Unit 4: Data analytics

Area of Study 1: Data analytics: development and evaluation

Outcome 1

Develop and evaluate infographics or dynamic data visualisations that present findings in response to a research question, and assess the effectiveness of the project plan in monitoring progress.

Examples of learning activities

• Create a backup, archive and management system for your school files. Document each process that will be used as part of this system, ensuring the security of files is considered as part of the process.
• Compare and contrast the main features of the following infographic creation tools:
  
  
  • Visually
  • Infogram
  • Piktochart  
  • Canva.
• Compare and contrast the main features of the following dynamic data visualisation tools:
  
  
  • Tableau (Public)
  • Microsoft PowerBI
  • Microsoft Excel (3D map tool)
  • Microsoft PowerPoint (morph tool)
  • Google Sheets.
• Review a range of business websites to see how organisations engage with specific audiences within the community. For each website, document characteristics such as: age-appropriate language and images, culture inclusiveness and gender inclusiveness.
• Research some examples of infographics and dynamic data visualisations and document them in a table, noting how they are efficient and effective.
• Contrast the benefits of using a template in a spreadsheet to fast-track the creation of an infographic or dynamic data visualisation, as compared with creating a customised design based on data that has been collected.
• Create bar charts documenting values over a period of time (e.g. GDP % change data from 2000 to 2019). Animate the charts using presentation or data visualisation software.
  
• Create an infographic using Infogram that contains a number of data points (e.g. multiple country broadband internet usage over time) and explain that the way in which the data is displayed provides the user with power to control their own learning experience. An example of an infographic that demonstrates this ability can be viewed at infogram.com
• 
  Use a database solution to create three types of validation checks (existence, type and range) on fields in a table, then import a set of teacher-created records that include both valid and invalid data to test that the solution is working as expected. Create a list of the different validations that accompany different data entry field types (e.g. text, paragraph, radio buttons, check boxes, drop down lists, Likert scales) and state the situations that would be best to use for these data entry methods and validations.
  
• Students read the article ‘Testing for Game Development’. They document and describe some of the more important processes that this industry uses to ensure that their game is ready for customer use.
  
• Create a Gantt chart for the class that includes: a range of tasks, time allocations, dependencies and milestones. Create a scenario where tasks will not be completed on time, time allocations will be altered and milestones will be later than planned. Students annotate these changes on the Gantt chart and document why the changes have been made and their impact on the overall project.
  
• Create a spreadsheet to be used as a change log in which any change to a project is recorded. Include columns such as change number, date of change, change made, reason for change, impact of the change on the final project and the impact on the project schedule.
  
• Create a table with two columns, one for infographics and one for dynamic data visualisations. Describe how each can be considered effective. Use the measures of effectiveness in the Terms used in this study (docx - 356.7kb) on pages 8–11 of the study design.

 

Detailed example

Validation

Using validation techniques within databases can help to ensure that data integrity is preserved and maintained when records are entered individually or imported in bulk into a database table. The example below is of a database table that has not been validated.

Sample data

FirstName	BirthDate	Email	StoreRating	FaveConsole	Member
Joe	2/02/2012	joe@googlemail.com	7	Xbox	Yes
Steph	3/15/2000	hex@stephmail		Switch
Anton	3/06/1918	antonio.b@microsoftmail.com	5	Xbox	No
	14/03/2001	filipe.sanchez@one.com	Four	Twitch	No
Dejan	24/04/1999	dejan google	11	Playstation	Yes
Harvey	5/23/1995	hjs@yahoo.org	4	Playstation	4

 

As part of this activity, the teacher provides students with a table of data similar to the one above. Validation techniques require careful design to ensure they are appropriate and do not reject valid data. Students are guided through the design process as part of the teaching and learning program to ensure that they can apply these techniques when completing the SAT.

The validation process should consider:

• the identification of database fields and their data types
• appropriate form controls that may assist with validation (list boxes, combo/radio boxes to limit input)
• appropriate validation rules.

Examples of appropriate validation rules include:

• every field should be required
• data types should be as per the types in the table
• Email should be entered correctly and represent a valid address (e.g. validation rule: Is Null Or ((Like "*?@?*.?*") And (Not Like "*[ ,;]*")))
• StoreRating needs to be between 1 and 10
• FaveConsole needs to be one of Xbox, Switch or Playstation.

Once students have designed their validation rules they identify records in the teacher-provided table that should not be accepted according to the designed validation rules, and explain why these records should not be added.

The activity could be extended to students importing data into the database table, noting which records were able to be successfully imported and where validation was successfully applied. Students also explain any failures in the validation process.

Teachers can also discuss the following questions as part of their teaching and learning program involving validation:

• Should unreasonable records be edited and re-imported successfully or ignored?
• How could a decision be made to correct a record? Use an example from this scenario to demonstrate your case.
• Who should make a decision to correct a record?
• How should notes be taken of records that have been changed as part of the validation process?

Students can reflect on the activity and respond to the following:

1. List the advantages of validating input data.
2. Explain the difference between data validation and testing.
3. Provide examples of the three types of validation checks (existence, type, range).
4. Outline the potential difficulties and dilemmas encountered by data analysts when they ‘fix’ unreasonable data.
5. Consider the data that may be collected as part of the SAT. Identify examples of data that may be considered unreasonable or poorly formatted and need to be changed.