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Short-course

Data analysis: Turning numbers into narrative

One of the best ways to understand a problem in a particular context, and identify who needs to do what, when and where, is to look at data. Numbers have a great way of taking assumptions out of a problem, and when used from a behavioural perspective, can be a powerful tool for guiding programs and decision-making.

In this course, we’ll discuss how to find and utilise quantitative data (i.e., numeric information captured through surveys, administrative data and observation) and turn those numbers into a useful narrative.

Through a simple, pain-free approach, we’ll guide you through matching your research questions to analysis techniques and teach you how to conduct simple analyses and present and interpret your findings.

This course is for project managers and practitioners who don’t have expertise in stats and are interested in understanding behaviour when tackling common and complex problems. You won’t need any advanced statistical software, as examples and activities are conducted through Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.

What you’ll learn

All BehaviourWorks’ short courses support skills development and the practical application of behavioural science theories, tools, techniques and methods.

By attending this short course you will:

  • understand why and how data can be useful for exploring problems
  • learn and apply simple analysis techniques (descriptive statistics, t-tests, chi-square tests, correlations) to answer relevant questions
  • learn how to effectively present your results to support decision- making.

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This course is part of our Toolbox Series short courses that are designed to support your skills development and the practical application of behavioural science theories, tools, techniques and methods to what you do.

Exploring the problem with data

This Toolbox Series is aligned to the BehaviourWorks Method and a new book that is being published for free over the course of 2021.

The presenters of this course (see below) are the authors of Chapter 3 – Exploring the problem with data.

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Course dates and details

More details

Online Workshop 1:
Friday 30 April, 9:30 – 11:00 am

Online Workshop 2:
Friday 7 May, 9:30 – 12:00 midday

Plus 10 hours of self-paced learning.

Registrations close
28 April 2021 (places are limited).

$
660
incl. GST

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Frequently asked questions

What is the format and structure of the course?

BehaviourWorks Australia’s Toolbox Series short courses comprise up to 15 hours of learning within an intensive seven-day period (Friday to Friday). See course information webpage for dates and times.

Your course will begin and end with an instructor-led workshop. In between the workshops, you will make your way through the self-paced activities in the online learning management system, Moodle.

Tasks to complete in Moodle include an eBook of reading material, an online quiz to assess your understanding, a demonstration activity to enable you to watch the skill in action and a practical peer-review activity, which will give you the opportunity to consolidate your newly-acquired skill by giving and receiving feedback with your peers.

What are the eligibility requirements for participating in this course?

There are no specific entry requirements for participating in BehaviourWorks Australia’s short courses.However, in order to gain the most out of the content and activities, we ask that you are able to read and communicate in English effectively.

The courses contain academic and non-academic learning materials and you are expected to commit time to participate with the expected workload (approximately 15 hours per course). You are responsible for your learning, such as completing required tasks, engaging with peers and conforming to online codes of conduct. Finally, we ask you to bring your own experiences to the course to enhance your learning and to enable the transfer of knowledge back to your work.

Are there any face-to-face lectures or is physical attendance required?

No. The course is delivered fully online, which means that all of the course content is delivered digitally, through the University’s online learning platform. Moodle. The fully online nature of the course makes it extremely flexible. As long as you have reliable access to the internet, you can complete the course from anywhere!

What is meant by ‘self-paced’?

Parts of this course are ‘self-paced’, in that you will decide when and from where you will access the learning material and how fast or slow you wish to progress through it. That is, the majority of the materials, including the eBook, quiz and learning activities can be completed flexibly within the week the course runs.The two workshops within the course are not self-paced but instructor-led, meaning that you will be asked to attend at a given time and participate in scheduled activities.

What is covered in the workshops?

The workshops are intended to bring learners together to achieve certain objectives in a cohesive and standardised way.

  • Workshop 1 will involve getting to know your facilitator, the course, its learning activities, the nature of the content you will cover in the upcoming week, navigate the online learning platform, and provide an opportunity to connect with other learners.
  • Workshop 2 will enable you to address any questions or challenges you have experienced with the course material, to collaborate with others in applying the skills you have learned to a new task and provide you with further behavioural insights to help you in your behaviour change pursuits!
What if I cannot attend a workshop?

The workshops in your course are a key part of the learning experience. However, you can still achieve the learning objectives of the course by completing the online materials and participating in the online activities only, without attending the workshops. The workshops are recorded so that you can catch up later, if you cannot attend due to other commitments. Please note that recordings may be edited for clarity.