, and report on data in the cloud
Welcome to module 3
The data journey: Analyze and activate
Cloud-based tools for accessing and visualizing data
Considerations for connecting to cloud data
Test your knowledge: Access data on the cloud
The importance of data exploration
Actionable insights through data exploration
Nicholaus: Cloud tools for business optimization
Dimensions and measures in data models
Customize dimensions and measures in Looker Studio
Test your knowledge: Explore and organize data in the cloud
Basics of modeling data
Aggregate and filter to summarize data
Data blending for helpful insights
Test your knowledge: Model data for visualization
Introduction to data reports
Case study: Benefits of using data reports
Guide to Looker Studio
Create a report in Looker Studio
Test your knowledge: Create a report to visualize data insights
Wrap-up
Glossary terms from module 3
Module 3 challenge
• Enterprise business analytics
Welcome to module 4
Introduction to enterprise-grade visualization tools
Data governance for safeguarding data
Comparison of self-service and guided analytics
Test your knowledge: Enterprise grade data analytics platforms
Visualization tools for enterprise data exploration
Insights from a single dataset
The process of filtering data
Data drilling up, down, and through
Test your knowledge: Data exploration of enterprise data sets
Live dashboard features
User experiences with dashboards
Collaborative dashboards
Dynamic AI-driven dashboards
Guide to Looker Enterprise
Build a dashboard using the Looker Enterprise UI
The changing role of a cloud data analyst
Test your knowledge: Use dashboards to meet business needs
Wrap-up
Glossary terms from module 4
Module 4 challenge
• Explore the developer environment
Welcome to module 5
Bring data tools together with an IDE
The elements of LookML
The benefits of using version control
Test your knowledge: Getting started with IDEs
Introduction to data modeling languages
Define dimensions and measure with LookML
Guide to LookML
Model dimensions and measures using LookML
Data modeling languages for business needs
Test your knowledge: Data modeling in the developer environment
Discover dashboards as code
Explore a dashboard file’s LookML code
Test your knowledge: Manage visualizations with dashboards as code
Derived tables for complex data problems
Types of derived tables
Improve performance with caching
Test your knowledge: Address complex business questions and optimize performance
Wrap-up
Lauren and Andrew: Interview role play
Interview tip: End responses with positive takeaways
Glossary terms from module 5
Module 5 challenge
Course wrap-up
Course 4 resources and citations
Glossary terms from Course 4
• Your Next Steps
Course Badge

---

Subjects

Data Science