WPC 300: Problem Solving and Actionable Analytics

Fall C 2021

Professor: Jeffery Baum

Office: BAC 667

E-mail: [email protected]

Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 5:00 – 6:00 PM AZ (via – Zoom Conference call)
Tue: https://asu.zoom.us/j/86224252942
Thu: https://asu.zoom.us/j/86224252942

Course Description
This course provides foundational skills for exploring unstructured business problems. The course will cover techniques to approach
decision-making in a systematic manner, enabling students to become more comfortable in handling tasks or projects that are not
initially well-defined. Methods will include exercises in brainstorming and iterating as well as use of more traditional analytical tools
(such as spreadsheets and visualization software). The course will offer applications across different functional areas and disciplines.
After the course, a student should be able to understand a broader set of the types of problems businesses confront and solve, the
data available to bring to bear on decisions, and modeling techniques and constructs used to solve them. Throughout, a hands-on
approach and communication of results is emphasized.

W. P. Carey School of Business Learning Goals

The Undergraduate Program of the W.P. Carey School of Business has established the following learning goals for its graduates:
1. Critical Thinking
2. Communication
3. Discipline Specific Knowledge
4. Ethical Awareness and Reasoning
5. Global Awareness
Items in bold have significant coverage in this course.

Teaching Philosophy, Course Objectives, and Course Learning Outcomes

This course will utilize lectures, readings, in-class exercises, assignments, group work, and software tools to develop student
competency in collecting and organizing data to deliver insight and inform decisions.

To generate an effective learning environment, the format of this course is hybrid: a combination of online and in-class learning.
Much of the conceptual foundations for the course are captured in recorded videos and readings; you are free to engage with this
element of the course at your own time and pace, prior to the classroom discussion of that material. Much of the practical doing and
learning reinforcement takes place in the classroom where the conceptual foundations will be discussed as well as practiced through
lab exercises. This builds towards regular assignments that are reviewed and discussed in the classroom and are due before the
following class.

After the course, the student should have the ability to answer and perform the following questions and tasks:
 What can analytics do for business?
 How do organizations generate, store, and organize data?
 How can organization affect the data creation & generation process?
 How do we actually analyze and find insights?
You are reminded that the Student Honor Code includes the following provisions, among others:
 Maintain a high level of respect in behavior and communications
 Deliver on all instructions and deadlines
 Be open to an active engagement to maximize learning

Course Learning and Assessment

The hybrid model of delivery with a large emphasis on learning by doing comes with significant flexibility and responsibility of the
learner to engage. There are multiple avenues for that engagement (and its assessment) and that engagement will build into group
efforts in analyzing real data and drawing evidence-based conclusions and recommendations. The avenues include:
Lecture Videos and Readings: Lectures will be primarily online. You watch the lecture videos and review the readings to build the
topics’ conceptual foundation before taking the weekly quiz and engaging in the lab.
Quizzes: Each topic has a corresponding conceptual quiz which is completed before class. These are designed to ensure you have
absorbed the conceptual foundations for a topic.
In-class Labs and Exercises: Each topic includes lab exercises that involve application of the knowledge gained through the
conceptual foundation of the topic. Labs are highly hands on using software applications such as Excel, Tableau, and JMP Pro. Lab
progress is assessed via the lab quiz.
Assignments: These extend the hands-on applications of the knowledge and lab practice related to a topic. Assignments are also
completed with applications like Excel, Tableau, and JMP Pro.
Practical Exam: Once the main analysis tools and techniques have been illustrated and practiced through the labs and assignments
(at approximately the midpoint of the course), a practical exam will be held that will test that accumulated knowledge and skills in
the use and application of the various tools and techniques. This represents a culmination of the individual hands-on efforts built in
the labs and assignments.
Final exam: The final exam is designed to test competency in the course material, at a deeper level than the weekly quizzes.
Group Project: For the main deliverable, each group (typically 5-6 members) will deliver a 12-15 minute presentations on an analysis
of real data.

Learning Support
A Hybrid learning environment combines pure online and pure classroom instruction by having a substantial amount of material
online (such as in videos) while still having face time with the instructional team and peers. A Hybrid learning environment comes
with greater opportunity and responsibility on the learner’s part to engage with the material than in a fully face to face class course.
In order to aid your learning, an extensive set of learning supports are provided. The instructor serves as the first point of call for
support, particularly in the classroom and during office hours (and appointments). Student workers are present in the classroom and
can also be called on during class times for support. In addition, student workers will also have scheduled office hours in the WPC
tutoring support area (2nd floor of the BA building). There are also additional discussion sessions available which will go over the
conceptual and practical material and provide more forum to ask further questions. The instructor and student workers support you
in overcoming challenges though they do not directly support you in completing the assignments or group work. Student workers
also assess submissions and provide feedback.

Technology Requirements
There are substantial technical elements in this course. You will need a laptop (PC or MAC) to engage fully in this course; a tablet-
based device will not suffice. There are several applications to be downloaded and installed for use during the course. While the
instructor and TAs may be able to assist in some of the technical challenges that may arise, there is a wide array of other support
services that are more likely to be able to more quickly and easily resolve such technical challenges. There is a module on the canvas
course site that includes download and installation instructions as well as various technical support contact details and suggestions.

Grading and Course Requirements

Success in this course requires substantial advance preparation and extensive active participation. Graded course elements include
quizzes, assignments, exams, and a group project with several related deliverables. Final course grades will be based on the
following elements:

Assessment Category Grading Elements & Weights Points

Conceptual quizzes (best 10 out of 12) 100
Conceptual knowledge
Final Exam (cumulative) 200
Lab quizzes (best 5 out of 8) 100
Hands on skills
Assignments (best 6 out of 8) 150
 Practical exam 200
Team building & preview 50
Group efforts
Case presentation 200
Total 1000

Final course grades will be based on the following guidelines:

A+: 97+; A: 93+; A-: 90+; B+: 87+; B: 83+; B-: 80+; C+: 77+; C: 70+; D: 60+; E: Below 60.

This course does not utilize Y-Grade. Difficult situations may arise; accommodations will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
This course does not round final grades when determining the course letter grade. Any request for grade rounding and/or grade
bump will not be entertained.

Due Dates & Deliverables: NO LATE or EMAIL submissions will be accepted. Rarely, an accommodation may be granted through a
requisite authority (such as SAILS, Dean’s office, Pat Tillman Veterans Center, and so on). No correspondence will be entered into
with regard to any difficulty that occurs within 3 hours of a deadline.

Grade Appeals: A considerable effort is expended in designing and coordinating course assessments across a substantial
instructional design team of faculty, teaching aides, graders, and other specialists. This is done to ensure consistency and fairness in
applying grading criteria. Particularly in cases where less than a full assessment has been applied, feedback is generally provided
(such as directly on submissions) to provide an opportunity for the learner to understand how they could have done better. If you
believe that an error in assessment has been made, and after it has been determined that all instructions and deadlines were
adhered to, as well as the provided feedback considered, you may appeal directly to the grader who made the assessment. Clearly
set out where and why you believe the assessment is in error in presenting your case. All such appeals must be made within one
week of the assessment being published. These appeals can take some time to be considered. Note that these appeals have
occasionally resulted in a lowering of the original assessment depending on what is determined during the review.

Classroom Policies
Out of consideration for others, all mobile electronic devices should be kept silent during class. You may use laptops or similar aids
as necessary to review or take notes and complete class exercises. With permission of the instructor, you may record classroom
activities and only for personal use (see also the prohibition of commercial note taking and copyright material policies below).

If you have any issues, please contact me either in class, during office hours, or by email. For email, I endeavor to respond as soon as
I can, generally before the end of the day, during the week. On weekends, I endeavor to respond before the end of Sunday. Make
sure you raise issues as soon as feasible and be proactive if you experience challenges.

Face Covering and Distancing Requirements

ASU is a tight-knit community with a shared sense of purpose. As members of the ASU community, our success is tied to one
another. Accordingly, our mindset is to take whatever precautions related to COVID-19 we must help protect not only ourselves, but
those around us. This means you must always wear masks in class without exception.
The ASU Face Cover Policy (https://www.asu.edu/about/fall-2021#face-coverings) requires the wearing of face covers in the
majority of classrooms, teaching laboratories, studios and workshop settings. The space for this class has been designated as a
space requiring face covers. Please wear a face covering over your nose and mouth at all times during class for the health and
safety of yourself and others. Anyone that refuses to follow mask requirements will be asked to leave the classroom immediately
and reported to the Dean’s Office for disciplinary action as appropriate. Faculty are empowered under SSM 201-10 to withdraw
violators from the course.

Learning Environment
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” -Benjamin Franklin

The fundamental premise of learning is that you do all of your own work for maximum success and satisfaction. Learning takes
commitment, time and effort. You will quickly feel the burn that can be the challenge in this course. If someone shows you how to
do something, that can look achievable to you, but reproducing that learning is difficult. If you follow along with the demonstration
or the lab video, then you are likely to be able to learn something more and be better able to reproduce those actions over a longer
period of time. If you engage in learning, you own it. It is very tempting to say "I got this" after looking at a video that may appear to
be easy. Unfortunately, it may not be that easy. Other times, you are under all sorts of other pressures which can prompt you to
consider various "shortcuts" and give up the learning in pursuit of the final outcome instead of engaging on the learning journey. As
you will have experienced for yourselves, those shortcuts do not set you up for real tests of your capabilities and devalue the
significant investment of time and resources in your learning. In order to maximize success and satisfaction, the best way forward is
to spend the time and finish strong.

Academic Integrity and Ethical Behavior

Academic Integrity is a character-driven commitment to honesty, doing what is right, and guiding others to do what is right. Arizona
State University students are expected to act with integrity in their educational pursuits. The W. P. Carey School takes academic
integrity very seriously. Any suspected violations of academic integrity, including posting and using any course material posted
outside of the course site, will be taken seriously and result in the following sanctions:
• A minimum of zero on the assignment AND
• A reduced grade in the course OR
• A failure in the course OR
• An XE which denotes failure due to academic dishonesty on the transcript OR
• Removal from the W. P. Carey School of Business

Additional information on ASU’s academic integrity policy may be found at: http://provost.asu.edu/academicintegrity

Absence Policies
Participation is necessary to succeed in the course and a random attendance will be taken throughout the semester. Excessive
absences without any valid reasons are not tolerated. The grading and quiz policies should provide adequate incentives for
attendance. Accommodations are given only in very extenuating circumstances and with appropriate third-party documentation.

Course Evaluation
Students are expected to complete the course evaluation. The feedback provides valuable information to the instructor and the
college and is used to improve student learning. Students are notified when the online evaluation form is available.

Prohibition of Commercial Note Taking Services

In accordance with ACD 304-06 Commercial Note Taking Services, written permission must be secured from the official instructor of
the class in order to sell the instructor's oral communication in the form of notes. Notes must have the note taker’s name as well as
the instructor's name, the course number, and the date.

Copyright Material
ACD 304-10 suggests, Students “must refrain from uploading to any course shell, discussion board, or website used by the course
instructor or other course forum, material that is not the student’s original work, unless the students first comply with all applicable
copyright laws; faculty members reserve the right to delete materials on the grounds of suspected copyright infringement.”

Any transfer or public posting of class materials is considered a violation of copyright.

W. P. Carey & ASU Policies

A number of important policies can be found at the following URL:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wYePCcSUEuDO2IKpny_PZNBmwGjEIEsfq4fM1-rIHA0/edit
These policies cover:
• W. P. Carey Honor Code & Professionalism Policy
• Prohibition against Discrimination, Harassment, and retaliation
• Instructor Absence Policy
• Religious Accommodations
• University Sanctioned Activities
• Tutoring Support
• Threatening Behavior Policy
• Student Accessibility and Inclusive Learning Services (SAILS)
• Offensive Material

Information contained within this syllabus (except grading and absence policies) is subject to change with reasonable advanced
notice.