Assignments
Weeks 8 and 9
If you are logged into the library you have access to Gartner. If you are not logged in the library will prompt you to do so.
You are, of course, free to look for more Gartner articles that support your Weighty Posts - these are merely a starting point.
If you are asked to pay money you probably didn't start off from the library. It's very important that you are logged into the library and only access Gartner from the library.
For something fun - that works in concert with DDA and assignment posts - you are challenged to incorporate appropriate and amusing meme images into your posts. Why? Because I said so. Because memes help reinforce a point with humor, using recognizable cultural images. Studies have shown that humor aids in absorption and retention of information (http://www.apa.org/monitor/jun06/learning.aspx). You can introduce a potentially controversial topic by presenting it in a meme and get people discussing the topic because they're put more at ease by the humor. Also, the proofreading skills of the Internet are displayed at their finest when someone messes up on a meme ;-) If you were to do a meme about an article it could be a visual TL;DR. Last, it's just more fun to include memes in class.
If you are unfamiliar with memes this is a decent primer: http://webtrends.about.com/od/reddit/a/Internet-Memes.htm
Here is a list of tools you can use to create your own meme images:
What's in it for you all? Well, outside of the intrinsic benefits of humor and helping others learn more through humor...nothing else; sometimes we do things because of the intrinsic value :-)
All discussion board assignments, in addition to being posted as a draft to the discussion board for Designated Devil's Advocate (DDA) interaction and general feedback, will have a final version submitted through an assignment tool link in their respective bi-weekly assignment folder. The assignment tool link will take the submission through the SafeAssign process, to check for problematic overlap, and also provide for a more consistent submission and grading process. Grading for these assignments begins on the day after the last day of the bi-weekly period, so the final versions of the Weeks 8 and 9 written assignments are due to the assignment tool link on the last day of Week 9, and grading will begin the day after that. Feedback will be given before the next set of bi-weekly assignments are due (so, in the example above, Weeks 8 and 9 feedback will be given before Weeks 10 and 11 final versions are due); please refer to your professor's grading policy for more precise information.
In order to keep discussions lively please choose at least ONE of the weighty questions below and post your draft to the discussion board no later than the start of Week 9
Compose and submit to the Weeks 8 and 9 Discussion Board, as a reply to the appropriate Weighty Post Option thread, a structured post (a structured post has an introduction, a conclusion, and a developed body that flows well - generally at least a few paragraphs - at least 250 words), using your own words, on at least one of these weighty questions:
Background (from Weeks 1/2 and 3/4 and 5/6): You are working for a large hospital, Winterfell Health Systems, in the American Southwest. At Winterfell, expensive equipment is often shared between units and moved throughout the hospital facilities. One of the concerns expressed by medical professionals and managers in the organization is the difficulty of tracking specific pieces of equipment. As a result more units are purchased to make sure that at least one of them is always available when needed. From efficiency perspective there is no data to track usage of specific equipment. The machinery is also becoming more wirelessly connected and some security concerns have been raised. The BI team you are a part of is working with the technology infrastructure team on a system that will track the location and daily usage of every individual piece of equipment, including the new "smart" machinery devices that fall into the Internet of Things (IoT) category and communicate independently with other machines in the facility and patients' electronic health records (EHR). Two patients with identical names and birthdates but different medical profiles and needs checked into Winterfell at the same time. It was only through the diligence of a nurse that Patient A was not given Patient B's treatment as specified by one of the new smart machines that had gotten its information from EHRs. About a month ago Winterfell had to rely on its backup generators for critical operations after a cyberattack against the city's power grid was successful. Although power was restored after an hour, the culprits are still at large so it's likely the attacks happens again. At your last status meeting it was brought up, again, that during the blackout several pieces of equipment failed to upload their data completely and when the power came back on the machines restarted their uploading procedure from the beginning, resulting in partially duplicate data. New Information: The worst security concerns regarding the "smart" machines have come to fruition: Winterfell's equipment were implicated in an enormous IoT DDoS attack against the website of a noted security researcher. You are also now dealing with a type of Bird Flu that rivals the Spanish Flu of 1918/191 and, to make matters worse, Zika is spreading in the community. The group working on the meta data repository has unfortunately contracted the Bird Flu2 and is unable to complete the next step, which is developing the meta data design. Task: Your group will thus have to develop the meta data design as well as the physical data design for the system - incorporating any relevant information security considerations - and figure out whether meta data is one word or two.
Background (from Weeks 1/2 and 3/4 and 5/6): You are working for a large national supermarket chain, MacLeod's Market, with nearly 200 stores countrywide and a history stretching back decades. MacLeod's has multiple global supplier relationships. The chain offers a customer loyalty club and the ability to create shopping lists accessible through both a Web site and a mobile app. A recent market research study indicated customers would like to have online ordering and home delivery and more sustainable products. MacLeod's as a whole has a lot of data but it's not organized nor being used to make decisions on a consistent and reliable basis. It wants the ability to provide details drilled down to store, department, and even individual product level, so that each manager or supplier could see just the information relevant to him or her. It needs to know more about its customers. You are on the team in charge of making business intelligence happen. MacLeod's has continued testing autonomous delivery vehicles and delivery drones and is moving forward with plans to connect with its customers' "smart" refrigerators to offer coupons and recipe ideas. New information: No more drones have been shot down by privacy-conscious customers but several communities are up in arms at MacLeod's plans to purchase autonomous delivery vehicles from Mercedes-Benz, because of a recent announcement that the vehicles will prioritize vehicle occupants over pedestrians. Also, many of the "smart" refrigerators were implicated in an enormous IoT DDoS attack against the website of a noted security researcher. Last, a major food poisoning outbreak is wreaking havoc nationwide, both in the grocery industry and in individuals. Many of your coworkers on the project have been hospitalized. The former Kurgan's employees, having weathered the salmonella incident, are valuable resources. Task: It is now up to your remaining team to write up a recommendation for a BI implementation strategy (e.g. data mart, data warehouse, etc.). Explain why you've chosen that strategy, making sure to include relevant information security information.
Background (from Weeks 1/2 and 3/4 and 5/6): Your financial services company, Issor, located on the Texas Gulf Coast, has merged with another, larger financial services company, Arkanis, located in Oklahoma. The merger - Issorkanis is the new entity - is proceeding in a more organized fashion than originally feared. Issor had been successful with mining social media data, so there is a lot of that. Top management, after realizing there are too many employees in redundant positions and the merger's expenses are steep, have started replacing dozens of employees with "smart" kiosks that customers can interact with (an evolution of an ATM, they explain) and are continuing the testing of Aldebaran robot receptionists that are capable of communicating in a variety of languages. These new "employees" are generating massive amounts of data that Issorkanis hopes to use to grow and make more money, but that right now the data is so much, so fast, and of so many different types (remember that social media data), some of which is new and potentially sketchy. On top of all this new data, Arkanis' legacy data is structured completely differently than Issor's was - practically nothing maps over predictably. New information: The new mechanical "employees" were implicated in an enormous IoT DDoS attack against the website of a noted security researcher. On top of that, the integrated physical data center in Scarif, Oklahoma was recently destroyed by an epic F5 tornado*. No one was hurt but many employees have had to take time off to deal with the aftermath. Everyone was thankful that [DR/BC system you put into place earlier] was there. Task: write up a recommendation for an ETL implementation plan, including a meta data design. Explain why you've chosen that plan. Are there any relevant information security considerations? Also, decide whether you want to spell meta data as one word or two.You need to support your Weighty Posts with references to worthy* sources in addition to your book/book resource site and the Gartner article or video or cartoon you're discussing. The BRUIN library is a great place to start. Feel free to use worthy* news articles as sources (remembering that they always have a bias, that is), making sure to list those and all other sources at the bottom of the post (please use more than a URL!). Quotations by famous people are allowed, as well - you only have to identify the speaker, not the specific work, in the case of well-known quotations, e.g. "Experts often possess more data than judgment." - Colin Powell
*Worthy means the author or the publisher of the source has authority and credibility on the topic, the source has been QAed through editors or a peer review system, the source is recent or has historical value, the source is factual and accurate, if the source is an opinion piece, the arguments are backed up with evidence and reasoning ("only a Sith deals in absolutes"), and any facts or stories in the source can be corroborated through another unrelated source. Determining what is and isn't a good source is an art - it's something you develop over time. You can also check the Written Assignment rubric in the Syllabus section for more information.
The CARS checklist is very handy for evaluating sources:
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Credibility |
trustworthy source, author's credentials, evidence of quality control, known or respected authority, organizational support. Goal: an authoritative source, a source that supplies some good evidence that allows you to trust it. |
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Accuracy |
up to date, factual, detailed, exact, comprehensive, audience and purpose reflect intentions of completeness and accuracy. Goal: a source that is correct today (not yesterday), a source that gives the whole truth. |
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Reasonableness |
fair, balanced, objective, reasoned, no conflict of interest, absence of fallacies or slanted tone. Goal: a source that engages the subject thoughtfully and reasonably, concerned with the truth. |
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Support |
listed sources, contact information, available corroboration, claims supported, documentation supplied. Goal: a source that provides convincing evidence for the claims made, a source you can triangulate (find at least two other sources that support it). |
In order to keep discussions lively please post your drafts of your summaries and analyses to the discussion board no later than the start of Week 9
Background (aka "why we are tormenting you thusly" :-D): A great way to curry favor with managers is to make them look good. Managers often have little time to stay current on developments in technology, particularly longer articles or thought-provoking lectures. Knowledge, though, is power, and it's important for everyone - and particularly essential for those in decision-making positions - to know the latest discussions, discoveries, and dilemmas that are out there. A great skill to hone is the ability to distill a longer item to its essence by summarizing and analyzing its content and points for another. Pretend your manager needs to have a surprise power lunch with her or his manager and doesn't have time to get current on the latest developments in data in information technology, particularly business intelligence, data mining, and data analytics. You ride to the rescue, bearing two one-page (250 words) documents, summarizing both an academic/scholarly item (since you have access to a University library even as an alumni ;-) and a more popular (yet still edited and vetted) item you found on the Internet.
It's okay to reference classic items, as long as you can point out in your analysis why the item is still relevant or has historical value.
Note: if you are taking CIS 628 as part of your Cybersecurity program we'd like to encourage you to focus on the cybersecurity aspects of data when looking for items to summarize and analyze.
TL;DR
Part of being an effective sharer is being able to quickly capture the attention of the target of your sharing, whether that's an individual manager, a small group of colleagues, or the public (such as on Twitter or LinkedIn). "TL;DR" stands for "Too long; didn't read", and while it started as a slam on wordy comments on the Internet, it now also means a short but informative summary - a spoiler, if you will, of your longer message. A comparable military version might be "Bottom Line Up Front". So, in addition to your summary and analysis, as detailed below, you will need to provide a TL;DR to your post that encapsulates the essence of what the item is trying to say (and, trust us, that's rarely the title of the item ;-). We'll start with a guideline of 140 characters (which is what Twitter allows), but if that is too limiting, you can use more characters - still, keep it short. Consider it a challenge to be that brief. You will still be providing the traditional summary and analysis; this is an add-on.
Academic Item
Choose one academic/scholarly article or presentation, related to the data aspects of information technology, particularly business intelligence, data mining, and data analytics, from any relevant academic journal, the Gartner site, or the Teradata site. The journals for the ethics classes would work (Ethics and Information Technology or Computers in Human Behavior.) The journals are available free of charge via the university online library. You can get assistance on how to use the online library by visiting the Student Services tab in the main Blackboard window. We strongly recommend you go through the BUILD IT modules if you are new to the Bellevue library: http://lib.bellevue.edu/buildit/index.html.
If you aren't sure what an academic/scholarly article looks like, try one of these (the presence of an abstract is usually a sign of a scholarly paper):
If you need some suggestions for Gartner articles, try these:
TED Talks given by an academic/scholarly person (e.g. Avi Rubin, "All your devices can be hacked", http://www.ted.com/talks/avi_rubin_all_your_devices_can_be_hacked - you can search the ted.com site for "professor" and get results)
. The Pew Research Center Internet, Science & Tech organization (http://www.pewinternet.org/) counts as academic for the purposes of this assignment.
Note: if you are having trouble gaining access to library resources there are pdf copies of various journal articles here - ACM and IEEE journal articles, as well as Gartner papers, count as academic for the purposes of this assignment: https://app.box.com/s/6y09j7i8lmzqewf36qj5
Compose and submit to the Weeks 8 and 9 Discussion Forum - "Summary and Analysis: Academic" thread a structured post (a structured post has an overall introduction, an overall conclusion, and a developed body that flows well - generally at least a few paragraphs - at least 250 words, not including the question text itself), using your own words. Please include, as well:
You don't have to write in a boring and stilted academic style in your summary and analysis - it's all right (and encouraged!) to write in an engaging style! It's recommended that you do make a clear distinction between the summary and analysis sections of the paper, if only to remember to address all 7 points of the analysis assignment.
Non-Academic Item
Choose one item, related to the data aspects of information technology, particularly business intelligence, data mining, and data analytics, from any worthy (see page 3 for the definition of worthy) edited/QAed online source, such as MIT Technology Review, Wired, Ars Technica, TechDirt, Atlantic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor Passcode, CNET, CIO, Information Week (that is not an exhaustive list), a TED Talk (http://www.ted.com/ - you can also find TED Talks on YouTube) by anyone (e.g. Eli Pariser's "Beware online 'filter bubbles', http://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles), or some of the films from the library's extensive film collections, Films on Demand, Alexander Street, and Kanopy. Look for their Computer Science & IT collections. An example is "Enteprise Automation: What You Need to Know", https://bellevue-kanopystreaming-com.ezproxy.bellevue.edu/video/enterprise-automation-what-you-need-know
Compose and submit to the Weeks 8 and 9 Discussion Forum - "Summary and Analysis: Non-Academic" thread a structured post (a structured post has an overall introduction, an overall conclusion, and a developed body that flows well - generally at least a few paragraphs - at least 250 words, not including the question text itself), using your own words. Please include, as well:
Again, you don't have to write in a boring and stilted academic style in your summary and analysis - it's all right (and encouraged!) to write in an engaging style!
It's recommended that you do make a clear distinction between the summary and analysis sections of the paper, if only to remember to address all 7 points of the analysis assignment.
To continue to appreciate the power of data visualization, during Weeks 8 and 9 you will again be creating and posting an ORIGINAL infographic - one that you've created, not one you've found on the Internet. Based on whether you enjoyed Weeks 3 and 4's Misleading Infographic or Weeks 5 and 6's Honest Infographic you get to pick which type you do for Weeks 8 and 9. To complete the assignment, you'll find a data set and then create an infographic highlighting at least 5 main points of the data. Don't forget to check the Weeks 3 and 4 and Weeks 5 and 6 assignments for resources about infographics.
You can create your infographic on any topic (PG-13 or safer, please ;-) - it doesn't even have to relate to IT. As with last time, please make sure your underlying data is valid - there are a lot of urban legends out there and some pretty unscientific "facts", too. It's worth your while to check out these articles, both of which include an infographic:
http://www.vox.com/2014/4/22/5636960/a-rough-guide-to-spotting-bad-science (it has a science focus but is generally applicable)
http://mentalfloss.com/article/68705/20-cognitive-biases-affect-your-decisions
If you're unsure about whether it's a valid topic or good data for an infographic, feel free to call out in the Ask the Professor board. It's handy if you can link to the data when doing so.
1. Either a misleading/mischievous OR an honest/accurate infographic YOU CREATED (or a link to its location, accessible to the class), covering at least 5 data points.
2. Approximately 100 words (you can go longer) blurb on 1) why you chose the topic (i.e. why you think it needed an infographic), 2) why you chose the data points you did, and 3) why you chose to create either the misleading or the honest infographic - what made you pick the type you did?
Remember this quotation I found from another teacher: "Information graphics are interesting because they reveal differences." If your infographic is comparing something small to something bigger it helps tell the story if you make the something smaller visually smaller and the something bigger visually bigger. If, for instance, you were telling a story about gum versus lollipop sales, and gum was the clear leader, you could show an image of a big piece of gum and a small lollipop. If you were comparing sales of Trident gum versus Wrigley gum you could show 10 packs of gum for Trident and 2 packs of gum for Wrigley (that's just an example and I totally made those numbers up - I'm not even sure Wrigley still makes gum). Remember that you can use these techniques to unfairly represent data differences, too.
Free Tools
All students will play Designated Devil's Advocate (DDA). The role of Devil's Advocate is to challenge posts - be skeptical and find holes in the logic or facts - even if the DDA happens to agree with the poster's point. The purpose of the exercise is to make the posters and the DDA engage in deeper and more critical thinking. Devil's Advocates are used in business to prevent "groupthink".
DDAs have the option to be anonymous when posting. There's an extra step to take before posting in order to be Anonymous - see the image below.
(Although your post will be anonymous to your fellow students, your professor can tell who has posted what, when, and where, so behave ;-)
If you forget and don't check the Post message as Anonymous box and you press submit, you can still edit your post after the fact, but anyone with the subscription feature turned on will see who is behind your DDA Secret Agent Code Name (explained below). That shouldn't be a problem (because we're all being polite :-) but it can be embarrassing. We had an Agent Piranha blow his cover after only 30 minutes one term and he needed to select a new DDA Secret Agent Code Name. A best practice is to check the box before typing in anything.
If you choose not to post as Anonymous it's helpful to your professor and your classmates if you can identify in your post that you are playing Devil's Advocate.
If you have chosen to post as Anonymous, you are required to use your DDA Secret Agent Code Name (which you select through the "DDA Secret Agent Code Name Request" tool*, located in the main Assignments folder) when you are posting in your DDA capacity. This helps you keep track of how many DDA posts you've made, because you can search by that code name. This also adds more excitement to the class, as you can feel like a Cold War Spy. You may include the Secret Agent DDA Code Name in the subject line or in the body of the post (or both).
There is a list of suggested "dangerous critter" (animals, mythical characters, microbes, etc.) names in the DDA Secret Agent Code Name Request tool, but you are free to choose any name you want, dangerous or otherwise. If nothing on the list strikes your fancy, try this Code Name Generator: http://www.codenamegenerator.com/ - one probably doesn't want to run across an "Aurulent Titanium Hyrax" (in a dark alley, late at night, with a full wallet).
If your DDA post does not include your DDA Secret Agent Code Name you will NOT receive credit for the DDA post. You have the ability to edit your posts, so if you forget, you can go back and put in your identity.
*Your Secret Agent Code Name request needs to be confirmed by your professor (in case of request collisions). Please check the top of the gradebook for your code name.
An initial DDA post needs to ask a question. If there isn't a question it's not a DDA post. Subsequent dialog doesn't have to continue questioning.
When acting as DDA, it might be helpful if you think of how you would have answered the question and then find the difference between the two – ask if the original poster thought of x, y, and z. Or, you can find a current worthy article (Internet or the BRUIN library) that deals with the topic and ask if the original poster had run across that and if its information or conclusions would have altered his or her findings. You can always ask if the original poster has experienced the issue on his or her own. These are not the only types of DDA activities, by any means. Feel free to improvise!
It is perfectly acceptable to perform basic peer review observations in your DDA role. If someone needs to proofread better, you may address that. If you have questions about their sources and whether they are "worthy", you may address that. If you think someone hit the submit button accidentally early (i.e. the post isn't at least 250 words), you may address that.
Another option is to look at the tips for posts (see the Wikialien's Lair area of the classroom); if those weren't addressed, you, as the DDA, can ask:
Your DDA performance is 30% of your overall grade, so make it count! The base expectation is 20 DDA posts during the term (i.e. at least 20 times during the current term that you have posted a DDA post that includes at least one question per post), but you are welcome to make as many as you like. If you're having a blast posting as "Secret Agent Cholera" you don't have to stop when you reach 20!
Please try to read other DDA posts (you can tell because the posts will have Anonymous as the author and a DDA Secret Agent Code Name somewhere) before making your DDA post. It's not good if students start to feel like they are being tag-teamed by raptors ;-)
When someone has DDAed your post, understand that the DDA is not attacking you personally, but helping to strengthen your argument by pointing out how it can be better. It is not intended to be a comment on your value as a person and it is not intended to be rude or snarky or hostile.
It might be helpful for the class to see the DDAs as looking like this adorable giant panda cub (mouse over the cub):
(Yes, I recognize the inherent contradiction in directing you to pick dangerous critter names and then asking you to see each other as panda cubs...)
"Imagine debating against the point that was just made. Analyze the argument. Stretch the parameters - where does it break? What important considerations were left out? Did the poster make correct or fair assumptions? Try to make each participant in the discussion to think more critically. It also lies upon you to frame your response in a way that would make the discussion more intellectually stimulating. What other avenues of thought can be explored - especially ones that others may be reluctant to bring up without the veil of anonymity? You are the shadow on the wall with the power to ask any question and unravel more truths. Think."
"For me, the DDA assignment was a license to ask the questions that I would have otherwise filtered and/or avoided asking, even though they should be asked. Basically, if I felt any hesitation in a normal response, I would switch it to a DDA. When I first learned about DDA responses, I thought the idea was kind of corny, but quickly learned that they can really add spark to the conversation."
"There is nothing wrong with being a little bit of an antagonist. The DDA is intended to get people using their heads and stirring the pot a little. Post the questions that stir debate; the best ones are the ones that are completely contrary to what you believe is right. An extreme example: most people agree that stealing a car is wrong. So pose the question, 'If someone is dumb enough not to properly secure their car, would it not teach them a lesson by taking it? Besides, isn't that what insurance is for?'"
"A DDA must be willing to go against the grain of majority thinking. Simply arguing for the sake of it won't do; one must understand the problem and become the bad or unpopular solution. There will be those that will side with the DDA, and those that will argue against the DDA....to make someone believe the DDA is the "anti-them" and stimulate conversation at the same time should be the goal of the DDA. You are the bad-guy in wrestling. You are the guy played by James Woods in movies. You are the person that makes the other students remember you when you leave the class because of your comments against what they think. You must own the DDA position in order to perform it well!"
A few years ago Gartner had a Datatopia contest, "What would the impact of 'information' and 'technology' on society, business and life look like in 2030?". You can read the entries here: Last Call for Datatopia...Boarding Now!. You might even know some of the authors..for instance, the one on page 67...
In the spirit of the such an exercise, to present during Week 12, you need to write up your own original short (at least 500 words) story mis-using data in the most evil way possible. You can make it contingent on some sort of science fiction scenario or a stretch of what is currently available, but you must put on your evil thinking hat - or white cat on your lap - and be as abusive and destructive with data as you can, in whatever creative fashion you wish. Pretend current laws don't matter. I'm sure some of you might be tempted to invoke the NSA - which is fine, but go beyond that - what is the worst thing the NSA could do with data? (waves to NSA - hey, guys, purely theoretical :-) Don't limit yourself to the government, though. What could an Amazon do? What could a Google do? What could a Facebook do? What could an insurance company do? Every organization is capable of evil.
If you need inspiration, this is pretty evil: https://vimeo.com/46304267
Let's keep all the characters fictional. I'd hate to see the Secret Service have to pay anyone a call ;-)
Although this sounds frivolous it's a type of scenario planning, which is a useful business exercise. I'm sure more companies would appreciate the reports in the form of an engaging short story, as well ;-) (they should!) You should have fun with this assignment.
If you want to go over 500 words that's okay, too. I'd love to be able to submit entries to our 2018/2019 Celebration of Student Writing.
This will be graded based on whether you gave it your best try; it's a Complete/Incomplete grade. Not doing it will adversely affect your overall grade, as it's 15% of your grade, so please do give it your best consideration.
You have until the end of the term to complete and submit this. I will post reminders in future assignments, as well.
Please let your professor know if you have any questions about any parts of the assignment. You can use the "Ask The Professor" discussion board.