3103 Final Project
docrev: 3103-23fa_final-project.pdf
Welcome to the final stage of our learning journey in this course! As we approach the culmination of our semester, the 3103 Final Project offers you an opportunity to apply the concepts and skills youIve acquired in a comprehensive, real-world context. This project is designed to not only assess your understanding but also to encourage creative application in areas such as Excel, Databases, andArtificial Intelligence.
Purpose:
The final project is a critical component that integrates all the thematic elements we've explored throughout the course. By choosing from diverse project options across different themes, you can demonstrate your proficiency and depth of understanding in specific areas. This project will allow you to showcase your ability to apply course concepts to real-world scenarios, enhancing both your technical skills and your problem-solving capabilities.
Task:
You are to select one project from the provided options that best aligns with your interests and learning goals. Whether it be an Excel analysis, a creative database design, or an innovative AI project, your task is to engage deeply with the chosen topic, employing at least ten core concepts and skills learned in the course. Your submission should be a well-structured PDF document that includes a comprehensive write-up, evidence of your work (such as screenshots), and reflections on your learning process.
Criteria:
Your project will be evaluated based on a detailed rubric that covers various aspects such as problem identification, application of base and additional skills, findings, and reflection.
Exceeding expectations in these areas will be key to achieving a high grade. The project's organization, formatting, and clarity of communication are also essential components of the evaluation.
Learning Goals:
This project aims to solidify your learning by applying course concepts in a practical setting. It's an opportunity to synthesize your knowledge, demonstrate creativity, and develop a deeper understanding of how these skills can be applied in real-world scenarios. Through this project, you'll gain not just a grade, but valuable experience and insights that you can carry forward in your academic and professional journey.
Due Date
Remember, the due date is December 15, 2023, at 11:59 PM, and no extensions will be granted. Please ensure you adhere to all guidelines and use the provided template to structure your submission. I look forward to seeing your innovative and insightful projects! If you have any questions or need clarification, feel free to reach out.
Turning in the Project:
The following are the expectations when you turn the project in.
‣ I’ll provide a Word doc template for you to use similar to the earlier Independent Projects
‣ This will include recommended headings
‣ We’ll turn it in on Gradescope as a single PDF document
‣ a question outline will be posted in Gradescope before the deadline for each heading included in the rubric.
‣ I’ll include an assignment checklist for you to check against the expectations.
Projects to Choose From
Pick one from the following projects from across our themes in the course:
‣ Excel Project Option: Pick one of the following:
‣ Excel, Challenge Project 4-9, BLS Data
‣ Note: This one is great if you want to explore real-time economic data.
Given our inflationary times, people had a lot of fun researching everything from industry salaries to the average price of bacon. This one allows you to do a lot of creativity.
‣ Excel, Challenge Project 6-8, Emails
‣ Note: If you select this one, you must add extra fabricated data that allows you to complete some of the different Additional Skills.
Exemplars in the past included imagined versions with employee salary data (made-up numbers) or student information (imagined GPAs, etc.).
‣ Excel, Challenge Project 6-9, Electric Cars
‣ Note: Selecting this one can be tricky because you must research the financial formula they describe and apply it to an Electric vehicle scenario. Several students had fun with this one last term.
‣ Databases Project Option: Create a database for something new and different in your interests. You may choose to use something like SQLite or a tool like AirTable/Notion to create a broader information system applying everything that you’ve learned.
Combined, demonstrate ten of the core concepts and skills across the class in the pursuit of your project. Suggestions are included in the Guidelines for Databases.
Consider using LLMs as a copilot to augment your knowledge in different ways and describe how you used it (and how it went) in the project writeup.
‣ Artificial Intelligence and Business Information Topics Project Option: Create
something creative using LLMs, the skills we’ve learned across the units, and topics of interest for you in the course. Consider building off the later independent projects and expanding that into a creative task. Build off the topics found in Modules 5, 6, and 7 to create something compelling. Combined, demonstrate ten of the core concepts and skills across the class in the pursuit of your project. Suggestions are included in the Guidelines forArtificial Intelligence.
Collaboration
I recognize that your peers can help you create and apply knowledge in this course. I am OK with you collaborating, but you must do and submit your individual work. There is no group option for this project.
If you have questions about this, please get in touch with me.
Guidelines for Excel
For the Challenge Project you select, the goal is to do the following components as a part of your project submission. Please write this up in one PDF document that is formatted similarly to something like a lab report. I will include a template outline for Microsoft Word that you can use to generate your PDF from (like past Independent Projects). Include screenshots that illustrate your work.
‣ (a.) Problem: Which project did you select? What does your dataset describe? What is the goal of the initial challenge project?
‣ (b.) Base Skills: What skills did you have to use to address the problem as
described? What did you choose to do (if you were given options)? Include the evidence (screenshots and narrative) that you accomplished what the initial challenge project intended.
‣ (c.) Additional Skills: Beyond the basic skills, incorporate and demonstrate the
following. Include the evidence (screenshots and narrative) that you accomplished what the initial challenge project intended:
‣ 2x additional functions beyond what was initially required (other formulas including SUMIFs, IFs, etc.) either directly in the data presentation or as a column that summarizes the data.
‣ 2x methods to organize your information: You may incorporate conditional
formatting, format as a table, sorting/filtering, data formatting, or similar.
‣ Note: if you choose a project that has you do that, like in Challenge Project 4-9, make sure to add extra ones beyond what they have you do.
‣ 2x ways to visualize the information: that presents one or two aspects of the data for your audience to review and interpret. You incorporate several ways to visualize your data from Excel Chapter 3.
‣ (d.) Findings What did you find from the initial analysis they requested and the
additional analysis you added? Why did you choose to present your findings (and the data) the way that you did?
‣ (e.) Reflection Why did you pick this challenge project? How has this helped you revisit/refine skills from the class? What are you planning to take with you from the class overall?
Guidelines for Databases
Pick a topic for your database project based on a business problem you hope to solve. Please write this up in one PDF document that is formatted similarly to something like a lab report. I will include a template outline for Microsoft Word that you can use to generate your PDF from (like past Independent Projects). Include screenshots that illustrate your work.
‣ (a.) Problem: Which do you intend to do for your project? What problem does it solve? What datasets will you plan to work with?
‣ (b.) Base Skills: What tools and concepts did you apply in your project from the course concepts and skills (first four of ten total)? In the case of databases, consider your initial database design, structure, and fields.
‣ (c.) Additional Skills: What tools and concepts did you apply in your project from the course concepts and skills (last six, for ten total)? In the case of databases, consider what other pieces you need for your business processes to work. This could include queries for your data (totals, case statements, etc.), forms and controls to enhance how your users interact with the data, and reporting that you might need to do regularly.
‣ (d.) Findings What did you find out from your project? How did it help you achieve the business problem you set out to solve?
‣ (e.) Reflection Why did you pick this project? How has this helped you revisit/refine skills from the class? What are you planning to take with you from the class overall?
Guidelines for Artificial Intelligence
Pick a topic from modules 5, 6, and 7 for your Artificial Intelligence creative project based on an innovative idea you hope to solve. Please write this up in one PDF document that is formatted similarly to something like a lab report. I will include a template outline for Microsoft Word that you can use to generate your PDF from (like past Independent Projects). Include screenshots that illustrate your work.
‣ (a.) Problem: Which do you intend to do for your project? What problem and or
topic does it engage with or solve? What datasets will you plan to work with? This is a creative project, and I would be grateful if you could run with it and get your creative juices flowing.
‣ (b.) Base Skills: What tools and concepts did you apply in your project from the
course concepts and skills (first four of ten total)? In the case of artificial intelligence, consider researching your topic area, picking an LLM tool for your project, doing some initial prompts, and seeing how your initial results come out.
‣ (c.) Additional Skills: What tools and concepts did you apply in your project from the course concepts and skills (last six, for ten total)? In the case of artificial intelligence, consider what you can do to extend it further, play with prompt engineering, research how others address it, and see how you can bend the LLM to work if you run into roadblocks.
‣ (d.) Findings What did you find out from your project? How did it help you achieve the business problem you set out to solve? For artificial intelligence cases, how can you critique the output from the project and make sure that you fact-check what came out or how you worked with it? Reflect on limitations and hallucinations from LLMs in your case.
‣ (e.) Reflection Why did you pick this project? How has this helped you revisit/refine skills from the class? What are you planning to take with you from the class overall?
Rubric
This is the rubric for the assignment. I include the Exceeds Expectations performance level as a reference. I will adjust points for individual areas and criteria based on how they address these expectations. I will build out this rubric in Gradescope and provide specific and overall feedback.
Problem (1 pts)
The project clearly states what it set out to do and how it approached solving it. It’s consistent with the previously mentioned guidelines.
Base Skills (4 pts)
For Excel Projects: The project identifies what was asked in the initial steps from the textbook. You explain what you did and include screenshots documenting what you did.
For Database and AI Projects: The project identifies four foundational skills and concepts that it engages in the project’s execution.
Additional Skills (4 pts)
For Excel Projects: The report expands upon the challenge project by incorporating:
- 2x additional functions/calculations in addition to what was initially used,
- 2x methods for organizing and presenting the information
- 2x ways to visualize/report the information for your audience. You describe the steps taken and include screenshots to show your process and products.
For Database and AI Projects: The project identifies six additional skills and concepts that it engages in the project’s execution.
Findings/Outcome (2 pts)
The findings in the report clearly describe their findings and outcomes, which are consistent with the previously related guidelines for their project sub-topic.
Reflection (2 pts)
The reflection in the report clearly describes the project and how it helped them revisit skills
from the class. It includes a reflection on the overall academic growth and development of the class.
Organization and Formatting (2 pts)
The report is a formatted PDF uploaded and tagged in Gradescope with the areas marked. The report itself is easy to interpret. There is evidence of proofreading before uploading.