Your 60-Day Data Analysis Roadmap
Learn at Your Own Pace, Build Real Skills
Are you ready to break into data analysis but feeling overwhelmed by where to start? You’re not alone. The good news is that you don’t need to rush through your learning journey. What you need is a clear, structured plan and the consistency to follow it.
I’m excited to share a practical 60-day roadmap that breaks down everything into manageable 2-day learning cycles. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to formalize your skills, this guide will take you from Excel basics to building professional dashboards in Power BI, Tableau, and writing SQL queries.
Why This Roadmap Works
This isn’t about cramming information. It’s about building a solid foundation, one skill at a time. Each 2-day block focuses on specific, actionable skills you can immediately apply. By the end, you’ll have hands-on experience with the core tools every data analyst needs.
Tools You’ll Master
Microsoft Excel
Master data manipulation, analysis, and visualization with the world’s most popular spreadsheet tool.
Power BI
Create interactive dashboards and business intelligence reports with Microsoft’s powerful BI platform.
SQL
Query and manipulate data directly from databases using the industry-standard language for data retrieval.
Tableau
Design stunning visualizations and tell compelling data stories with one of the leading visualization platforms.
AI Tools
Leverage artificial intelligence to accelerate your data cleaning, analysis, and insight generation.
Analytical Thinking
Develop the critical thinking and problem-solving mindset that separates great analysts from the rest.
Your 60-Day Learning Journey
Days 1β2: Excel Fundamentals
Let’s start where most data journeys begin: Excel.
What You’ll Learn:- Basic Excel functions (SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT)
- Number formatting techniques
- Understanding rows, columns, and data structure
Days 3β4: Excel Data Structuring
Clean data is the backbone of good analysis.
What You’ll Learn:- Cell referencing (relative, absolute, mixed)
- Named ranges for better formula management
- Text to Columns feature
- Data validation to prevent errors
- Removing duplicates efficiently
Days 5β6: Excel Analysis Tools
Now we start making decisions with data.
What You’ll Learn:- Logical functions (IF, AND, OR)
- Sorting and custom sorting techniques
- Filtering and advanced filtering
Days 7β8: Excel Statistical Functions
Time to dig deeper into your data.
What You’ll Learn:- COUNTIF, SUMIF, AVERAGEIF functions
- LARGE, SMALL, and RANK functions
Days 9β10: Excel Data Cleaning
Real-world data is messy. Learn to clean it efficiently.
What You’ll Learn:- Text functions for data manipulation
- Power Query basics for automated cleaning
Days 11β12: Excel Lookups & Data Modeling
Connect and combine data from multiple sources.
What You’ll Learn:- VLOOKUP and XLOOKUP functions
- INDEX and MATCH combination
- Introduction to data modeling concepts
Days 13β14: Excel Reporting
Turn your analysis into actionable reports.
What You’ll Learn:- Creating and customizing Pivot Tables
- Building Pivot Charts
- Using Slicers for interactivity
Days 15β16: Excel Dashboards
Build your first interactive dashboard.
What You’ll Learn:- Dashboard layout and design principles
- Creating interactive reports
- Best practices for visual communication
Days 17β18: Power BI Introduction
Welcome to the world of business intelligence.
What You’ll Learn:- What Power BI is and why it matters
- How to connect various data sources
- Overview of Power Query Editor
Days 19β20: Power BI Data Cleaning
Power Query takes data cleaning to the next level.
What You’ll Learn:- Data transformation techniques
- Creating conditional and custom columns
- Date, text, and time transformations
Days 21β22: Power BI Data Modeling
Build the foundation for powerful analytics.
What You’ll Learn:- Creating and managing relationships
- Star schema basics and best practices
- Append and merge queries
Days 23β24: DAX Fundamentals
Learn the language of Power BI calculations.
What You’ll Learn:- Difference between measures and calculated columns
- Basic DAX functions (SUM, COUNT, DISTINCTCOUNT)
- Understanding DAX syntax
Days 25β26: Advanced DAX
Take your Power BI skills to the next level.
What You’ll Learn:- CALCULATE function for context modification
- Date and time intelligence functions
- Logical and text functions in DAX
Days 27β28: Power BI Visuals
Make your data speak through compelling visuals.
What You’ll Learn:- Various chart types and when to use them
- Implementing filters and slicers effectively
- Page-level settings and formatting
Days 29β30: Power BI Dashboards
Build professional, publication-ready dashboards.
What You’ll Learn:- Dashboard formatting and design
- Key Influencers visual
- Decomposition Tree for root cause analysis
Days 31β32: SQL Fundamentals
Enter the world of database querying.
What You’ll Learn:- Understanding SQL’s role in data analysis
- Writing SELECT statements
- Filtering and sorting data with WHERE and ORDER BY
Days 33β34: SQL Aggregation
Summarize large datasets efficiently.
What You’ll Learn:- GROUP BY clause for aggregation
- Aggregate functions (SUM, AVG, COUNT)
- HAVING clause for filtered aggregations
Days 35β36: SQL Joins
Work with data spread across multiple tables.
What You’ll Learn:- INNER, LEFT, and RIGHT joins
- Combining data from multiple tables
- Understanding join logic
Days 37β38: Advanced SQL
Perform sophisticated database analysis.
What You’ll Learn:- Writing and using subqueries
- Window functions for advanced calculations
Days 39β40: SQL Data Transformation
Prepare SQL data for downstream analysis.
What You’ll Learn:- CASE statements for conditional logic
- Data type conversion techniques
- String manipulation functions
Days 41β42: Tableau Introduction
Discover one of the industry’s most powerful visualization tools.
What You’ll Learn:- Connecting datasets to Tableau
- Understanding data relationships
- Working with joins and sorting
Days 43β44: Tableau Charts
Explore Tableau’s rich visualization capabilities.
What You’ll Learn:- Creating various charts and graphs
- Implementing filters (text, number, date)
- Building calculated fields
Days 45β46: Tableau Dashboards
Build interactive, shareable dashboards.
What You’ll Learn:- Dashboard creation and layout
- Chart formatting and customization
- Using marks cards effectively
Days 47β48: Tableau Storytelling
Turn data into compelling narratives.
What You’ll Learn:- Creating and using data hierarchies
- Grouping related data
- Dual axis charts for comparisons
- Tableau’s Story feature
Days 49β50: AI for Data Analysis
Leverage artificial intelligence to work smarter.
What You’ll Learn:- Using AI tools for automated data cleaning
- AI-powered exploration and insight generation
Days 51β52: Analytical Thinking
Develop the mindset of a professional analyst.
What You’ll Learn:- How to ask the right business questions
- Identifying relevant KPIs for different scenarios
- Thinking strategically about data problems
Days 53β60: Practice & Portfolio Building
Bring everything together with real-world application.
What You’ll Do:- Combine Excel, Power BI, SQL, and Tableau skills
- Work on real datasets from various industries
- Build a portfolio of small projects
The Bottom Line
Data analysis isn’t about how fast you learnβit’s about clarity, consistency, and deliberate practice. This 60-day roadmap gives you structure without pressure. You can follow it day by day, or stretch it out to fit your schedule. What matters is that you keep moving forward.
By the end of these 60 days, you won’t just know the tools. You’ll think like an analyst, solve real problems, and have the portfolio to prove it.