Data Analytics and AI for Business Leaders
Use data analytics and AI to make smarter decisions, drive performance, and lead data-enabled teams with confidence.
Duration
3 weeksWeekly study
2 hoursLanguages
English, Español, Italiano, Français, PortuguêsEnglish, Español, Italiano100% online
How it worksDigital upgrade
Free
Data Analytics and AI for Business Leaders
Turn data and AI into better business decisions
Data and artificial intelligence are changing how organisations make decisions, measure performance, and plan for the future.
For business leaders, the challenge is not becoming a data scientist. It’s knowing how to turn data and AI into meaningful action.
On this three-week course, you’ll develop the practical literacy to make more confident, evidence-based decisions.
From interpreting analytics to questioning AI-generated insights, you’ll focus on what leaders need to know to navigate an increasingly data-driven workplace.
Strengthen your data-driven decision making
Start by examining the shift from intuition-led to evidence-based leadership and assess your organisation’s current data and AI maturity.
You’ll discover how data analytics and AI can inform strategic decisions, helping you recognise where these technologies can create genuine business value.
Turn analytics into actionable insights
Move beyond dashboards and performance metrics to understand what the data is actually telling you.
Distinguish between descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics before developing your data storytelling and visualisation skills. You’ll also learn how to ask better questions of technical teams and use AI-driven scenario planning to support decision making.
Build a responsible AI strategy
Successful AI adoption requires more than investing in the latest AI tools.
Explore how data culture, responsible AI, governance, and human oversight influence implementation. You’ll consider algorithmic bias and emerging AI trends before creating an AI-readiness roadmap for your organisation.
This course also provides an introduction to key themes developed further in the 10-week Business Data Analytics and AI microcredential offering a pathway to more sustained study.
Syllabus
Week 1
The strategic imperative
Getting started
The first part of the course starts with the introductory and orientation information.
Moving from intuition-based to evidence-based leadership
This part of the course introduces evidence-based leadership, and focuses on the transition away from intuition in modern strategic decision-making.
Assessing data and AI maturity
This section of the course explores the concept of data and AI maturity, and focuses on assessing your organisation's current capabilities.
Transforming strategic decisions with analytics and AI
This part of the course examines a real-world case study, and focuses on how advanced analytics and AI are transforming strategic decisions.
Week 2
The leader’s toolkit for decision-making
Distinguishing descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics
The first part of week 2 introduces descriptive, predictive and prescriptive approaches in analytics.
Interpreting and visualising data and AI-driven insights for clarity
This part of the course focuses on data storytelling and visualisation. You will explore how data can be presented in misleading ways, highlighting the importance of clear and ethical communication.
Asking better questions of data and AI teams
In this part of the course, you will explore common pitfalls when requesting information from technical staff and learn how to translate business challenges into clear, actionable questions for data and AI professionals.
AI-driven scenario planning and challenging algorithmic bias
This final part of week 2 you will examine advanced AI applications for business scenario planning. You will also look at the critical issue of algorithmic bias.
Week 3
The future and the roadmap
Why buying AI tools fails without a data-culture mindset
This part explores the role of organisational culture in successful AI adoption. You will examine what a strong data culture looks like, how to make AI investments worthwhile, and assess your organisation’s current data culture.
Responsible and ethical use of AI in business
In this section, you explore AI governance and ethics, learn the difference between responsible and ethical AI use, and examine approaches such as human-in-the-loop (HITL) to support safe and compliant implementation.
What’s coming next: Business leaders’ watchlist and organisational AI-readiness roadmap
In this part of the course, you will explore current and emerging AI trends relevant to business leaders and develop a customised AI-readiness roadmap for your organisation.
In conclusion
In this final part of the course, you review how your understanding has developed, revisit key course content, and consider your next steps.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Explain the role of data analytics and AI in modern business leadership and how they support evidence-based strategic decisions.
- Differentiate between key analytical approaches.
- Interpret dashboards, KPIs, AI-powered insights and visual reports to identify meaningful trends and insights.
- Develop an understanding of ethical and responsible leadership in using data and AI, ensuring transparency, fairness, and compliance.
Who is the course for?
This course is designed for business leaders, managers, and decision-makers who want to use data analytics and AI with greater confidence. It’s ideal for professionals leading strategy, performance, transformation, or data and AI-enabled teams.
What software or tools do you need?
You need to use Microsoft Office to complete some exercises on this course. If you don’t have access, you can use the Free Office Online for the Web.
Who will you learn with?
Dr Elaine Chen is a Senior Lecturer in Business Analytics & Course Leader for the MSc Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence at Nottingham Business School.
Diana specialises in innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to marketing, tourism, and sustainability. She is interested in leveraging AI and behavioural insights to address real-world challenges.
Who developed the course?
Nottingham Business School
Nottingham Business School’s (NBS) purpose is to provide research and education that combines academic excellence with positive impact on people, business and society.
What's included?
Nottingham Business School are offering everyone who joins this course a free digital upgrade, so that you can experience the full benefits of studying online for free. This means that you get:
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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