Data Literacy Essentials: Preparing AI-Ready Datasets in Excel

Date

09/04/2026 (1 day)

Time

from 09:00 till 16:00

CPE Hours

6 hours

Competency

Professional

Location

The Hub, PwC Academy

Price

€275

Course Description

This course is designed to empower professionals with the essential skills to understand, interpret, and communicate data effectively. In today’s data-driven world, the ability to make informed decisions based on accurate insights is critical for organisational success. Participants will learn the fundamentals of data, explore modelling techniques, apply descriptive statistics, and master the art of visualisation and storytelling to drive business impact.

Technical requirements: We will supply laptops with the necessary licenses.

Course Structure

This course is split over 5 modules:

Understanding Data Fundamentals

  • Understanding Data Types & Formats: Qualitative vs Qualitative, Structured vs Unstructured.
  • Where Data Comes From: Internal and external sources – and how to judge their reliability.
  • Spotting Quality & Bias: Why accuracy matters and how to avoid common pitfalls.
  •  

    Data Modelling and Schemas

  • Demystifying Data Models: Learn conceptual, logical, and physical models.
  • Building Blocks of Data: Entities, attributes, and relationships made easy.
  • Schemas in Action: Star vs snowflake – what they mean for analytics.
  •  

    Descriptive Statistics and Interpretation

  • Making Sense of Numbers: Mean, median, and mode explained.
  • Understanding Variability: Range and standard deviation simplified.
  • Correlation vs Causation: Learn the difference and why it matters.
  •  
    Visualisation and Storytelling

  • Choosing the Right Chart: Common chart types and when to use them.
  • The Art of Data Storytelling: Turn numbers into compelling narratives.
  • Communicating Uncertainty: Show limitations without losing clarity.
  •  

    Thinking & Communicating with Data

  • Tailoring Insights for Your Audience: Speak the language of decision-makers.
  • KPIs That Matter: Frameworks for measuring business impact.
  •  

Should Attend

This course is designed for professionals who want to confidently work with data and make informed decisions. It is ideal for managers, team leads, business analysts, and professionals in areas such as marketing, finance, and HR who rely on data for planning and performance tracking. Project coordinators, decision-makers, and anyone transitioning into data-focused roles will also benefit. The programme is tailored for non-technical participants as well as those with some data experience who wish to strengthen their understanding of data fundamentals, visualisation, and storytelling.

Prerequisites

This course is designed to be accessible to a wide range of professionals. To get the most out of it, participants should have:

  • Basic computer skills – Familiarity with common office tools such as Excel.
  • Understanding of business concepts – Awareness of organisational goals and KPIs.
  • Comfort with numbers – No advanced maths required, but basic arithmetic and interpretation of figures will help.
  • Interest in data-driven decision-making – A willingness to learn and apply insights.
  • (Optional) Prior exposure to reports or dashboards is useful but not mandatory

Assessment

There is no final assessment. Participants will be guided during the course. At the end of the course, attendees will receive a Certificate of Attendance..

Key-Features

NA

Course Structure

This course is split over 5 modules:

Understanding Data Fundamentals

  • Understanding Data Types & Formats: Qualitative vs Qualitative, Structured vs Unstructured.
  • Where Data Comes From: Internal and external sources – and how to judge their reliability.
  • Spotting Quality & Bias: Why accuracy matters and how to avoid common pitfalls.
  •  

    Data Modelling and Schemas

  • Demystifying Data Models: Learn conceptual, logical, and physical models.
  • Building Blocks of Data: Entities, attributes, and relationships made easy.
  • Schemas in Action: Star vs snowflake – what they mean for analytics.
  •  

    Descriptive Statistics and Interpretation

  • Making Sense of Numbers: Mean, median, and mode explained.
  • Understanding Variability: Range and standard deviation simplified.
  • Correlation vs Causation: Learn the difference and why it matters.
  •  
    Visualisation and Storytelling

  • Choosing the Right Chart: Common chart types and when to use them.
  • The Art of Data Storytelling: Turn numbers into compelling narratives.
  • Communicating Uncertainty: Show limitations without losing clarity.
  •  

    Thinking & Communicating with Data

  • Tailoring Insights for Your Audience: Speak the language of decision-makers.
  • KPIs That Matter: Frameworks for measuring business impact.
  •  

Should Attend

This course is designed for professionals who want to confidently work with data and make informed decisions. It is ideal for managers, team leads, business analysts, and professionals in areas such as marketing, finance, and HR who rely on data for planning and performance tracking. Project coordinators, decision-makers, and anyone transitioning into data-focused roles will also benefit. The programme is tailored for non-technical participants as well as those with some data experience who wish to strengthen their understanding of data fundamentals, visualisation, and storytelling.

Prerequisites

This course is designed to be accessible to a wide range of professionals. To get the most out of it, participants should have:

  • Basic computer skills – Familiarity with common office tools such as Excel.
  • Understanding of business concepts – Awareness of organisational goals and KPIs.
  • Comfort with numbers – No advanced maths required, but basic arithmetic and interpretation of figures will help.
  • Interest in data-driven decision-making – A willingness to learn and apply insights.
  • (Optional) Prior exposure to reports or dashboards is useful but not mandatory

Assessment

There is no final assessment. Participants will be guided during the course. At the end of the course, attendees will receive a Certificate of Attendance..

Key-Features

NA

Register Your Interest:

    I would like to receive more information about PwC’s Academy training.

    Funding Schemes Available

    Funding for Individuals

    Find out how you could get up to 70% of your course fees back.

    Funding for Corporates

    Discover our funding options for businesses and find out how you and your employees could benefit.