Portfolio Project Lab is a four-week intensive coaching program for students and early-career professionals preparing for roles in finance, consulting, tech, and public service. 
 
Through live sessions and personalized guidance, you'll learn how to use AI tools to clean, explore, analyze, and visualize data with confidence—without needing to know how to code.
 
What you WILL need: Strong analytical thinking skills. Can you break down complex problems? Question claims critically? Verify if results make sense? Then you're ready.
 
What you DON'T need: Python experience, programming background, or technical expertise. AI handles code generation; you provide the analytical thinking and verification.
 
This is for you if you want to build real, demonstrable data skills—not just collect certificates.

Program Information

Dates: June 16 - July 13, 2026

  • Live Small-Group Coaching: This is a live online program with sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00–10:30 AM PT. Recordings available for review, but live attendance strongly encouraged for personalized feedback and real-time Q&A.

  • Intimate Cohort Size: Enrollment limited to 15 participants maximum to ensure personalized attention, meaningful interaction, and direct access to Dr. Datta. This isn’t a lecture, it’s hands-on coaching.

  • Weekly Commitment: Plan for approximately 8–10 hours per week, including live coaching sessions, independent project work with feedback, and engagement with the learning community.

  • Program Platform: Course materials, recordings, and your private cohort community will be hosted on Thinkific.


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Who is this program for?

Students and early-career professionals who want to work with data but don’t have a technical or coding background.

You’re a great fit if you want to: 
- Build practical AI-integrated data analysis skills without learning programming from scratch 
- Create portfolio projects you can showcase in job applications and client conversations 
- Gain confidence directing AI tools while maintaining quality and verification standards
 - Learn in a small, supportive environment with personalized instructor coaching 
- Develop analytical thinking skills that transfer to any programming language

You’re ready if you can: 
- Think through problems logically and break them into steps 
- Question claims and verify information critically
- Spot when numbers or results don’t make sense
- Explain your reasoning clearly 
- Learn collaboratively in a small group setting

No coding background required. We teach you to use AI for data analysis from day one. AI generates code; you provide analytical thinking and verification.

What You'll Build: 

Through hands-on coaching and personalized feedback, you’ll complete:

Week 1: Data Cleaning Project
Show you can handle messy, real-world data systematically with AI assistance and proper verification protocols.

Week 2: Professional Data Visualization
Create publication-quality charts that communicate insights clearly and accurately.

Week 3: Statistical Analysis Project
Demonstrate analytical thinking by building and interpreting models with independent verification.

Week 4: Complete End-to-End Analysis Produce a polished, reproducible analysis you can confidently present to employers or clients.

By program end: Four portfolio projects proving your AI-integrated data analysis capabilities.

Program Approach

Live Coaching. Not Lectures.

This isn’t a pre-recorded course where you’re on your own. This is intimate, hands-on coaching where:

✓ You work on real projects with guidance every step
✓ Dr. Datta provides personalized feedback on your specific work
✓ Small group size means your questions get answered in real-time
✓ Collaborative learning with peers facing similar challenges
✓ Direct access to an expert who’s worked with complex data for years

Skills That Transfer to Any Language

We use Python as the teaching tool (it’s free and widely used by employers), but the skills you learn work in any programming language:

  • R for statistical analysis
  • SQL for database work
  • Julia for scientific computing
  • Whatever your job requires


You’re learning AI-integrated analytical thinking—not memorizing syntax. The thinking is universal; only the code syntax changes.

FAQ

  • What AI tools do I need?

    Claude Pro ($20/month) OR ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) is recommended for the best experience. Free versions have strict message limits that will likely be exceeded during assignments.

  • Do I need to know Python before starting?

    No! You don’t need any coding background. We teach you to use AI to generate code from day one. What you DO need: Analytical thinking skills. Can you break down problems logically? Verify if claims make sense? Think critically about data? Then you’re ready. What you DON’T need: Python experience, programming knowledge, or technical background.

  • Can I use R, STATA, or another language instead of Python?

    Absolutely! While coaching sessions and examples use Python (free and widely adopted), you’re welcome to work in R, STATA, MATLAB, or any statistical environment you’re already comfortable with. The analytical thinking, verification protocols, and AI-integrated workflows we teach apply to any programming language. The syntax changes; the thinking doesn’t. If you’re already proficient in another language, stick with it and apply the coaching to your preferred tools.

  • Will I learn statistics and statistical modeling?

    Not the math, but the application. This program focuses on practical implementation and analytical thinking, not statistical theory. You’ll learn: - How to use AI to run appropriate analyses - How to verify statistical claims independently - How to interpret results correctly - How to check assumptions and validity - When to be skeptical of outputs Think less about deriving formulas, more about confidently implementing and verifying data-driven analyses in practice, with AI as your coding partner.

  • What if I miss a live coaching session?

    All sessions are recorded and available for review. However, live attendance is strongly encouraged for: - Real-time Q&A on your specific work - Personalized coaching and feedback - Collaborative problem-solving with peers - Building relationships in your cohort The value of this program is the live, small-group coaching experience, recordings capture content but not the interactive guidance.

  • Is this a course or a coaching program?

    This is a live coaching program, not a pre-recorded course. What that means: - Small group size (max 15) for personalized attention - Dr. Datta coaches you through each project - Real-time feedback on your actual work - Collaborative learning environment - Direct access to ask questions and get guidance You’re not watching videos alone, you’re being coached through building real skills.

  • What’s your refund policy?

    • Full refund within 7 days of enrollment if the program hasn’t started • 50% refund in the first week of the program • No refunds after Week 2 starts

  • How much time should I expect to invest?

    8-10 hours per week: - 3 hours live coaching sessions (2 × 1.5 hours) - 5-7 hours on project work with feedback This is an intensive program, plan accordingly. The small group format means you can’t hide in the back; you’re actively engaged every session.

  • Will I get a certificate?

    Yes, if you: - Complete all four portfolio projects - Earn 70%+ (280/400 points) across assignments - Actively participate in coaching sessions But the real value isn’t the certificate, it’s the four portfolio projects you can show employers or clients that prove your capabilities.

About Dr. Geetanjali Datta, Founder and Lead Coach

Dr. Geetanjali Datta is a Harvard-educated population health scientist who has spent her career working with complex data, and seeing how it can be misunderstood or misused. She created Portfolio Project Lab to teach the skills that are rarely taught but widely expected: how to ask good questions, challenge results, and avoid being misled by data or AI tools. Her coaching approach is Practical (real projects, not theory); Accessible (no coding background required); Direct (small groups mean personalized guidance); and Rigorous (teaching you to verify, not just accept). Dr. Datta believes the best data analysts aren’t the ones who memorize code, they’re the ones who think critically, verify systematically, and maintain quality standards.
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