Table of Contents:

Project

A major goal of this course is to gain experience with real-world data science problems in form of a project. For the project you will extract some knowledge or conclusions from the analysis of dataset of your choice. The analysis will be done using a subset of the methods we described in class. Grading will be based on specific deliverables as well as your performance in your team throughout the semester.

For the final project, students may get the opportunity to work with BU Spark! on a real world, datadriven project for a company, non-profit, or institution. Spark projects have already been curated and will be presented during “Pitch Day”. Project descriptions will be made available at the start of the semester. Once every student has a final project, every team will need to upload a SCRUM file to the final project repository every week which gives a short report on the status of their project. SCRUM is an agile method used in many software companies. Fast and concise, it is a short report answering the following questions:

  • What have I worked on?
  • What will I be working on next?
  • Have I run into any issues? Do I need help?
  • Have I talked to the client recently? When are we meeting with them next?

Project Expectations

  • All team members should contribute equally and proactively to project work; we will evaluate team contributions through a peer evaluation at the end of the semester and this will be factored into your grade.
  • You / your team lead should make yourself available to speak with your client on a bi-weekly basis (depends on client availability)
  • You / your team lead should meet with your Spark PM on a weekly basis
  • You should meet with your team every other day (can / should be a short meeting)
  • For any team communication issues, please let your spark PMs know asap - they are here to help. If the problem persists please email me with a description of the situation.
  • All students are expected to abide by University conduct policies as detailed in the following links:
  • All Spark! project teams – Project Managers: These are the project leads and will communicate with the client directly, they will assist with administrative support (meeting scheduling, agenda setting), and will be a point of contact for project questions / concerns. Project Managers are also responsible for grading all Spark! project deliverables as detailed in the syllabus below. – Team Lead: These students will assist the Project Manager in attending client meetings, organizing team questions, and facilitating team meetings. – Team Members: These students work collaboratively with each other on the project goals. For details on what you must submit as part of your project, see the section “Project Deliverables” at the end of this syllabus.

Spark! Collaboration

BU Spark! offers students an opportunity to work on technical projects provided by companies or organizations in the Greater Boston area through our experiential learning lab (X-Lab). For this semester, Spark! has partnered with DS701 to offer a diverse selection of external data science projects scoped to support the course’s learning outcomes and enhance the student experience. To learn more about Spark!, please visit their website.

Your project team will be led by one of the Spark! Project managers. Their role is to support the student team’s work plan, manage client communication and expectations, organize weekly and biweekly meetings, and to oversee project deliverable grading.

Spark! projects are a great opportunity for students to get real-world project experience to highlight on their github and CV. These projects have already been curated and will be presented during “Pitch Day”. Project descriptions will be made available at the start of the semester.