This is a hands-on, project-based course designed to teach you key visualization and design principles, along with powerful techniques for creating dynamic, interactive Excel reports and dashboards.

We’ll start by reviewing data visualization best practices, including tips for selecting the right visuals, eliminating clutter, focusing attention, and telling data-driven stories. From there we’ll introduce dashboard design principles, and share frameworks for defining clear objectives, identifying effective metrics and visual elements, and leveraging concepts like reading patterns and Gestalt principles to optimize layout and flow.

Throughout the course you’ll practice applying these techniques to unique, real-world projects and scenarios:

• Maven Music
  • Create a visual showing the evolution of the music industry and the impact of digital formats
• Maven Careers
  • Build a dashboard to explore salary and employment data across key industries in the US
• Maven Toys
  • Design a monthly KPI dashboard for sales managers to track regional performance
• Maven Hotel Group
  • Visualize hotel booking data to show key cancellation patterns and business insights

By the end of the course, not only will you have unique, professional-quality Excel dashboards to add to your portfolio, but you’ll have gained the knowledge and confidence to apply these same concepts to your own work.