We are living in a data-driven world. Not only big data analytics, but also the everyday data used in business reports and presentations, play a critical role in decision-making. Visualization and storytelling with numbers and figures are especially important.

When used effectively, data visualization can help us persuasively communicate our ideas to managers, colleagues, and clients.

In this course, students will learn effective strategies for presenting research findings and business reports using data. We will compare effective and ineffective examples of data visualization to understand best practices. Students will also engage in hands-on exercises using real datasets as part of in-class activities.

This course consists of three parts:

1. Lectures on the fundamental principles of data visualization

2. Practical training in data visualization techniques

3. Data-driven report presentations

In this course, students will be trained to present information and data in ways that are easier for audiences to understand. Throughout our education, we learn language and mathematics separately. On the language side, we learn how to construct sentences and develop stories. In mathematics, we learn how to interpret and analyze numbers. However, these two domains are rarely integrated.

This course aims to teach students how to tell compelling stories with numbers, particularly in the context of business decision-making. Advances in technology have enabled organizations to collect and store vast amounts of data, creating a growing need to interpret and extract meaningful insights from it. The ability to visualize data and communicate it effectively through storytelling is essential for transforming raw data into actionable information that supports better decision-making.

This course also aims to support the department’s Diploma Policies and “Goals of Specialized Education” of Tokyo University of Science, which state:

“Under the basic policy of addressing various issues arising in diverse business environments—such as globalization and global environmental challenges—we cultivate both theoretical and practical thinking based on knowledge from the humanities and social sciences.” and “We foster the ability to lead problem-solving initiatives using digital technology.”