Read and understand analytics dashboards

MCIS6123 Decision Science (Prof. Maull) / Spring 2020 / HW2 This assignment is worth up to 15 POINTS to your grade total if you complete it on time.

Points Possible Due Date Time Commitment (estimated) 15 Wednesday, May 6 @ Midnight up to 2 hours

• GRADING: Grading will be aligned with the completeness of the objectives.

• INDEPENDENT WORK: Copying, cheating, plagiarism and academic dishonesty are not tolerated by University or course policy. Please see the syllabus for the full departmental and University statement on the academic code of honor.

OBJECTIVES • Read and understand analytics dashboards, their implementation, contextualization and use in the real

world

WHAT TO TURN IN Please turn in a copy of a .docx, or .pdf file (Word Document a PDF) to Blackboard with the answers to the questions labeled with the § sign in each objectives section.

ASSIGNMENT TASKS (100%) Read and understand analytics dashboards, their implementation, contextualization and use in the real world

Analytics dashboards are all around us and in used in a number of meaningful ways. You are being asked to read an article about Civic Analytics and how cities are using analytics dashboards to not only see what is going on in their city, but also to make meaningful decisions about resource allocation, planning and even civic communication that is data-driven and based on up-to-date metrics.

The City of Boston, MA implemented a citywide analytics program to measure and monitor key metrics for the city council, mayor and broader citizen base to consume and interact with.

You are to read the case study Case Study | Boston’s Citywide Analytics Team: Leading the Way to a Data-Driven City written May 15, 2017 by Katherine Hillenbrand:

https://datasmart.ash.harvard.edu/news/article/case-study-bostons-citywide-analytics-team-1043

After you have read this relatively short article, please answer the questions below.

§ Why did the author say the “Citywide Analytics Team” was created by Mayor Walsh in 2014?

§ What kinds of skilled experts were hired into the team when it was formed?

§ How long did it take for the team to develop the initial dashboard for Boston’s performance data?

§ The article mentions that some cabinet and departmental dashboards were tied into strategic goals, but that some were using individual reports that were used to track another type of goal that we talked about in class. What was it?

§ What is CityScore?

§ What decision was mentioned in the article that used CityScore to tangible expand city resources that was directly based on observed data?

§ What application software was the Analytics Team issuing training for in other departments in direct response to providing expanded skills development across departments as it related to CityScore?

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§ Describe what Builtdsng Intelligence System was and how was it integrated into Boston’s 911 response system?

§ How were predictive analytics being integrated into Inspection Services?

§ Visit Boston’s CityScore site https://www.boston.gov/innovation-and-technology/cityscore. The data appears to be last updated in November 2019, but look at the data and list one area of improvement the city could be paying more attention to and why? You should either use data from the Month or Quarter (QTR). Where is the city doing well? Justify your answer with data as your evidence.

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