Business Analytics Using Forecasting (FutureLearn)

Business Analytics Using Forecasting (FutureLearn)

Discover how business can harness the power of big data to make better predictive analysis. Learn how to use data to create powerful business forecasts. Organisations currently collect a vast quantity of data about suppliers, clients, employees, citizens, transactions, and much more. However, many are unaware of the predictive power this ‘big data’ has if anaylsed correctly. On this course, you’ll learn about forecasting using big data, exploring how it’s used by business as an important component of decision making.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

You’ll examine how to define a forecasting task and workflow. You’ll understand how to evaluate forecasting performance, analysing different forecasting methods. Ultimately, you’ll be able to implement your own practical forecasting process.

What topics will you cover?

  • Goal definitions
  • Data visualisation
  • Data modeling
  • Performance evaluation
  • Model deployment

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Describe business challenges and opportunities that call for forecasting
  • Evaluate performance of a forecasting solution
  • Apply and be familiar with popular forecasting methods
  • Explore, identify and model different types of patterns in time series
  • Develop a forecasting solution using forecasting methods

Who is the course for?
This course is for anyone who wants to understand how big data can help their business or organisation’s decision-making process. You will need to be familiar with basic statistical methods, including linear regression, as well as have basic knowledge of Excel and R software.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Teaching Probability (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Cambridge University Press

Teaching Probability (FutureLearn)

Learn how to create effective lessons on probability to help equip 11 - 16 year olds with skills for life. Probability is a vital part of the maths curriculum for 11 - 16 year olds worldwide - a good foundational knowledge of probability can be useful throughout life, helping students make informed decisions big and small. Despite this, probability is often poorly understood. On this course you will work to change that, learning how to create and deliver more effective lessons on probability by using practical and frequency-based approaches.

No sessions available
3 Weeks
Accounting Data Analytics with Python (Coursera) Coursera
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Accounting Data Analytics with Python (Coursera)

This course focuses on developing Python skills for assembling business data. It will cover some of the same material from Introduction to Accounting Data Analytics and Visualization, but in a more general purpose programming environment (Jupyter Notebook for Python), rather than in Excel and the Visual Basic Editor. These concepts are taught within the context of one or more accounting data domains (e.g., financial statement data from EDGAR, stock data, loan data, point-of-sale data).

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Fundamentos de la visualización de datos con Tableau (Coursera) Coursera
Universidad Austral

Fundamentos de la visualización de datos con Tableau (Coursera)

En este curso descubrirás qué es la visualización de datos y cómo podemos usarla para ver y comprender mejor los datos. Con Tableau, examinaremos los conceptos fundamentales de visualización de datos y exploraremos la interfaz de Tableau, identificando y aplicando las diversas herramientas que Tableau tiene para ofrecer. Este curso está diseñado para el alumno que nunca ha usado antes Tableau, o que puede necesitar un repaso, o desea explorar Tableau con más profundidad.

Sep 14th 2026
4 Weeks
Big Data and the Environment (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Reading,Institute for Environmental Analytics - IEA

Big Data and the Environment (FutureLearn)

From sources such as satellites, sensors and social media, how can environmental data analytics benefit business and research? From weather fluctuations to the spread of an invasive species, what problems can scientists address by analysing these vast data collections? What are the potential benefits for business, research and our daily lives?

No sessions available
3 Weeks
Data Visualisation with Tableau Fundamentals (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
FutureLearn

Data Visualisation with Tableau Fundamentals (FutureLearn)

Learn the fundamentals of data visualisation – from core components to interactive elements. Want to create meaningful data visualisations that fuel decision-making and growth within your business? This course teaches you the basics – from individual elements and relationships through to data preparation in Tableau. You’ll learn design theories and how to identify important dashboard elements before moving on to hands-on exercises.

May 23rd 2022
4 Weeks
Data Visualisation: Data Dashboards and Storytelling with Tableau (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
FutureLearn

Data Visualisation: Data Dashboards and Storytelling with Tableau (FutureLearn)

Learn the techniques that underpin predictive data analytics and understand the ethics behind them. Do you want to bring your predictive models to life and communicate with a diverse audience? Data visualisation is a great tool for predictive analysis and bringing statistical models to life within your organisation. You’ll learn how to use your data to make business predictions and get to grips with the ethical issues that can arise in the process. On this course, you’ll explore statistical techniques and the importance of testing and refining the models that you use for data analysis.

May 23rd 2022
4 Weeks
Business Statistics and Analysis Capstone (Coursera) Coursera
Rice University

Business Statistics and Analysis Capstone (Coursera)

The Business Statistics and Analysis Capstone is an opportunity to apply various skills developed across the four courses in the specialization to a real life data. The Capstone, in collaboration with an industry partner uses publicly available ‘Housing Data’ to pose various questions typically a client would pose to a data analyst. Your job is to do the relevant statistical analysis and report your findings in response to the questions in a way that anyone can understand.

Sep 14th 2026
4 Weeks
Predictive Analytics: Solving Business Problems Using Machine Learning and Big Data (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Sungkyunkwan University - SKKU

Predictive Analytics: Solving Business Problems Using Machine Learning and Big Data (FutureLearn)

Explore how predictive models can help businesses use data to identify risks and discover new opportunities. Discover how predictive analytics could transform your business As businesses accrue more and more data about their customers – from their behavioural history to their transactions – being able to use ‘Big Data’ is becoming increasingly key to low-term business success.

Aug 16th 2021
4 Weeks
Data Visualisation with Python: Bokeh and Advanced Layouts (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
FutureLearn

Data Visualisation with Python: Bokeh and Advanced Layouts (FutureLearn)

Elevate your data visualisation skills and better communicate your data insights with the data visualisation package, Bokeh. Learn how to use Bokeh in Python. On the first week of the course, you’ll explore the key functions of Bokeh and how it can be used to create interactive visualisations and dashboards.

May 30th 2022
4 Weeks