1.

Question 1
Data Scientists most often enter into that position by:

Earning a doctorate degree in statistics or computer science

Earning a masters degree in data science

No experience other than an aptitude working with quantitative data is required

Starting as a Business Analyst and gaining experience and additional technical skills on the job

Incorrect
The video Roles and Companies as they Relate to Big Data at 1:37 to 2:07 discusses the typical
Data Scientist career path.

0 / 1 point
2.Question 2
Why is it important for Business Analysts to have “local knowledge” of business sectors?

Business Analyst typically work in a specific business sector, such as insurance, and every sector
has specialized metrics developed for that sector.

Clients expect Business Analysts to be able to discuss their specific business environments in detail

Client provided data typically only contains “local knowledge”

All of the above

Correct
Correct! The video The Business Analyst at 0:47-2:03 explains that important business metrics are
often specific to certain industries. Concepts and vocabulary useful to guiding business process
improvement in one industry – sometimes called a “vertical” – are what is meant by “local
knowledge.”

1 / 1 point
3.Question 3
Why should a Business Data Analyst have SQL skills?

To retrieve data from different types of databases throughout the organization

To increase their efficiency and autonomy

All of the above.

Correct
Correct! The many advantages of possessing SQL database skills are explained in the
Video Distinguishing the Business Analyst and Business Data Analyst Roles at 0:54–3:00.

1 / 1 point
4.Question 4
True or False: “NONE of the nine skills required of all Business Data Analysts are part of the skills
used regularly by the typical software engineer.”

False

True

Correct
Correct. Of the nine skills, seven are also required of Business Analysts. These are explained
throughout the Business Analyst video. The two additional skills required are explained in the
video, Distinguishing the Business Data Analyst and Business Analyst Roles at 0:03-2:16. Skill sets
for software engineers have surprisingly little overlap. The video The Senior Software
Engineer makes this point at 0:31-0:48.

1 / 1 point
5.Question 5
True or False: Strategic consulting firms with a software/systems integration focus often introduce
the latest methods for achieving competitive advantage into a particular vertical market, such as
retail pharmacies, which forces other companies in that vertical to use the same methods to stay
competitive.

False

True

Correct
Correct! The video Strategic Business Consulting – Focus on Software/IT Systems
Integrationargues just this point at 2:24-3:36.

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6.Question 6
Hardware & software companies compete in a market that has a very unusual cost structure. This is
because:

These types of companies derive their value from developing and delivering proprietary intellectual
property.

They incur almost all their costs up front, before the first product is sold, while the incremental cost to
create one more unit of the product is very low.

It has high variable costs and low fixed costs.

All of the above.

Incorrect
The video Hardware and Software Companies at 0:27-1:01 explains these companies’ unusual price
dynamics: “technology has high fixed costs to develop, and variable costs that are often close to
zero. The first copy of a complex enterprise software application might cost $5 million to develop, but
the second copy, and every additional copy, might cost a penny.”

0 / 1 point
7.Question 7
Business Data Analyst Tiffany Yu advises that in order to learn to write SQL queries well enough to
be able to start gathering information for yourself, you will need to prepare (study) for about:

One Month

One Week

Six Weeks

A University Semester Course

Correct
Correct. This topic is addressed in the video, An Interview with Business Data Analyst Tiffany Yu, at
2:50-4:00.

1 / 1 point
8.Question 8
Of the five business types represented among US companies, Traditional Strategic Business
Consulting firms are the least likely to hire software engineers and technical project managers. Why?

Analysts represent the largest single job type in these types of firms
Strategic Business Consulting generally does not include developing or installing technology.

Strategic planning in the corporate world is critical to a firm’s success

These firms focus on ways to improve business processes, such as increasing revenues and
reducing risk.

Incorrect
This Course distinguishes “Traditional” strategic business consulting companies – who analyze data
but do not build IT systems for clients – from those business consulting companies with a
specialized focus on “IT and system integration.” The work of “traditional” consultants rarely if ever
involves software development for clients, although it still involves data science tasks such as
gathering data from diverse sources and integrating it for analysis.

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9.Question 9
Which other type of Company represents the biggest threat to “bricks and mortar” Companies?

Traditional Strategic Business Consulting firms

Business Consulting firms with an IT focus

Digital Companies

Hardware and Software Companies

Correct
Correct. The video Digital Companies and the 20-item checklist to accompany the Bricks-and-
Mortar video should together make clear why Digital Companies are a mortal threat to many types of
Brick-and-Mortar companies.

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10.Question 10
What software tool is Data Scientist Dai Li referring to, when he says, “Of course I also use [it]. It
sounds like [it] is more nontechnical, but actually it is a very good tool. You can do a lot of data
processing, data analysis, and data modeling if you are using [it] with very good efficiency.”

Excel

Python

Matlab
SQL

Correct
Correct. These comments are in Dai’s interview video at 1:05-2:13.

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11.Question 11
The current world leader in market share for remote (“cloud-based”) hosting of other companies’
data and applications is:

Microsoft

IBM

Amazon

Google

Correct
Correct. This market is discussed in the Digital Companies video at 2:08-2:33.

1 / 1 point
12.Question 12
For brick and mortar businesses to survive digital competition, the most important factor is:

Pricing

Production efficiency

Does the company deliver its product or service as quickly as its online competitors?

Brand Awareness and customer loyalty

Correct
Correct. The 20-item checklist to accompany the Bricks-and-Mortar video specifically includes the
need for traditional services companies to match the speed of delivery of their online (digital)
competitors – Item 11 at 4:21 to 6:38. Efficiency, brand awareness, and nearby locations are all
desirable, but speed trumps everything else, given that customers are now used to obtaining even
complex services, like mortgage financing, online.

1 / 1 point
13.Question 13
The term “Point-of-sale customization” means:
Every online customer is unique and therefore can and should be shown different prices and
products

Targeting individual customers with coupons or other special offers when they visit a store, based on
their past purchase history

It is possible to attract new customers by using more customized incentives

Bricks-and-mortar companies are at a disadvantage because they can’t track history as well as
online companies

Incorrect
Point-of-sale customization is item 14 on the 20-item checklist. It is discussed in the video Bricks-
and-Mortar Companies at 4:21-6:38.

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14.Question 14
One survival strategy which will definitely NOT succeed for Barnes & Noble in its struggle with
Amazon is:

Putting more resources into their web presence and online sales

Selling coffee, food, and non-book gift items

Converting Barnes and Noble into more of an exclusive literary club for paying members

Offering lectures, classes, and other social events related to books in its stores

Correct
Correct. The Barnes & Noble case Study video at 2:31-3:55 explains that the company’s primary
differentiators are all related to the intangible benefits of being with other people who like or love
books. These differentiators are sustainable against Amazon; on the web Barnes & Noble has no
competitive advantage.

1 / 1 point
15.Question 15
What is the primary difference in business model between the two Digital Companies Uber and
Airbnb?

Uber transportation is much less expensive than regular taxi service; Airbnb room prices are similar
to traditional hotel rooms

Uber transportation is only available in certain cities; Airbnb properties can be anywhere in the world
Uber is highly profitable; Airbnb is not.

Uber sets prices for drivers; Airbnb lets property owners set prices themselves.

Correct
Correct. The similarities and differences in business models for Uber and Airbnb are discussed in
the Digital Companies video at 4:19-5:25.