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Course overview
This course is part of the “Introduction to Data Analysis with Excel” skill path, which we designed for those seeking the practical skills in Excel to perform data analysis and visualization – and ultimately help organizations make better-informed decisions. We designed it for aspiring data professionals with little experience and learners who use basic Excel in their daily jobs and want to enhance their skills.
In this course, you’ll learn how to use graphs and charts to design insightful data visualizations for your audience. You’ll learn how to use Gestalt principles and pre-attentive attributes and more.
Best of all, you’ll learn by doing – you’ll practice and get feedback directly in the browser.
Key skills
- Visualizing data using pie, column, histogram, line, scatter, and combo charts
- Selecting appropriate data visualizations
- Creating charts using design principles
- Designing visualizations for your intended audience
Course outline
Visualizing Data in Excel [5 lessons]
Pie, Column, and Histogram Charts 2h
Lesson Objectives- Create pie, column, and histogram charts
- Create a frequency table
- Visualize a frequency table using a column chart
- Visualize grouped frequencies using a histogram chart
Line, Scatter, and Combo Charts 2h
Lesson Objectives- Interpret line plots by identifying types of change
- Visualize correlation using scatter plots
- Measure and interpret correlation using R-squared
- Summarize data using the `=AVERAGEIFS()` function
- Create a data visualization using a combo chart
Design for an Audience 1h
Lesson Objectives- Create charts using information design principles
- Choose the proper chart using the familiarity principle
- Improve a chart by maximizing the data-ink ratio
- Create publication-ready charts
Gestalt Principles and Pre-Attentive Attributes 1h
Lesson Objectives- Recognize patterns among distinct objects
- Create data visualizations using Gestalt principles
- Direct viewers' attention using pre-attentive attributes
- Use accessible colors
Guided Project: Visualizing the Answer to Stock Questions Using Spreadsheet Charts 2h
Lesson Objectives- Import a dataset to an Excel spreadsheet
- Create a report in Excel using data visualizations and tabular data
- Represent data using effective data visualizations
- Apply Gestalt principles and pre-attentive attributes to all visualizations
- Maximize data-ink ratio in all visualizations
Projects in this course
Visualizing the Answer to Stock Questions Using Spreadsheet Charts
For this project, you’ll step into the shoes of a business analyst to explore historical stock market data using Excel. By applying information design concepts, you’ll create compelling visualizations and craft an insightful report – building in-demand skills for communicating data-driven insights.
The Dataquest guarantee
Dataquest has helped thousands of people start new careers in data. If you put in the work and follow our path, you’ll master data skills and grow your career.
We believe so strongly in our paths that we offer a full satisfaction guarantee. If you complete a career path on Dataquest and aren’t satisfied with your outcome, we’ll give you a refund.
Master skills faster with Dataquest
Go from zero to job-ready
Learn exactly what you need to achieve your goal. Don’t waste time on unrelated lessons.
Build your project portfolio
Build confidence with our in-depth projects, and show off your data skills.
Challenge yourself with exercises
Work with real data from day one with interactive lessons and hands-on exercises.
Showcase your path certification
Share the evidence of your hard work with your network and potential employers.
Grow your career with
Dataquest.


