MIS 5390 780: Project Design & Management

This is a project-centered course in which students apply and integrate conceptual and technical knowledge acquired during their program of studies, as well as new applied knowledge that they will acquire during this course. This is achieved through a comprehensive hands-on project. Students are expected to complete a team project that is creative and likely to be successful in the “real world”. Each team must have a client to whom the project will provide real world value. This client will typically be an organization.

The main objectives of this course are to give students opportunities to apply and integrate conceptual and technical knowledge acquired during their program of studies. The particular focus in this course is on data mining, business analytics, as well as data visualization and analysis methods relevant to current business decision making.

This is a very “intense” course, where constant exchanges of ideas among students, instructor, and outside constituents are encouraged. Critical thinking and the ability of conduct research with a certain degree of independence are a must for success in this course. At the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Integrate disparate bodies of knowledge into a single project.
• Compile and analyze organizational data to inform high-level decision making in a single integrated project.
• Conduct checks for data measurement validity, reliability and collinearity in a single integrated project.
• Understand and explain, to organizational stakeholders, patterns in plots with standardized and unstandardized data, in a single integrated project.
• Make use of legends and labels to clarify patterns among variables, in a single integrated project.
• Identify predictors and criteria variables to be included in causal models for the analysis of organizational data, in a single integrated project.
• Include, interpret, and explain to organizational stakeholders the following types of effects among variables: direct, indirect, total, and moderating effects, in a single integrated project.
• Visualize and interpret data distribution patterns based on two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and multi-dimensional graphs, in a single integrated project.

The document below describes and illustrates the technique of model-driven data analytics (MDDA), which involves the creation of a path model expressing an applied theory, and testing the model using path analysis with latent variables. The latter, path analysis with latent variables, is generally known as structural equation modeling. This document will be provided online, and free of charge, by the instructor.

• Model-driven data analytics: Applications with WarpPLS, by Ned Kock. Publisher: ScriptWarp Systems.

MDDA emerged from the work of a special category of users of the software WarpPLS – data analysis consultants, who regularly work with organizations to provide data-driven recommendations.

While MDDA can be implemented through a variety of software tools, it has found wide adoption among WarpPLS users, because of the many powerful features of this software that can be used in this context. Moreover, in WarpPLS all analyses are model-driven, which makes this software much more user-friendly than other software tools that rely on extensive scripting to conduct analyses.

Students will be graded based on their performance in the midterm exam and project, as well as on careful completion of the final survey and exam. The weight of each of these grade components is as follows:

• Team project: 40%.
• Individual assignments: 20%.
• Midterm exam: 20%.
• Final exam: 20%.

Grading Policies

Grade	Value
GRADE	PERCENTAGE
A	91-100
B	80-90.9
C	70-79.9
D	60-69.9
F	Below 60

Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 2, Subchapter J, Section 2.202, defines distance education as the formal educational process that occurs when students and instructors are not in the same physical setting for the majority (more than 50%) of instruction. Distance education includes hybrid and 100% online courses and programs as defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB):

• Hybrid Course - A distance education course in which more than 50 percent but less than 100 percent of instructional activity takes place when the student(s) and instructor(s) are in separate physical locations.
• 100-Percent Online Course - A distance education course in which 100 percent of instructional activity takes place when the student(s) and instructor(s) are in separate physical locations. Requirements for on-campus or in-person orientation, testing, academic support services, internships/fieldwork, or other non-instructional activities do not exclude a course from this category.

Course Communication Guidelines (Netiquette)

There are course expectations concerning etiquette or how we should treat each other online. We must consider these values as we communicate with one another. Visit Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ web page on Netiquette for further instruction.

Accommodations/Accessibility Policy

Texas A&M International University seeks to provide reasonable accommodation for all qualified persons with disabilities. This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with the Director of Student Counseling and to contact the faculty member in a timely fashion to arrange for suitable accommodation. For more information, contact the online at Office of Disability Services for Students (DSS), via phone at 956.326.3086 or by visiting the staff at the Student Center, room 118. A link to the Disabilities Services for Students site has also been included under the "Resources" tab inside the course.

Student Support Resources

The University wishes to have all students succeed in their courses. To provide support to our students, an array of services in the areas of technology support, academic support, student support, and accessibility support may be found at the University. For more information, visit the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services page on University Resources and Support Services.

Computer/Technology Requirements

When participating in distance education courses, it is vital to consider the technology involved in order to have a successful course. Online students will need regular access to a personal computer that runs on a broadband Internet connection.

It is recommended that you meet the technical requirements listed on the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ webpage when using the learning management system (LMS) of the University.

Recently purchased laptops may have these built-in web cameras.  If you do not have this equipment, it is recommended to purchase a stand-alone webcam, microphone, or a webcam with a built-in microphone from your local electronic store or any online store.

NOTE: Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services may check out available webcams to students on a first-come, first-served basis. To check out a webcam, please stop by Killam Library, Room 259, and request an available webcam.

Learning Management System (Blackboard)

Students are provided with an orientation (*eLearning (Blackboard) Student Orientation*) and access to guides on how to use the Blackboard LMS. Guides may be available at Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services' Student eLearning Tutorial Videos page or by contacting the eLearning team at elearning@tamiu.edu.

Minimum Technical Skills Expected

When participating in distance education courses, it is vital to consider the technology involved in order to have a successful course. Students in distance education should have knowledge of basic computer and Internet skills, as mentioned on the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ webpage.

Technical Support Services

Because of the nature of distance education courses, the Office of Information Technology (OIT) computing and information services are vital to the success of online students. This webpage covers contact information for Distance Education Services (Blackboard Support), the OIT Help Desk, and E-mail support: Technical Support Services.

Late Work Policy

Instructors should include the policy stating what may or may not be acceptable for late assignments.

Course Evaluation

At the end of this course, students are encouraged to complete a course evaluation that will be distributed to them via email and through a course link.

At Texas A&M International University, we believe that all students should have equal technology opportunities in the classroom. These technologies/sites may also require user data, such as the creation of a username and password. You may find the accessibility and privacy policies of the technologies used in this class on the following pages: Accessibility Statements and Privacy Statements.

Syllabus Subject to Change

While information and assurances are provided in this course syllabus, it should be understood that content may change in keeping with new research and literature and that events beyond the control of the instructor could occur. Students will be informed of any substantive occurrences that will produce syllabus changes.