BUSAN 301 : Data Visualisation

Business and Economics

2020 Semester One (1203) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Graphs, maps, charts, animations and tag clouds assist us to better understand data. Accountants, economists, management and marketing specialists all seek sophisticated visual representations to better communicate with their clients. This course takes a multi-media approach to acquiring and analysing data then transforming it into a usable form, using open-source coding and development tools.

Course Overview

The successful student will be able to demonstrate practical skills, and theoretical disciplinary knowledge, that will enable them to communicate (visually, in writing and verbally) the significant implications of their data analyses within a business environment. 
 
This course will require students to demonstrate independence and integrity as success depends largely on the amount of independent learning and practice they are willing to put in.

The majority of the course sessions will involve students presenting prepared work rather than traditional lectures.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 30 points at Stage II in Business Analytics, Information Management, Information Systems Restriction: INFOMGMT 392

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Commerce

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Create a data visualisation, from a provided dataset, that delivers a compelling narrative to a specified audience (Capability 1 and 3)
  2. Create the most commonly used business visualisations in a data visualisation tool (Capability 1 and 3)
  3. Evaluate, critique, and suggest improvements to, visual representations of data (Capability 2, 4.1 and 4.2)
  4. Recognise unethical uses of data visualisations (Capability 2, 4.1 and 5.2)
  5. Design and deliver effective, engaging presentations in person, to a live audience that satisfy a client’s requirements (Capability 3, 4.1 and 4.3)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Visualisation Critique 5% Individual Coursework
Computer Based Test 10% Individual Test
Visualisation Creation 15% Individual Coursework
Infographic Project 25% Group Coursework
Class Participation 5% Individual Coursework
Computer Based Exam 40% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
Visualisation Critique
Computer Based Test
Visualisation Creation
Infographic Project
Class Participation
Computer Based Exam

Assessments in this course are designed to stimulate learning. The assessments are authentic tasks that will mirror what students will be called upon to do when they graduate and enter employment. 

 To get better at visualisations you have to build visualisations so in this course students will be required to build, present and critique visualisations at multiple points.  

Note that this course has a considerable amount of assessment that takes place during the in-class sessions. 

Students are required to pass the exam, as well as course work, in order to pass this course.  

Workload Expectations

This course has two, two hour, sessions per week which will be mainly used for students to present and discuss their work. Each student also has a 2 hour lab slot available (starting week 1) which will be used for tutor supported self-learning and group project work.

In addition to the weekly classes and labs, the average student is expected to spend approximately another four to five hours per week on activities related to this course. These activities include reading, revising, practicing, and preparing assessments.

A key aspect of preparing data visualisations is iteration and practice so students should expect to spend a considerable time iterating through various versions of their work.

Learning Resources

All materials for this course can be found on, or via, Canvas.

The text books for this course are:
Storytelling with data: a data visualization guide for business professionals
Author: Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic
Date: 2015
Publisher: Wiley
Note that a downloadable PDF version of this book is available for free via the University library.

The Big Book of Dashboards: Visualizing Your Data Using Real-World Business Scenarios
Authors: Steve Wexler, Jeffrey Shaffer, Andy Cotgreave
Date: 2017
Publisher: Wiley
Note that a downloadable PDF version of this book is available for free via the University library.

The visualisation tool that will be used in this course is Tableau Desktop.
 
Tableau Desktop is a popular commercial data visualisation tool that supports many different ways to produce interactive data visualization products focused on business intelligence.

Each student will be provided with a license so that they can install Tableau on their personal devices.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 11/12/2019 08:29 p.m.