What are the best sources and resources for learning and updating your BI knowledge and skills?

1 Online courses and certifications

One of the most convenient and affordable ways to learn and update your BI knowledge and skills is to enroll in online courses and certifications. There are many platforms and providers that offer high-quality and comprehensive BI courses and certifications, covering topics such as data warehousing, data modeling, data visualization, reporting, dashboards, analytics, and more. Some of the popular platforms and providers include Coursera, Udemy, edX, LinkedIn Learning, IBM, Microsoft, and Google. Online courses and certifications can help you learn from experts, gain hands-on experience, and validate your skills with industry-recognized credentials.

2 Books and ebooks

Another great source of learning and updating your BI knowledge and skills is to read books and ebooks. Books and ebooks can provide you with in-depth and up-to-date information, insights, and best practices on various aspects of BI, such as data analysis, data science, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), data governance, data ethics, and more. Some of the recommended books and ebooks for BI learners and professionals include The Data Warehouse Toolkit by Ralph Kimball, Data Science for Business by Foster Provost and Tom Fawcett, Storytelling with Data by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic, and Data Strategy by Bernard Marr.

3 Blogs and podcasts

If you want to stay updated on the latest trends, developments, and innovations in the BI field, you should follow some of the best blogs and podcasts that cover BI topics. Blogs and podcasts can help you learn from the experiences, opinions, and tips of BI experts, practitioners, and influencers, as well as discover new tools, techniques, and use cases for BI. Some of the top blogs and podcasts for BI enthusiasts and professionals include TDWI Blog, Data Stories, The BI Brainz Podcast, The Data Chief, and Towards Data Science.

4 Communities and forums

Another useful resource for learning and updating your BI knowledge and skills is to join and participate in online communities and forums that are dedicated to BI. Communities and forums can help you network with other BI learners and professionals, ask questions, share ideas, get feedback, and find solutions to your BI challenges. Some of the most active and helpful online communities and forums for BI include Stack Overflow, Reddit, Quora, DataCamp Community, and Tableau Community.

5 Webinars and events

One more way to learn and update your BI knowledge and skills is to attend webinars and events that are organized by BI experts, organizations, and platforms. Webinars and events can help you learn from live presentations, demonstrations, and discussions on various BI topics, such as data integration, data quality, data security, data visualization, analytics, AI, ML, and more. Some of the leading webinars and events for BI include TDWI Virtual Summit Series, Data + AI Summit, Gartner Data & Analytics Summit, Data Visualization Summit, and Data Innovation Summit.

6 Projects and portfolios

Finally, the best way to learn and update your BI knowledge and skills is to apply them to real-world projects and portfolios. Projects and portfolios can help you practice your BI skills, showcase your work, and demonstrate your value to potential employers or clients. You can find or create your own projects and portfolios based on your interests, goals, and data sources. Some of the examples of projects and portfolios for BI include creating dashboards and reports for business scenarios, analyzing and visualizing data sets from various domains, building predictive models using AI and ML, and developing data-driven solutions for social or environmental issues.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?