Posted: September 13th, 2017

Business intelligence and data warehousing

Business intelligence and data warehousing

Assignment Overview
The purpose of this assignment is to provide you with feedback as you study the unit throughout the semester. While other assignments and the exam are means by which we assess your performance, this assignment is intended to help you gauge your own progress with feedback on several small tasks throughout the semester. This portfolio assignment consists of a number of activities organised into two categories: reading and reflection, and modelling exercises. You will pick three activities from each category for a total of six activities. You’ll receive feedback for each one.

Learning Objectives
Successful completion of this assignment will lead to: • understanding of the underlying principles, theories and concepts relevant to the design, use and management of information technology for decision support; • skills in designing multi-dimensional schemas • understanding of physical data warehouse design considerations • skills in designing user-interfaces for business intelligence systems.

Assessment Criteria
In the case of written reflective pieces:
1. Depth of analysis (critical thinking, richness of arguments such as application and examples supported by theories / literature reviews / industrial experiences)
2. Quality of expression (academic writing with appropriate references, grammar, structure and format) In the case of modelling exercises:
1. Quality of the design (completeness and depth of analysis showing cognitive and logical skills)
2. Correctness of the use of the relevant technique (demonstrating sound knowledge and skills of the relevant technique) All criteria will have equal weighting in determining your mark for the submission.

Portfolio Activities
Category One – Reading and Critique

Submit three reflective pieces of approximately 500 words each. In your critique, you may consider the following questions:
• Do you agree with the author’s argument? If not, why not? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the argument?
• What other relevant things have you read? Do they agree with, or undermine the points addressed in the reading?
• What are the key lessons for BI or DW practitioners from the reading?
• If the reading doesn’t directly address BI or DW, how is the reading relevant to either or both of these areas?

You may also address your own questions as well. Submissions should be well structured (introduction, body and conclusion, with a coherent argument throughout) and properly referenced using APA style, and clearly identify the reading being critiqued.

Readings to select from (all available electronically via Moodle):

Introduction
Body 1
Talk about this question:
• Do you agree with the author’s argument? If not, why not? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the argument?
Body 2
Talk about this question:
• What other relevant things have you read? Do they agree with, or undermine the points addressed in the reading?
Body 3
Talk about this question:
• What are the key lessons for BI or DW practitioners from the reading?
Body 4
Talk about this question:
• If the reading doesn’t directly address BI or DW, how is the reading relevant to either or both of these areas?
Conclusion