Data Science Predictive Analytics

Introduction to Predictive Analytics

Learn how to turn data into forecasts, decisions, and measurable business value with Professor Anthony Owens.

Introduction to Predictive Analytics logo
Quick Course Facts
17
Self-paced, Online, Lessons
17
Videos and/or Narrated Presentations
5.3
Approximate Hours of Course Media
About the Introduction to Predictive Analytics Course

Introduction to Predictive Analytics is a practical course that introduces the core methods and mindset behind Data Science-driven prediction. You will learn how to turn data into forecasts, decisions, and measurable business value with Professor Anthony Owens., building the confidence to ask the right questions and evaluate results with clarity.

Build Predictive Thinking With Introduction To Predictive Analytics

  • Learn the foundations of Predictive Analytics and how it fits into modern Data Science workflows
  • Understand how to frame business questions that can be predicted and acted on
  • Gain hands-on familiarity with data preparation, model development, and model evaluation
  • Apply predictive methods to real-world use cases while communicating results responsibly

A clear introduction to predicting outcomes with data, models, and business insight.

This course walks you through the full predictive analytics process, from defining a problem to presenting results that stakeholders can use. You will explore the types of data used in prediction, how raw information is transformed into usable features, and how targets, inputs, and outcomes work together in a predictive model.

You will also study core methods such as regression, classification, and forecasting, with a focus on when and why each approach is used. The course explains how to train, test, and validate models, how to measure performance, and how to identify common risks like overfitting, bias, and data leakage. These concepts are essential for anyone building a strong foundation in Data Science.

Beyond model building, you will learn how to interpret variable importance, read predictions in context, and communicate findings to stakeholders in a way that supports decisions. The course also covers ethics, fairness, and responsible use, helping you understand not just what predictive models can do, but what they should do.

By the end of Introduction to Predictive Analytics, you will be able to approach prediction problems with a structured method, evaluate model quality with confidence, and connect analytics work to business value. You will finish better prepared to create practical forecasting and decision-support solutions in Data Science.

Course Lessons

Full lesson breakdown

Lessons are organized by topic area and each includes descriptive copy for search visibility and student clarity.

Course Foundations

1 lesson

Predictive analytics uses historical data to estimate what is likely to happen next, so organizations can make better decisions before events unfold. In this lesson, you will learn how predictive anal…

Framing the Problem

1 lesson

Lesson 2: Business Questions That Can Be Predicted

18 min
This lesson helps learners identify which business questions are good candidates for predictive analytics and which are not. The focus is on framing problems in a way that can be measured, forecasted,…

Data Basics

1 lesson

Lesson 3: Types of Data Used in Prediction

18 min
Predictive analytics depends on choosing the right data, not just collecting more of it. In this lesson, learners will distinguish between structured and unstructured data , understand common data typ…

Data Preparation

1 lesson

Lesson 4: From Raw Data to Usable Features

20 min
In this lesson, you’ll learn how to transform messy raw data into reliable features that a predictive model can actually use. We’ll focus on the practical steps that matter most: cleaning values, hand…

Model Setup

1 lesson

Lesson 5: Understanding Targets, Inputs, and Outcomes

18 min
This lesson explains the core setup decision in predictive analytics: defining the target you want to predict, the inputs that may help predict it, and the outcome you will use to judge success. You w…

Core Methods

3 lessons

Lesson 6: Regression for Continuous Predictions

20 min
Regression is the core method for predicting a continuous outcome, such as revenue, demand, price, or customer spend. In this lesson, you will learn how regression turns historical relationships into …

Lesson 7: Classification for Category Prediction

20 min
This lesson introduces classification , the predictive analytics method used to assign records to categories such as yes/no, churn/not churn, fraud/not fraud, or approved/rejected. You will learn when…

Lesson 8: Forecasting Time-Based Patterns

20 min
This lesson introduces the core ideas behind forecasting time-based patterns in predictive analytics. You will learn how to recognize trend, seasonality, and noise, and how those patterns affect forec…

Model Development

1 lesson

Lesson 9: Training, Testing, and Validation

18 min
Training, testing, and validation are the core safeguards that help a predictive model perform well on new data, not just the data it was built from. In this lesson, you will learn how to split data p…

Model Evaluation

1 lesson

Lesson 10: How to Measure Model Performance

20 min
Measuring model performance is how you judge whether a predictive model is actually useful. In this lesson, you will learn the difference between training performance and generalization performance , …

Model Risks

1 lesson

Lesson 11: Overfitting, Bias, and Leakage

18 min
This lesson explains three of the most common ways predictive models fail in practice: overfitting , bias , and data leakage . You will learn how each risk shows up, why it matters for business foreca…

Model Interpretation

1 lesson

Lesson 12: Feature Selection and Variable Importance

20 min
Feature selection helps you choose the most useful predictors before or during model building, improving simplicity, speed, and often generalization. Variable importance helps you understand which inp…

Interpretation

1 lesson

Lesson 13: Reading Predictions in Context

18 min
This lesson shows how to read predictive results in the real world, not just as model outputs. You will learn how to place a prediction in business context, compare it against a baseline, and judge wh…

Applications

1 lesson

Lesson 14: Common Predictive Analytics Use Cases

20 min
This lesson shows where predictive analytics creates value in real organizations. You will look at common use cases such as forecasting demand, predicting customer churn, scoring leads, detecting risk…

Reporting

1 lesson

Lesson 15: Communicating Results to Stakeholders

18 min
Predictive analytics only creates value when decision-makers understand it. In this lesson, you will learn how to communicate model results clearly, tie predictions to business outcomes, and present r…

Responsible Analytics

1 lesson

Lesson 16: Ethics, Fairness, and Responsible Use

18 min
Predictive analytics can improve decisions only when it is used responsibly. In this lesson, Professor Anthony Owens shows how bias can enter models through data, labels, and design choices; why fairn…

Next Steps

1 lesson

Lesson 17: Building a Predictive Analytics Roadmap

18 min
This lesson shows how to turn a predictive analytics idea into a practical roadmap. You will define the business problem, identify the right stakeholders, assess data readiness, choose a modeling appr…
About Your Instructor
Professor Anthony Owens

Professor Anthony Owens

Professor Anthony Owens guides this AI-built Virversity course with a clear, practical teaching style.