Guided Project · Week 4 of 4 · 7 hours
Dashboard Creation, Business Insights and Project Documentation
Present the results, recommend actions and document the project.
Learning objectives
By the end of this week you will be able to:
- Build a one-page dashboard aimed at your stakeholder.
- Turn findings into insights and recommendations.
- Write a README that explains the project.
- Present the project in five minutes.
Lessons
Dashboard Creation
Build the dashboard in Power BI (or Excel or Tableau Public) for your stakeholder, not for yourself. Before opening the tool, sketch it on paper:
- Top: two to four KPI cards that answer the main question at a glance.
- Middle: the one chart that best shows the key finding.
- Bottom: supporting breakdowns.
- Side or top: slicers for the dimensions the stakeholder cares about (date, region, segment).
Give the dashboard a title that states the question and each chart a title that states the finding. Test it by asking someone else to find one answer without your help.
Business Insights
A finding is what the data shows. An insight explains why it matters. A recommendation says what to do about it. Use this structure for your top three:
| Finding | Insight | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Casual riders take 70% of weekend rides near tourist stations. | Casual riders use bikes for leisure, not commuting. | Offer a weekend or seasonal membership promoted at those stations. |
Good recommendations are specific, tied to evidence, realistic and measurable ("track weekend membership sign-ups for 3 months"). Mention any limitation that affects them.
Project Documentation
Documentation lets someone else understand, trust and repeat your work. Write a README file (usually README.md) at the top of your project folder with these sections:
- Title and one-sentence summary
- Business problem and stakeholder
- Data: source, license, size, date range, data dictionary link
- Tools used
- Process: cleaning, analysis, dashboard (link to files)
- Key findings and recommendations (with a dashboard screenshot)
- Limitations and next steps
- How to reproduce: which files to run in which order
README files are written in Markdown, a simple text format: # Heading, - bullet, **bold**, [link text](url), . In the Portfolio course you will publish this on GitHub.
Watch
- VideoData Analyst Project - Solving a Business Problem - Power BI, SQL & Python
A full end-to-end project that mirrors this course.
- VideoHow to Document Your Data Analyst Portfolio Project in Github (Step-by-Step + Free Template)
Writing a strong README.
Practice
Sketch, then build your dashboard. Write three finding → insight → recommendation rows. Write your README using the eight sections. Rehearse a five-minute presentation: problem, data, approach, three insights, recommendations, limitations.
Check your understanding
Try each question first, then open it to see the answer.
What is the difference between a finding and an insight?
A finding states what the data shows; an insight explains why it matters.
Name four sections of a project README.
Any four of: title and summary, business problem, data, tools, process, findings, limitations, how to reproduce.
Who should the dashboard be designed for?
The stakeholder who will make the decision.
Assignment
Final submission: the complete project folder (raw and clean data or links, SQL, notebook, dashboard), README and a five-minute recorded or live presentation.