UNIQUE SERIES AKTU Syllabus
BMBAIBA03

Data Visualization and Storytelling

L-T-P3-0-0 Session2026-27 (W.E.F 2024-25) TypeTheory
Appears in 1 semester

MBA Integrated · Sem 5 (Specialisation: Business Analytics)

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Syllabus

5 units · 40 lecture hours
Unit1

Unit 1: Introduction to Data Visualization

8 hrs

Meaning, scope, and importance of data visualization in business; evolution of visualization techniques; role of data visualization in decision-making; types of data (categorical, numerical, temporal); visualization types based on data; principles of visual perception; Gestalt principles; cognitive aspects of data interpretation.

Unit2

Unit 2: Data Preparation for Visualization

8 hrs

Data cleaning and preprocessing techniques; handling missing values and outliers; data transformation and standardisation; data merging and integration; sampling techniques; data reduction methods; data quality assessment; bias in data and ethical considerations; ensuring transparency and accuracy in visual reporting.

Unit3

Unit 3: Basic Data Visualization Techniques

9 hrs

Bar charts, column charts, and variations; line and area charts for trends; pie and donut charts for proportions; scatter plots for relationships; bubble charts for multivariate analysis; histograms and box plots for distribution; heatmaps for pattern detection; treemaps and network graphs; flow diagrams and process visualizations; geographic and spatial data visualization; introduction to waterfall, radar, and spider charts.

Unit4

Unit 4: Dashboards and Interactive Visualization

8 hrs

Concept of dashboards in business intelligence; static vs interactive dashboards; dashboard design principles; KPIs and metrics visualization; filters, slicers, and parameters; drill-down and drill-through analysis; tools for dashboard creation (Excel/Tableau/Power BI – conceptual introduction); dashboard storytelling structure; real-time data visualization concepts.

Unit5

Unit 5: Data Storytelling and Business Communication

7 hrs

Concept of data storytelling; components of a data story (context, insight, narrative, visual); structuring business presentations using data; storytelling frameworks; combining visuals with narrative flow; persuasive communication using data; addressing stakeholder queries. Practical Exercises 1. Clean a dataset by handling missing values and outliers. 2. Create basic charts like bar, line, pie, and scatter using Excel. 3. Use histogram and box plot to study data distribution. 4. Build a simple dashboard with KPIs and filters. 5. Present a short data story using visuals and insights.

Course Objectives5 points
  • To understand the principles of effective data visualization design and develop skills to create meaningful visual representations of data.
  • To develop the ability to interpret and analyse data visualizations for business decision-making.
  • To apply data preparation techniques for ensuring accuracy, consistency, and reliability of visual data.
  • To design dashboards and interactive visual tools for business communication.
  • To develop data storytelling skills for presenting insights to stakeholders in a structured and impactful manner. Course Contents
Course Outcomes (COs)5 outcomes

After completion of the course student will be able to:

  1. CO1Explain the concepts, principles and importance of data visualisation and storytelling in business.K2 (Understand)
  2. CO2Apply data preparation techniques to make business datasets ready for visualisation.K3 (Apply)
  3. CO3Apply appropriate visualisation techniques to represent different types of business data.K3 (Apply)
  4. CO4Prepare dashboards and interactive visualisations using suitable tools.K3 (Apply)
  5. CO5Apply storytelling principles to present visual outputs that support managerial decisions.K3 (Apply)

Suggested Readings (Latest Edition)

  1. Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic – Storytelling with Data: A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals. Wiley.
  2. Lindy Ryan – Visual Data Storytelling with Tableau
  3. Edward Tufte – The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
  4. Stephen Few – Information Dashboard Design
  5. Alberto Cairo – The Functional Art: An Introduction to Information Graphics and Visualization

Official AKTU syllabus

This subject is on page 73, 74 of the original AKTU PDF.

Official AKTU syllabus PDF ↗