Spring 2027#
The course schedule and assignments are subject to change based on overall project progress and guest speaker availability. Any updates will be communicated in advance.
Schedule#
Class meets on Fridays from 10:05–11:20 AM.
Date |
Topic |
Assignment / Notes |
|---|---|---|
Jan 8 |
Q&A / Team Discussion |
Review fall progress; refine scope and timelines |
Jan 15 |
Leadership & Teamwork |
Apply feedback frameworks; update team contract |
Jan 22 |
Elevator Pitch |
Develop and practice a 1-2 minute pitch |
Jan 29 |
Guest Talk |
Optional expert discussion + reflection |
Feb 5 |
Q&A / Team Discussion |
Team work session and advisory meetings |
Feb 12 |
Team Presentation 1 |
Progress presentation + feedback integration |
Feb 19 |
Team Presentation 2 |
Progress presentation + feedback integration |
Feb 26 |
Team Presentation 3 |
Progress presentation + feedback integration |
Mar 5 |
Team Presentation 4 |
Final progress presentation; confirm readiness |
Mar 12 |
- |
Spring Break (No class) |
Mar 19 |
Visualization & Poster Workshop |
Draft poster; submit title, summary, and poster for printing |
Mar 26 |
Q&A / Final Prep |
Final presentation preparation and feedback |
Apr 2 |
Capstone Symposium |
Showcase your work and celebrate your achievements |
Post-Symposium Refinement
Until Apr 25: Continue refining deliverables with the client based on symposium feedback. There are no formal class sessions.
How Will My Learning Be Assessed, And How Will My Grade Be Determined?#
Grades are determined through a combination of client feedback, mentor feedback, team documentation, peer evaluation, individual reflection, and final presentation work.
Component |
Weight |
Assessment Focus |
Type |
|---|---|---|---|
Client Feedback on Project Team and Individual |
20% |
How well the final product meets client expectations, including professionalism, functionality, and responsiveness to client needs and feedback. |
Team & Individual |
Team Member Evaluation |
15% |
Peer evaluations of teamwork, contribution, reliability, and collaboration. |
Individual |
Mentor Feedback on Individual Student |
10% |
Mentor evaluations of individual contributions, collaboration, initiative, and professionalism throughout the project. |
Individual |
Sprint Submission (1) and Final Documentation |
15% |
Quality and completeness of sprint submission, including progress updates, communication tracking, technical implementation, evaluation, and reflections on challenges encountered. |
Team |
Symposium Presentations |
10% |
Graded on clarity, organization, delivery, and professionalism in presenting project outcomes to a general audience, with emphasis on effective practice and clear communication of impact. |
Team |
Individual Blog or Vlog |
10% |
Transform your project experience into content that educates others, ideally focusing on a specific concept, technique, or insight. Go into detail, aim to teach someone outside your group, and make it engaging. This content can also serve as a valuable showcase for future employers. You might think of yourself as a future guest speaker for Data Dialogues. |
Individual |
In-Class Presentations |
5% |
Graded on clarity, organization, delivery, and ability to effectively communicate project progress and solutions during class presentations. |
Team |
Elevator Pitch |
5% |
Develop and deliver a concise (1-2 minute) pitch that clearly communicates your project’s problem and approach. |
Individual |
Poster |
5% |
Create a clear, professional poster presenting your project’s context, methods, and key insights. Graded by the poster workshop organizer. |
Team |
Participation and Attendance |
5% |
Points awarded for consistent attendance and active participation in discussions. |
Individual |
Professional delivery emphasizes strong technical execution and data science rigor, focusing on refining and delivering high-quality solutions with professionalism, responsiveness, clear communication, and strong follow-through.
Sprint logs and final documentation should capture ongoing progress, priority task allocation, reflections on decisions and trade-offs, and include all deliverables along with a comprehensive user manual that clearly explains system functionality and usage.
Communicate work professionally across formats, delivering clear pitches, concise posters, and polished presentations for diverse audiences.