Data Analysis Certified (DAC)

DAC Packages DAC Tracks DAC Rulebook Exams

Data analysis is an integral part of ne arly every job role is business today. Data is ever-present and strongly influences individual and organizational performance. The ability to confidently navigate the path from data to information, understanding, decision, and action is a key characteristic of top performers. Whatever your role may be—business or technical, management or functional staff—data analysis is a valuable and important skill set. You can be sure that the demand for data analysis skills will increase at a rapid pace through the coming years.

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Data Analysis Certified (DAC) is a professional designation that affirms your data analysis knowledge and skills. The DAC designation makes a clear statement that you have learned from leaders in the field and that you have demonstrated depth of understanding and ability to apply the concepts and techniques in one or more of three data analysis subject areas: business analysis, data analytics, and advanced analytics. The “data analysis certified” designation makes a strong statement when coupled with your specific job title. Imagine the power of the message when you present yourself as Data Analysis Certified Operations Manager, Data Analysis Certified Financial Controller, Data Analysis Certified Marketing Specialist, Data Analysis Certified Business Analyst, Data Analysis Certified Data Scientist, etc. As Data Analysis Certified, You will be met with new respect, engage in thought-provoking conversations, and find new opportunities for career growth.

Levels of Certification

We offer two levels of data analysis certification — DAC and DAC Ex. The DAC Ex level of certification asserts that you have demonstrated expertise, experience, and excellence as a data analysis practitioner. DAC certification is earned by completing four courses (2 required and 2 elective) and passing the corresponding exam. Earn DAC Ex certification with seven courses (2 required and 5 elective), passing corresponding exams at the expert level, and demonstrating at least five years of work experience in related business and/or information management roles.

Why DAC?

Data Analysis certification is a strong complement to Data Literacy certification. Everyone in business needs data literacy skills to understand and act upon the information and insights that are derived from data. Those who turn data into information and insights must have a combination of data literacy skills and data analysis skills. DAC builds and recognizes the skills that are needed to:

• Frame data analysis projects and find the right data to analyze

• Explore, understand, and prepare data for analysis

• Apply a variety of analysis techniques to find patterns and meaning in data

• Visualize data and communicate data analysis results

DAC is a meaningful certification that attests to your data analysis knowledge and skills. But it is much more than a certificate of knowledge. The process of earning DAC is one of learning, growth, and acquiring new knowledge. Choosing among the many courses, you’ll find opportunities to learn about the entire analysis process: framing analysis problems and projects, finding and evaluating data, exploring and preparing data, finding patterns and meaning in data, data visualization and storytelling, and turning analysis into action.

Benefits of Data Analysis certification

For the enterprise: Data analysts are found in virtually every part of business organizations today. With ease of access to data, the number of analysts has expanded rapidly, including many where data analysis is but one aspect of their job roles. The data analysis team concept of the past has been replaced with a “data analysis matrix” – many analysts working cross-functionally, sometimes independently and sometimes collaboratively. Data analysis organizations of this type are substantially more effective and more valuable when they work with a common set of concepts, techniques, and terminology. DAC provides the common base of knowledge for communication, coordination, and cooperation among pockets of data analysis throughout the organization.

For CDOs: CDO is a critical leadership role to create and sustain a data-driven organization. Shaping data culture is among the most important responsibilities of that role. Data culture is the collective beliefs and behaviors that shape an organization’s capabilities to turn data into information, knowledge, and insights that drive decisions and actions. Collective beliefs and behaviors begin with collective knowledge and understanding. For data analysis, common knowledge of the data analysis lifecycle, processes, techniques, and terminology are fundamental to creating a culture of data analysis and data-informed decision making. DAC helps to establish the collective knowledge and understanding that are fundamental to data analysis culture.

For individuals: DAC is designed for everyone who needs to analyze data to fulfill their job responsibilities. Analyzing data—once the domain of technical professionals—is now a core business capability. Data is abundant in business today, and it is available and accessible to everyone. Data analysis is an essential skillset for everyone from business managers to data scientists.

Business Managers: Every business manager today is (or needs to be) a de facto data analyst. Marketing managers analyze responses to pay-per-click advertising and other marketing campaigns; they analyze budget utilization, consumer behaviors, and more. Human resources managers analyze compensation plans, workforce trends, recruiting and retention effectiveness, training and development needs, and performance and productivity. And the list goes on. Operations managers, financial managers, sales managers, customer service managers, research and development managers, supply chain managers, production managers, etc.—they all must analyze data to know what is happening, to answer questions, and to identify and solve problems.

Knowledge Workers : Knowledge workers include business managers and functional staff who report to them. A knowledge worker is anyone whose job includes acquiring and applying knowledge to understand circumstances, make decisions, and solve problems. Data analysis is fundamental to acquiring knowledge, thus a core skill for every knowledge worker.

Business and Data Analysts : Business and data analysts fill roles that are specifically responsible to turn data into information, and to provide that information to others. Research analysts, financial analysts, data scientists, data engineers, and business intelligence developers are among the common roles of business and data analysts.

Business Analytics Professionals : Business analytics practitioners and managers are responsible to develop, operate, and support Business Intelligence (BI) and Performance Management (PM) systems. They provide the dashboards, scorecards, OLAP, and other business and data analysis capabilities that are essential to informed decision making in data-driven organizations.

Advanced Analytics Professionals : Advanced analytics practitioners and managers are responsible to develop, operate, and support discovery, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics applications. They provide the data mining, analytic modeling, and data science capabilities for artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation, and data-driven innovation.

DAC Tracks

DAC is organized as three tracks, each designed to meet the learning and certification needs of particular roles and responsibilities. The Business Analysis track is designed for business professionals who need to analyze data—managers, knowledge workers, and business and data analysts. The Data Analytics track is suited to information management professionals with responsibility for BI and performance management systems. The Advanced Analytics track is designed for those with data mining and data science roles and responsibilities. Visit the DAC Tracks page for more information.