computer science data analysis rush hour staffling design challenge and report

Project Two: Data Analysis - Rush Hour Staffing

Design Challenge and Report

ME250: Introduction to Engineering Design Fall 2018

Overview: This project concerns data collection, analysis, and interpretation. It also involves coding and automation by using a microcontroller and sensors. Data science or data analytics is a topic in industrial engineering, and automation is a topic in electrical, computer, and mechanical engineering. You are now introduced to concepts you may study in greater depth later in your engineering curriculum.

In addition, you may think of this project as a test of what you have learned in the previous project: Are you able to collaborate, organize, and implement a team effort? Can your team communicate ideas clearly, follow instructions, and meet deadlines?

The Challenge: The challenge for this project is to complete the following three tasks:

1) Design a software algorithm in conjunction with hardware arrangement to collect foot traffic data at a specific location on campus over a period of time.

· Task #1 involves learning to code within the Arduino (microcontroller) environment, setting up a pair of ultrasonic sensors with a microcontroller, and preparing the hardware for foot traffic data collection.

· Each student will receive a microcontroller kit, and will be individually required to complete most coding exercises.

· The hardware and software setup for data acquisition, on the other hand, is a team effort. 2) Process the collected data and make recommendations for optimal staffing during rush hour.

· Task #2 is for you to learn how to handle and make sense of a large amount of data. It involves visualizing the collected data on a spreadsheet, identifying patterns and statistics, and defining what ‘rush hour’ is.

· Task #2 requires you to do some research to determine the current staffing levels.

· Task #2 ultimately ends with making recommendations regarding staffing needs during rush

hour based on the current staffing levels and your analyzed data. 3) Generate a Technical Memo #2 which documents your work and findings for Project 2, similar to what you did for Project 1.

· Task #3 is the final and most important deliverable your team must produce. You must document all aspects of this project, including the project objectives, hardware and software setup, data collection details, analysis of collected data, and recommendations made.

· You are also required to include your team’s Arduino code in the report as an appendix.

· The Technical Memo is limited to 10 pages. Do not count the title page or appendices in the

page totals.

Deadlines: Your team's completed hardware setup and code must be submitted by end-of-your-class on Wednesday, Sept 26, 2018. Failure to meet this deadline will result in zero score for the entire Project 2 for your team. This means project management is extremely crucial during the first week and a half of this project. Use Gantt Chart to help you keep track of progress and share it with two TAs.

Project Two: Data Analysis - Rush Hour Staffing

Design Challenge and Report

ME250: Introduction to Engineering Design Fall 2018

Materials Provided: A microcontroller kit, which include an ultrasonic sensor, will be provided to each student.

Timeline:

· Mon, Sept 17: Project kick-off. Write a team contract, learn coding basics, start group work.

· Wed, Sept 19: Coding exercise, take-home practice. Begin hardware setup and testing. Team

contract due 6pm.

· Mon, Sept 24: Coding quiz (individual). Continue testing hardware.

· Wed, Sept 26: Finalize code and hardware, both due at end of your section’s class time. TAs will install your team’s hardware at a designated location on campus.

· Thu, Sept 27: Data collection begins at 9am. Teams and TAs will download collected data at the end of the day (5pm) on-site.

· Fri, Sept 28: Continue data collection and end-of-day download data.

· Mon, Oct 1: Fundamentals of data analytics. Continue data collection and end-of-day download.

Begin analyzing data collected so far.

· Tue, Oct 2: Continue data collection, end-of-day download, and analysis.

· Wed, Oct 3: More on data analytics. Final day of data collection and download.

· Between Thu, Oct 4 and Mon, Oct 8: Analyze and interpret collected data.

· Week of Oct 8: Work on tech memo which is due on Fri. Oct 12 at 6pm.

Team Deliverables: Microcontroller and code, technical memo #2.

Grading Rubric: Your report will be graded according to a rubric similar to what we use for Project 1. The rubric will be posted to Blackboard as a separate document.