01
Questions that fit
Name the decision, the measure, the comparison and the period so everyone aims at the same target.
Camderson Academy · CA-FA-005
Ask better questions and turn data into confident decisions.
A practical, self-paced course for people at every level. Write questions the data can answer, organize and check your data, find the patterns that matter, run small tests, build simple forecasts and share a clear recommendation.
About 5 hours · 12 lessons · Intermediate · For people in every department and role · Self-paced · Tools you keep
Clear questions lead to confident decisions.
02
Data you can trust
Tidy tables and quick quality checks make every result easier to explain and to rely on.
03
Stories people act on
Lead with the finding, use a clear chart and end with a recommendation your team can start this month.
Learning outcomes
What you will be able to do
8 practical outcomes, each practiced in an exercise and checked in the final assessment or the capstone.
- Turn a business decision into a clear, answerable question.
- Define measures and map the sources behind them.
- Organize data in a tidy table and check its quality.
- Summarize data with counts, averages and spread, and spot outliers.
- Compare groups and find what matters most with shares and Pareto charts.
- Read trends and seasons, and examine relationships without jumping to conclusions.
- Plan simple tests and surveys, and build simple forecasts with a sense of error.
- Check the work, tell the story clearly and recommend a decision.
Your toolkit
Simple tools for every team
Decision Starter
Decision · Users · Reports · Wish
Begin with a choice, not a spreadsheet.
Question Brief
Decision · Measure · Comparison · Period
Write a question the data can answer.
Measures and Sources Sheet
Define · Source · Owner · Update
Define measures and map sources.
Tidy Table Checklist
Copy · Dates · Names · Rectangle
Combine data into one tidy table.
Data Quality Check
Count · Look · Compare · Note
Check before you trust.
Summary Sheet
Count · Mean · Median · Outliers
Summarize and look for outliers.
Segment and Pareto Sheet
Total · Share · Sort · Cumulate
Find what matters most.
Trend and Season Sheet
Months · Last year · Change · Average
Compare like with like.
Relationship Check
Measures · Together · Other factor · Test
Word findings carefully.
Test Plan
Question · Groups · Measure · Repeat
Plan a small, fair test.
Forecast and Error Sheet
Method · Past test · Error · Range
Forecast and measure the miss.
Insight Brief
Finding · Chart · Limits · Decision
Share one clear finding.
Ask. Prepare. Explore. Share.
Curriculum
Inside the course
4 modules, 12 lessons with worked examples
01
Start With a Question
Begin with a decision, write a question the data can answer and define your measures and sources.
02
Get Your Data Ready
Organize data in a tidy table, check its quality and summarize it with simple measures.
03
Find the Patterns
Compare groups, read trends and seasons and examine relationships carefully.
04
Test, Forecast and Share
Plan fair tests, build simple forecasts, check your work and tell a clear story.
What is included
Skills, tools and templates you keep and use in your work
- 12 lessons, each with a written lesson, worked examples and figures, at your own pace
- A short stand-alone example in every lesson, drawn from many kinds of workplaces
- A fillable Workbook with Try it and Reflect pages for every lesson
- Analytics Templates (Word) for every teaching tool
- A practice tracker with live formulas, a solutions version and a reusable template
- Quick Reference Cards and the Practice Examples
- An optional visual companion PDF with every lesson figure
- Knowledge checks for every module and a 20-question final assessment
- A capstone you can build for your own team or from practice scenarios, with a rubric you use to check your own work
- Access to the Camderson Academy community
- A Camderson Academy Certificate of Completion when you pass the final assessment and the capstone
Is this course right for you?
This course is for you if
- You want a clear, friendly way to turn data into decisions
- You want to ask better questions and check your data
- You want a short brief you can share this month
It is not the right fit if
- You need legal, tax or accounting advice for a specific decision
- You want advanced statistical modeling or machine learning
- You are looking for training on one specific software tool
About the course
Who built this course
Built by Camderson Advisory
A consulting firm for practical workplace skills
This course was written and edited by Camderson Advisory, a consulting firm that helps organizations build practical skills for the people who do the work. Expect plain-language lessons, ready-to-use worksheets and small practice steps you can try in your own role this week.
About
About Camderson Academy
Camderson Academy is the education division of Camderson Advisory Services. Camderson helps leaders build organizations that work without them in the room. Everything we teach has been used in a real organization first.
Training a team?
We offer group enrollment for teams and whole organizations that want everyone, in every role and department, to build the same skills. Email connect@camderson.com to talk through your group.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need any experience or a previous course?
No. There is no prerequisite. If you want to use data to make better decisions with your team, you are ready.
Who is this course for?
Owners, managers, team leads, analysts and team members in any department. Each lesson has one short stand-alone example, and the methods fit offices, clinics, schools, nonprofits and businesses of every size.
How long do I have access?
Your access does not expire. We review the course on a regular cycle, and any updates are added for you at no extra cost.
How long does it take?
About 5 hours in total, including the written lessons, the Try it exercises, the knowledge checks, the final assessment and the capstone. Everything is self-paced.
Questions about your purchase?
Email support through academy.camderson.com.
What tools do I need?
A spreadsheet program that opens .xlsx files (Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, Apple Numbers or LibreOffice Calc), a word processor that opens .docx files and a PDF reader. All templates and practice files are included as downloads.
Do I have to use my own workplace for the capstone?
No. You can build your brief from the practice scenarios included in the course. If you use your own workplace, use roles instead of names and leave out anything confidential.
Does the course recommend products or give professional advice?
No. It names no software and no product as the one to use. It is general education, not legal, tax or accounting advice. It teaches methods and points you to real sources.
What does the certificate confirm?
You receive a Camderson Academy Certificate of Completion after passing the final assessment and completing the capstone. This certificate confirms completion of a Camderson Academy course.
How was this course written and checked?
This course was written and edited by Camderson Advisory. Sources are listed with the date each was read. Where a source could not be opened on that date, the Sources page says so. This course teaches skills for everyday work. It is not legal, tax, financial, medical or professional advice. Laws and rules vary by place and change over time, so talk with your own attorney or qualified professional about your situation. Last updated: November 2026. Next planned review: November 2027.
Ask better questions and turn data into confident decisions.
Self-paced, about 5 hours, with a Workbook, templates, Quick Reference Cards and a practice tracker.
This course earns a Camderson Academy Certificate of Completion. This certificate confirms completion of a Camderson Academy course. This course is general education about framing business questions and answering them with basic analytical methods. It is not accounting, tax, legal, statistical consulting or investment advice, and it does not replace your organization's policies, the rules that apply to you or the guidance of qualified professionals. Research and statistics from one setting may not match yours, and simple methods have limits. Examples and numbers are fictional or illustrative. Camderson Academy is not affiliated with any software vendor and does not endorse any product.