In this data-driven world, companies are often interested in knowing what is the "best" course of action, given the data. For example, manufacturers need to decide how many units of a product to produce given the estimated demand and raw material availability? Should they make all the products in-house or buy some from a third-party to meet the demand? Prescriptive Analytics is the branch of analytics that can provide answers to these questions. It is used for prescribing data-based decisions. The most important method in the prescriptive analytics toolbox is optimization. This course will introduce students to the basic principles of linear optimization for decision-making. Using practical examples, this course teaches how to convert a problem scenario into a mathematical model that can be solved to get the best business outcome. We will learn to identify decision variables, objective function, and constraints of a problem, and use them to formulate and solve an optimization problem using Excel solver and spreadsheet.
Status: Graphing
Graphing
Status: Business Modeling
Business Modeling
Beginner·Course·14 hours
Featured reviews
5.0
·Reviewed Aug 15, 2025
The course is good for learning fundamentals of optimisation using linear programming !
4.0
·Reviewed Apr 16, 2021
It was an interesting refreshed for the most part and went very quickly. Could have used just a little more info on using Excel Solver. Thanks for the class!
5.0
·Reviewed May 31, 2021
There are a lot of examples to work through and learn from which I find helps make the material easier to learn.
5.0
·Reviewed Sep 17, 2021
Very insightful course. Love the detail explaination for solving simple LP problems.
5.0
·Reviewed May 15, 2021
Good teaching style with step by step guidance. Thanks for the connecting high school math (that I learned many years ago) to real life context. I look forward to the next course.
5.0
·Reviewed Jan 15, 2024
The professor was easy to follow. I learned more from this course than a whole semester of Optimization in my graduate class.
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 16, 2023
I found this course excellent, almost one could say, optimal!
5.0
·Reviewed Dec 10, 2025
hands on oriented. good balance of theory and practical
5.0
·Reviewed May 19, 2023
I love the calmness and the fact the course was detailed and concise as possible. Professor Soumya Sen is a great teacher.
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Showing: 18 of 18
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F
Frederick
5.0
·Reviewed Feb 19, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this Coursera course on “Optimization for Decision Making”. Having been fascinated by optimization during my high school days, I eagerly enrolled. The course content surpassed my expectations. The lecturer’s clear explanations and engaging case studies provided both a refresher and a deep dive into solving optimization problems.
C
Chananthorn
5.0
·Reviewed Sep 15, 2021
Optimization for Decision Making is good course.It 's not too complex for me.I can make easy and immidiately decision from use graphical.Moreover, I can decision which have to buy or making something .It's very useful for all business to control your cost.
C
CHIN
5.0
·Reviewed May 16, 2021
Good teaching style with step by step guidance. Thanks for the connecting high school math (that I learned many years ago) to real life context. I look forward to the next course.
J
John
5.0
·Reviewed Jan 16, 2024
The professor was easy to follow. I learned more from this course than a whole semester of Optimization in my graduate class.
A
Abayomi
5.0
·Reviewed May 20, 2023
I love the calmness and the fact the course was detailed and concise as possible. Professor Soumya Sen is a great teacher.
J
J
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 1, 2021
There are a lot of examples to work through and learn from which I find helps make the material easier to learn.
V
Vivek
5.0
·Reviewed Aug 16, 2025
The course is good for learning fundamentals of optimisation using linear programming !
N
Noaman
5.0
·Reviewed Sep 18, 2021
Very insightful course. Love the detail explaination for solving simple LP problems.
T
Toby
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 17, 2023
I found this course excellent, almost one could say, optimal!
A
Aditya
5.0
·Reviewed Dec 11, 2025
hands on oriented. good balance of theory and practical
C
chong
5.0
·Reviewed Sep 12, 2023
Good course.very practical orientated.
Y
Yiyang
5.0
·Reviewed Jan 6, 2023
Lectures were very clear and concise!
M
Muhammad
5.0
·Reviewed Feb 9, 2024
Very nice course, thanks coursera
J
jain
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 16, 2021
It is an excellent course. Thanks
D
Denilton
5.0
·Reviewed Apr 19, 2025
Excelente
K
Kuldeep
5.0
·Reviewed Sep 20, 2025
good
C
carl
4.0
·Reviewed Apr 16, 2021
It was an interesting refreshed for the most part and went very quickly. Could have used just a little more info on using Excel Solver. Thanks for the class!
M
Muhammad
3.0
·Reviewed Apr 19, 2024
it will be better if we can download the pdf for the course materials so the learner will be easier to review the course without going back to the video (especially when doing the practice or the graded exam).
since i think the learner target is for the beginner level, it also better if we also able to download all of the excel files that used in this course (at least the default template)
As for the course itself I find it helpfull and interesting