How Data Analysis and Visualization Skills Make You a Better Project Manager

We've recently written two new courses, Tableau for Data-driven Decision Makers and Power Bi for Data-driven Decision Makers. They're valuable for professionals in any job role that uses Tableau or Power BI to report data to stakeholders, executives, or customers or use data to make decisions.

We find that project managers and managers of all types generate and work with a lot of data and can benefit from data analysis and data visualization skills. The data they have might be related to hours worked, costs and budget, and many more types of project-specific data, and in this article, we’re going to show you how these skills can make you a better manager.

You can read more about the classes, what they cover, and who should take them here.

The Essential Value of Project Managers

Project managers are charged with bringing internal and external projects to successful completion on time and on budget. Along the way, they have to look out for organizational priorities and take care of the people working for them. They have to lead, communicate, manage resource time and team needs and think critically to solve problems.

How Data Analysis and Data Visualization Skills Make Project Managers Better

Project managers can use data analysis skills to analyze the volumes of past and current project data they collect to optimize all aspects of projects and improve their management of projects and their budget and resources. This process, known as project data analysis, helps project managers make estimations about hours required to complete tasks, anticipated costs, and circumstances that can adversely impact the project. This helps them make better decisions and more accurate predictions about costs, timelines, and budgets and correct problems more quickly.

This knowledge, in turn, helps project managers communicate more effectively to the people working for them, vendors and suppliers, stakeholders, and budget owners.

Both graphics are screenshots of visuals students build in the Tableau for Data-driven Decision Makers class!

Data visualization skills help project managers show what the data is saying in compelling visual reports and presentations. Project managers can also set up project dashboards to track key performance indicators and progress toward milestones. All of this helps keep project stakeholders better informed.

Conclusion

If you or your team use Tableau or Power BI and have the same types of questions, this course is for you. See the full Tableau class description here and the full Power BI class description here. See our class schedule or reach out for a free 15-minute training consultation

You can see all of our content about these courses here.