Tennessee Wesleyan University

Course: BUS 555: Data Visualization for Business Delivery Format/Location: Hybrid
Term: Spring 2025 Instructor: Dr. Stephanie Smallen
Phone: 423.746.5213 Office Location: Lawrence, Rm 108
Email: [email protected] Office Hours: By appointment in TEAMS

A. Course Description
This course examines data visualization as an analytical tool, a medium of communication, and an
interactive information dashboard. The course focuses on building creative and technical skills to transform
data into visual reports. Employ best practices in data visualization to develop charts, maps, tables, and
other visual representations of data.

B. Student Learning-level Outcomes (SLOs)

Students will:
1. Describe the design principles and types of data visualization. (1)
2. Implement best practices in data visualization to develop charts, maps, tables, and other visual
representations of data. (1)
3. Evaluate data sources for quality and appropriate software applications. (3)

C. Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and Education Matrices

1. Identify, describe, and apply analytical models to complex business problems.

2. Translate and communicate effective outcomes of business analytic projects using various
methodologies.
3. Demonstrate ethical decision-making in various business situations.

D. Required Text(s) and Other Required Learning Resources

Data Visualization: Exploring and Explaining with Data – ISBN: 978-0-357-92976-6

by Jeffrey D. Camm, James J. Cochran, Michael J. Fry, Jeffrey W. Ohlmann
2nd Edition | Copyright 2025

*Required: electronic version to have access to data files for Power BI activities

Recommended Readings (Helpful, but not required)

▪ Knaflic, Cole Nussbaumer, Storytelling with Data, 2015.

▪ Wexler, Steve, Shaffer, Jeffrey, & Cotgreave, Andy. (2017). The big book of dashboards. Wiley.

Due to assigned readings and discussion threads in the online format, the purchase of the required
electronic course textbook is required.

E. Additional Readings or Other Learning Resources

Any required, additional readings/information will be provided in the syllabus and in Sakai.
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Throughout the course, spreadsheets and Power BI will be used extensively as it is one of the most powerful
and widely available tools for quantitative analysis across all functions and industries of business. The
course itself, however, is not a course in how to use spreadsheets, but rather a course in how to analyze and
interpret important business problems using quantitative analysis methods. You are expected to begin the
class with a foundation of core spreadsheet skills already established and it is your responsibility to improve
your spreadsheet skills on your own outside of class if necessary.
Also, students will need access to a laptop installed with MS Excel 2010 or later. Please note that all the
data materials for this course are being made available to you solely as a reference for this course and should
not be copied or distributed for any purpose other than studying for this course.
Students will also use other tools to visualize data and develop dashboards. These tools will allow them to
develop transferrable skills which can apply to many of the most popular software packages in the current
marketplace. All students will be expected to download Power BI desktop to a computer to assist with
weekly assignments and projects.
F. Assignments and Grading Policy
Homework must be completed independently unless it is a group assignment.
Students are prohibited from sharing answers (verbally or electronically) related to problem sets, quizzes,
or homework. It is permissible and suggested for students to work together, but everyone will be required
to submit original work.
MSBA Homework
The due dates for the assignments are listed in Sakai. All items will be due before class time on the date
the assignment is due.
MEANS OF EVALUATION:

Requirement Weight
Quizzes 10%
Discussion Boards/Data Challenges 15%
Power BI Assignments 15%
Significant Participation in Residency Assignments/Final Project 60%
Total 100%

All assignments must be posted to the correct area inside the LAMP (Sakai) classroom for grading.
Assignments submitted by e-mail will not be accepted for grading unless prior approval was given.
TWU Student E-Mail Account
TWU provides each student with an e-mail account using the format [email protected]. Official
communication will be distributed using this TWU e-mail account. You are required to check this e-mail
account daily for messages from your instructor. Contact the TWU Help Desk if you do not have a student
e-mail account.
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Course Policies (Grading Scale, Attendance Policy, etc.):

Grading Scale:
90 and above = A
80 = B
70 = C
<69 = F

G. Course Outline Details are subject to change

Week Instructional Assigned Readings Assignments

Topics

1 Introduction to [Read] • Chapter 1

data visualization Quiz
Textbook Chapter 1 • Chapter 1
[Listen] • What is data visualization, a podcast by Discussion
Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic Board
(https://storytellingwithdata.libsyn.com/storytelling- • Introduction
to Power BI
with-data-27-what-is-data-visualization)
(Appendix
1.1)
2 Selecting a Chart [Read] • Chapter 2
Type Challenge
Textbook Chapter 2: 2.1-2.4 Assignment:
Principles for [Review] Which Would
data visualization You Choose?
https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/chart-guide

3 Selecting a Chart [Read] • Chapter 2 Quiz

Type • Power BI
Textbook Chapter 2: 2.5-2.8 (Appendix 2.1)
Principles for
data visualization
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Week Instructional Assigned Readings Assignments

Topics

4 Data [Read] • Chapter 3 Quiz

Visualization and • Chapter 3
Design Textbook Chapter 3 Discussion
• One Dataset, Visualized 25 Ways: Board
https://flowingdata.com/2017/01/24/one-dataset- • Power BI
Data literacy
visualized-25-ways/ (Appendix 3.1)

[Watch] •Creative Data Literacy with Animated GIFs

and Public Art by D'Ignazio, C.:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uArFhp0MLw

5 Purposeful Use of [Read] • Chapter 4

Color Quiz
Textbook Chapter 4 • Chapter 4
Challenge
Assignment:
Aesthetics
Matter
• Power BI
(Appendix
4.1)
6 Visualizing [Read] • Chapter 5 Quiz
Variability • Chapter 5
Textbook Chapter 5 Discussion
[Read] Board
Multivariate • Power BI
• Multivariate data visualization and the limits of (Appendix 5.1)
visualization
human perception: https://uxdesign.cc/multivariate-
Multivariate data-visualization-and-the-limits-of-human-
Storytelling perception-60ad47b4f59f

• The Art of Effective Visualization of Multi-

dimensional Data:
https://towardsdatascience.com/the-art-of-effective-
visualization-of-multi-dimensional-data-
6c7202990c57

7 Exploring Data [Read] • Chapter 6

Visually: Discussion
Textbook Chapter 6: 6.1-6.3
Board
Multivariate
Visualization
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Week Instructional Assigned Readings Assignments

Topics

8 Exploring Data [Read] • Chapter 6

Visually: Quiz
Textbook Chapter 6: 6.4-6.6
• Power BI
Multivariate
(Appendix
Visualization
6.1)
• Chapter 6
Makeover
Assignment

9 Explaining [Read] • Chapter 7 Quiz

Visually to • Chapter 7
Textbook Chapter 7 Makeover
Influence with
Data [Watch] Assignment

https://community.storytellingwithdata.com/videos/e
mphasize-an-insight

10 Data [Read] • Chapter 8 Quiz

Dashboards: • Chapter 8
Textbook Chapter 8 Discussion
Board
• Power BI
(Appendix 8.1)
11 Telling the Truth [Read] • Chapter 9 Quiz
with Data • Chapter 9
Textbook Chapter 9 Makeover
Visualization
2019: The Year in Visual Stories and Graphics: Assignment
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/30/us/2
019-year-in-graphics.html

12 PowerBI: [Read] • Begin Final

Dashboard and Project
The Art of Successful Storytelling with Power BI
Story
https://lytix.be/the-art-of-successful-storytelling-with-
power-bi/
Do you Need a Data Story? By Amy Esselmen
https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/do-you-
need-a-data-story
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Week Instructional Assigned Readings Assignments

Topics

13 Critiques in Data [Watch & Listen] • Discussion

Visualization Board
• How Charts Lie: Getting Smarter about Visual • Quiz
How Charts Lie Information: The closing keynote by Alberto Cairo • Work on Final
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Low28hx4wyk Project

• Alberto Cairo & How charts lie, a podcast by Cole

Nussbaumer Knaflic
https://storytellingwithdata.libsyn.com/storytelling-
with-data-22-alberto-cairo-how-charts-lie

14 Data Data visualization with ethics • Discussion

Visualization Board
[Read] • Quiz
with Ethics
Ethics of Data Visualization: Avoiding Deceptive • Work on Final
Practices by Menahil Shahazad Project

https://www.analyticodigital.com/blog/ethics-of-data-
visualization-avoiding-deceptive-
practices#:~:text=Ethical%20data%20visualization%2
0refers%20to,context%20may%20convey%20mislead
ing%20messages.

15 Work on • Final Project

Software Project Due

Information in this course outline is subject to change. Instructor will announce updates in Sakai.
H. COURSE POLICIES

Courses in this program will be taught in both an asynchronous online and hybrid format. In the
executive program, students will take one (3 hour) online course, one (1hour) hybrid course, and
one (3 hour) hybrid course in order to carry a full-time course load which is required by the USCIS.

Online courses do not require students to travel to the TWU campus to complete coursework and
are not required to log-in at a specific time on certain days of the week (with the exception of a
timed assignment, such as an online exam, that is scheduled by the instructor in advance). Online
courses are accelerated and must be completed in either a 7.5-week term (Fall and Spring
semesters), or a 6.0-week term (Summer semesters). This convenient accelerated schedule requires
the student to keep current on the assigned readings, all group and individual discussion forums,
research requirements, and all graded assignments.

Hybrid courses are scheduled for 15 weeks for Fall and Spring semesters and 12 weeks for the
Summer semesters. Hybrid courses combine asynchronous online material with an intensive
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weekend residency. Executive students are required to attend a weekend residency experience each
semester that they are enrolled in the program. If a student cannot attend a weekend residency
experience, they should notify the Graduate Program Director to schedule a make-up residency.
There is a $300 fee to attend a make-up residency, and students are only allowed to attend one
make-up residency while enrolled in the program. Failure to attend either the weekend residency
or the make-up residency results in the termination of the student’s I-20.

In the online portions of the courses, attendance is measured by a high-level of participation in

weekly discussion forums, a high level of collaboration with fellow group members, and
completion of each assignment on or before the established due date. In keeping with current
business practices, students are held to a high standard of attendance and participation. This high
standard includes logging in to the virtual classroom on at least two separate days of the week and
checking the TWU e-mail account daily.

Failure to log-in to the virtual classroom on at least two separate days of the week will result in a
significant grade penalty. Zero credit will be recorded (see Late Work Policy below).

Work-related travel or military service:

• Working professionals enrolled in this program may be required to travel to fulfill their job
requirements from time-to-time.
• Students should make every effort to arrange for a high-speed internet connection during work-
related travel, in order to keep up with coursework and maintain his/her current status in the
course.
• Should a high-speed internet connection not be available during work-related travel, this may
require a short absence from the virtual classroom, not to exceed seven days. The student must
give as much notice as possible to the instructor in advance of the absence by using the TWU
e-mail system.
• The instructor will use the information provided and, if approved, make a determination about
the absence and assignments due.

Excused Absences
• Excused absences include absences due to medical and family emergencies, and absences due
to military service obligations.
• Each absence must be documented, and the instructor must be notified at least one week in
advance. If the absence was of an unforeseen or emergency nature, the instructor must be
notified as soon as possible.
• Assuming the absence can be documented, and notification was given, instructors will excuse
the absence, requiring whatever make-up work is necessary. Make-up work includes exams,
quizzes, homework, and other assignments.
• The instructor will notify the student of the deadline for the make-up work.
• Excused absences are not allowed for weekend residency or make-up residency. Failure to
attend either the weekend residency or the make-up residency results in the termination of the
student’s I-20.

LATE WORK POLICY

If a student is unable to complete an assignment on time, the student must notify the instructor
immediately using the TWU e-mail system. Any assignment submitted late, without prior approval
from the instructor, shall be subject to the following:
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• Any late assignment submitted within seven days of the due date will receive a 10% deduction.
• Any assignment submitted more than seven days past the due date will not be accepted for
grading, and a grade of zero will be recorded.
• Any assignment submitted after the final date of the course will not be accepted for grading,
and a grade of zero will be recorded.
• Discussion forums are considered “real time” and are available for engaging in dialogue with
classmates during the designated time period only. Discussion posts submitted after the forum
closes (for example, at the end of the week or end of the module) will not be accepted for
grading, and a grade of zero will be recorded.

TURNITIN PLAGIARISM DETECTION SOFTWARE

Turnitin is a plagiarism detection service included in the Assignment function of the Sakai learning system.
The software matches the student’s work to websites, articles, books, and other student papers in the
extensive Turnitin database. The software creates a report (or “score”) showing the percentage of the
assignment that matches to other sources. The instructor and student can view the report.

When using Turnitin, the student must accept the user agreement when prompted in order to allow the
program access to their assignment.

For example, a Turnitin score of 25% means that one-fourth of the paper matched to other sources in the
Turnitin database. Assignments will be submitted to Turnitin to ensure that the integrity of the TWU Honor
Code was maintained. All work must be original and created by the student, free from direct word-for-word
matches, and the Turnitin score cannot exceed 25%.

I. Honor Code Statement

Students are expected to adhere to the letter and spirit of the Honor Code and will be subject to disciplinary
action for documented instances of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism. A student who violates the
Honor Code on an assignment will receive a zero for the assignment for the first offense and a failing grade
for the course if the student commits a second offense. Students found guilty of plagiarism also will be
required to complete an online tutorial and submit a certificate of completion per the disciplinary process
for Honor Code violations published in the TWU Catalog and student handbooks.
J. Student Support Statements
Disability Statement: Any student who feels she/he may need accommodation based on the impact of a
documented disability should contact the Office of Disability Services to discuss specific needs. Please
contact The Director of the Office of Disability Services at [email protected]. It is the
student’s responsibility to make initial contact with the director.
Suicide Prevention Statement: Tennessee Wesleyan is committed to and cares about all
students. If you or someone you know at the university feels overwhelmed, hopeless, depressed,
and/or is thinking about dying by suicide, supportive services are available and effective. For immediate
help, contact the National Suicide Line at #988 or 1-800-273-8255. On campus, you may contact Dean
Mashburn in the Student Life Office, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday at 423-746-
5203.

K. Rubrics

L. Appendices