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Duke University · on Coursera

Business Metrics for Data-Driven Companies

Beginner English University CertificateFREE
SkillsBusiness analyticsMetricsData-driven decisionsKPIsAnalytics roles

Is this course right for you?

Our take
A gentle, popular entry into business analytics from Duke University, built for people who aren't technical.

Good for: A non-technical orientation to business analytics and metrics.

Skip if: You want hands-on data skills or technical analytics.

It explains the roles inside a data-driven organisation, the kinds of questions data can actually answer, and the metrics that genuinely matter — an orientation to take before any hands-on analytics, not a substitute for it. That's the fit: ideal if you want the lay of the land first, wrong if you came for hands-on data skills. Audit it free on Coursera; a certificate needs a subscription (about $49/month) or Coursera Plus, with financial aid available (as of 2026).

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About this course

Business Metrics for Data-Driven Companies is a gentle, popular entry into business data work. From Duke University's Daniel Egger and Jana Schaich Borg, it explains the roles in a data-driven organisation, the kinds of business questions data can answer, and how to choose and use the right metrics — illustrated with real case studies.

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Instructor

DE
Daniel Egger
Coursera instructor

Daniel Egger and Jana Schaich Borg teach at Duke University, where Egger leads executive data-science education. The course reflects a practical, business-first view of analytics aimed at newcomers.

Frequently asked questions

No. From Duke University, it focuses on understanding business metrics — which numbers matter, what they mean, and how data-driven companies use them to make decisions — rather than coding or hands-on data analysis. It is aimed at helping you think about and interpret metrics, so no technical or programming background is needed. It builds business-and-data literacy, not technical analysis skills.

Not hands-on. It teaches you to understand and reason about business metrics and what data can tell a company, rather than to do the analysis yourself in a tool. So you come away better at interpreting metrics and asking the right questions, but for actually querying and analysing data you would take a hands-on course in SQL, Excel, or a similar tool. This is the conceptual, decision-focused side.

Managers, business professionals, and aspiring analysts who want to understand the metrics that drive data-informed companies and use them in decisions — not technical analysts seeking hands-on skills. It assumes no technical background, so it suits people on the business side wanting to be more data-literate and to work effectively with data and the metrics that matter.

Yes, you can audit it on Coursera and watch the lectures at no cost. The graded elements and the certificate require a subscription, with financial aid available if you apply. Since much of the value is understanding the metrics concepts, auditing gives you the substance if you want the knowledge rather than the credential.

It typically runs a few weeks at a modest weekly pace as a focused course. It is concept-driven rather than a hands-on build, so the time goes into understanding business metrics and how data-driven companies use them, which you then apply to how you interpret and act on data in your own work.
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