Group Project Report
To show proficiency and understanding of data analytics techniques, student teams will evaluate data using the AMPS model, perform analysis, develop meaningful dashboards, and create a formal presentation demonstrating the process and results to the class.
Each group will be responsible to look for its own case for in-depth analysis. Your team will take on a role, such as the data analyst/auditor/business analyst, hired to provide recommendations to an intended audience, such as the management team of a business/organization, on an accounting, finance, or other business-related issue. A thorough individual report is required. The report should not be more than eight pages (excluding cover page, tables, graphs, appendix and references, if any), typed, double spaced, 10 to 12 pitch with one-inch margins. You should cite at least one academic paper and one news article. Citation format should follow American Psychological Association 7th edition. Final individual project report is due two days after the presentation date (lecture 12/13). PPTs of the group presentation are due two days before the scheduled presentation date. You should submit the individual report through Turnitin on Blackboard (3 attempts). The similarity score has to less than 15%. If using ChatGPT or other AI tools, please note where you use it and how you use it in the Appendix (including the prompts and answers). (10 points) Your report should follow the following framework.
1. Background Overview (5 points):
Summarize key facts about the business/organization. Describe key factors that affect the organization’s performance as a profit-maximizing entity. If relevant, describe important current events affecting the organization that might give rise to the issue. State the role of your team, your client or audience, and the goal you want to achieve through the project, or the big picture problem you are trying to address. Discuss why addressing this issue is important to your organization. Your group can use the same background but should use your own words to avoid plagiarism.
2. Ask the Question (10 points):
Your group should provide the problem statement (main question) to address the issue of your choice. The other sub-questions should be helping you to address the main question. These questions can be “What happened?” “Why it is happening?” “What will happen in the future” “Given what will happen in the future, what should we do now to optimize the performance?”
3. Master the Data (10 points):
a. Explain where and how you retrieve the data. You can use public data sources or proprietary data sources.[1] Otherwise, submit your original database. Consider data sources discussed in Chapter 2. You only need to describe the data you will use in your analysis.
b. Explain how you have prepared the data
i. Clean it as needed to prepare for analysis
ii. Make sure data is loaded completely
iii. Make sure data doesn’t have missing information
c. Discuss any data quality issues in your dataset
d. Must have calculated fields
e. Transform at least one non-numeric data into numeric data
f. Create at least one additional attribute
4. Perform the Analysis (40 points):
a. All 4 types of analytics (descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive).
b. Explain the rationales for each analytics. For example, the reasons for selecting variables as independent variables in the regression.
c. Discuss any unexpected results and the reason for the unexpected results.
d. Discuss the main limitations of your analyses
5. Share the Story (25 points):
a. There should be at least 2 graphs/dashboards using Power BI, Tableau or Excel.
b. Concisely describe the recommended course of action and how your analyses provide the main support for your recommendation.
Group Project Presentation:
Each group will have 18 minutes to present the case and 5 minutes for the Q&A section. The PPT should not be more than 15 slides. Individual presentation skills (such as not reading from notes, eye contacts with the audience, and how well you respond to questions raised by your audience or instructor) will also be assessed and graded. All members MUST participate in presentation. The dress code is business attire.
We will use role play format to do the presentation. Another team will be selected on the day of presentation to be the intended audience, who needs to ask at least 3 meaningful questions during the Q&A section. Students are expected to think from the perspective of the intended audience and ask questions to the presenters. The qualified question(s) will count toward your class participation points for the group.
[1] If you use proprietary data sources, you need to share the original data with the instructor.
