Week 7: Assessment 2 Preparation - Methodology Presentation

Week 7: Building Your 8-Minute Methodology Story

Today's Mission

Build a presentation-ready methodology flow chart
Evaluate your model results for business impact
Structure your 8-minute presentation

Your Deliverable: Draft presentation slides ready for practice

⏰ Next Week is Presentation Week!
Assessment 2 is worth 30% of your final grade. Today we prepare you to succeed.

What You're Presenting Next Week

1. Data Analytics Methodology

The method you chose + why
Flow chart showing your framework
Input/output specifications

2. Visualisation & Evaluation

Descriptive analytics insights
Predictive analytics insights
Model evaluation + significance

3. Results Summary

Broad results
Business insights
Limitations & extensions

Duration: 8 minutes total (±10% = 7.2 to 8.8 minutes)
Submission: Upload to Turnitin BEFORE class AND present in-class

Creating Your Methodology Flow Chart

The MAP Framework

MAP = Method → Actions → Prerequisites

Method	Actions	Prerequisites
What technique?	What steps did you take?	What data/tools needed?
E.g., Linear Regression	1. Data cleaning 2. Feature selection 3. Model training 4. Validation	• Clean dataset • Python/Orange • Training/test split

Your flow chart must show: Data IN → Processing steps → Model → Results OUT

What Good Looks Like

Classification Flow Chart

Raw Data (1000 records)
↓ Data Cleaning (removed 50 duplicates)
↓ Feature Selection (12 features)
↓ Train/Test Split (70/30)
↓ Random Forest Model
↓ Confusion Matrix + Accuracy

Regression Flow Chart

Historical Sales Data
↓ Handle Missing Values (median imputation)
↓ Feature Engineering (seasonal variables)
↓ Linear Regression Model
↓ R² Score + Predictions

❓ What's wrong with this flow chart: "Data → Model → Results"?

A) Nothing, it's fine

B) Missing critical steps: cleaning, feature selection, validation

C) Too detailed

✓ Correct! A flow chart must show the intermediate steps. "Data → Model → Results" skips essential processes like data cleaning, feature selection, train/test split, and validation methodology.

Evaluating Your Model Results

The VIBE Evaluation Framework

V - Validity

Is your model accurate?

Metrics: Accuracy %, R², RMSE
Example: "Model achieved 87% accuracy"

I - Insights

What did you learn?

Patterns discovered
Example: "Customer age is the strongest predictor"

B - Business Value

So what? Why does this matter?

Business impact
Example: "Can reduce churn by 23%"

E - Extensions

What could improve this?

Limitations recognized
Example: "More historical data needed"

⚠️ Checkpoint: You must address ALL four areas in your presentation

Making Your Visuals Presentation-Ready

The CLEAR Checklist

Captions: Every chart has a descriptive title
Labels: Axes labeled with units
Explanation: You can explain what the chart shows in 30 seconds
Action: Chart supports a specific claim or insight
Readable: Text large enough to read from back of room

❌ BAD Example

Chart title: "Graph 1"

Y-axis: "Variable 1"

X-axis: Unlabeled

Problem: No one knows what this shows!

✓ GOOD Example

Chart title: "Monthly Revenue by Product Category (2024)"

Y-axis: "Revenue ($1000s)"

X-axis: "Month"

Result: Clear, actionable, professional!

❓ Which visualization type for showing sales trends over time?

A) Bar chart

B) Line chart

C) Pie chart

D) Scatter plot

✓ Correct! Line charts are ideal for showing trends over time because they emphasize continuity and change patterns. The connected lines help viewers see upward/downward trends clearly.

You Need BOTH Types

DESCRIPTIVE Analytics

Shows: What happened?

Example charts:

Bar chart of sales by region
Histogram of customer age
Correlation heatmap
Time series of revenue

You need minimum 2

PREDICTIVE Analytics

Shows: What will happen?

Example visuals:

Confusion matrix
ROC curve
Actual vs predicted plot
Feature importance chart

You need minimum 2

⚠️ Critical Requirement: Missing either type = significant mark deduction
You cannot present 4 descriptive charts and 0 predictive charts, or vice versa!

How to Allocate Your Time

The 8-Minute Structure

0:00 - 2:00 → METHODOLOGY (25%)
Flow chart + method explanation

2:00 - 5:00 → VISUALIZATIONS (37.5%)
• Descriptive insights (1-2 mins)
• Predictive insights (1-2 mins)

5:00 - 7:00 → RESULTS & IMPACT (25%)
Business insights + Limitations

7:00 - 8:00 → SUMMARY (12.5%)
Key takeaway + Next steps

Acceptable range: ±10% = 7.2 to 8.8 minutes
Pro tip: Aim for 7.5 minutes to leave room for nervousness/pacing

What Loses You Marks

Common Presentation Pitfalls

❌ No flow chart

Can't visualize your process

❌ Only descriptive OR only predictive

Both required by rubric

❌ Reading slides word-for-word

Sounds robotic, loses engagement

❌ Over 8.8 minutes

Will be stopped, marks deducted

❌ Unlabeled visualizations

Can't interpret, unprofessional

❌ No business connection

"So what?" - Missing the point

❓ Student presents 4 descriptive charts and 0 predictive charts. What's the problem?

A) Too many charts total

B) Must show BOTH descriptive and predictive analytics

C) Charts need better colors

✓ Correct! The assessment explicitly requires visualization of BOTH descriptive and predictive analytics. Showing only one type means you haven't completed the full analytical cycle required for Assessment 2.

Common Metrics by Method Type

Model Evaluation - Quick Reference

Method Type	Key Metrics	What They Mean
Classification	• Accuracy • Precision • Recall • F1-Score	• % correct predictions • Of predicted positives, % truly positive • Of actual positives, % caught • Balance of precision & recall
Regression	• R² • RMSE • MAE	• % variance explained • Average error size • Average absolute error
Clustering	• Silhouette score • Inertia • Davies-Bouldin Index	• How well separated clusters are • Within-cluster distance • Cluster quality measure

Pro Tip: Choose 2-3 metrics most relevant to your business problem.
Don't just list metrics - explain what they mean for YOUR specific context.

The "Because" Bridge

Connecting Method to Business Problem

Formula

"I used [METHOD] BECAUSE [BUSINESS NEED]"

✓ GOOD Examples

"I used classification because we need to predict which customers will churn"
"I used regression because we need to forecast quarterly revenue"
"I used clustering because we need to segment customers for targeted marketing"

❌ BAD Example

"I used random forest"

Problem: Where's the business justification? This sounds like you picked it randomly!

❓ Why does the business reason matter if the method works technically?

A) It doesn't - results are what matter

B) Shows you understand the problem, not just the technique

C) Makes the presentation longer

✓ Correct! Business stakeholders need to know you selected the right tool for the right reason. It demonstrates strategic thinking and ensures your technical work aligns with business objectives.

How Technical Should You Be?

Technical Detail Balance

TOO SIMPLE
"I used AI"

JUST RIGHT ✓
"I used Random Forest with 100 trees to classify customers"

TOO TECHNICAL
"I used Random Forest with Gini impurity criterion, max_depth=10, min_samples_split=2..."

Rule of Thumb

State the method name (e.g., "Random Forest", "Linear Regression")
Explain key parameters in business terms (e.g., "100 decision trees for robustness")
Mention data size/split (e.g., "1000 records, 70/30 train/test split")
Skip code-level details (e.g., don't explain hyperparameters)

Target Audience: Business stakeholders who understand analytics but aren't data scientists
Think: Your project manager or department head, not your technical team lead

Limitations Aren't Weaknesses

The FIND Framework for Limitations

F - Finding

What limitation exists?

Example: "Limited to 6 months of data"

I - Impact

How does it affect results?

Example: "May not capture seasonal patterns"

N - Next Step

What would address it?

Example: "Collect 2+ years of data"

D - Data Need

What additional data would help?

Example: "Historical records from 2023"

Why This Matters: Acknowledging limitations shows critical thinking and self-awareness. It demonstrates you understand your analysis deeply and can think about improvement paths.

This is a strength, not a weakness! Professionals always discuss scope and limitations.

Workshop: Build Your Flow Chart

Activity 1: Flow Chart Draft (20 minutes)

Instructions:

Open PowerPoint/Google Slides
Create ONE slide with your methodology flow chart
Use shapes and arrows to show the flow
Must include:
- Data source (with size, e.g., "1000 customer records")
- Processing steps (at least 3 specific steps)
- Method used (specific technique name)
- Output/evaluation (metrics and results)

Success Criteria:

Someone unfamiliar with your project can understand your process
Shows WHAT you did, not just WHAT you used
Includes data quantities (records, features, split ratios)
Clear arrows showing flow from start to finish

Workshop: Check Your Visualizations

Activity 2: Visualization Audit (15 minutes)

Open your current visualizations and complete this checklist:

Visualization #	Type (Desc/Pred)	Has title?	Axes labeled?	Can explain in 30s?	Business insight clear?
1.
2.
3.
4.

Minimum Requirements:
✓ 2+ descriptive visualizations (marked as "Desc")
✓ 2+ predictive visualizations (marked as "Pred")
✓ ALL "Yes" in quality columns (title, labels, explainable, business insight)

Before Week 8, You Must Have:

Pre-Flight Checklist

Content Ready:

Methodology flow chart completed
2+ descriptive visualizations (labeled and titled)
2+ predictive visualizations (labeled and titled)
Model evaluation metrics calculated and interpreted
Business insights documented (3+ insights)
Limitations identified (2+ limitations)

Presentation Ready:

Presentation slides created
Presentation practiced and timed (7.2-8.8 minutes)
File ready to upload to Turnitin
Notes prepared (but not reading word-for-word)
Backup plan for technical issues

🚨 CRITICAL: Upload to Turnitin BEFORE your class starts next week
Late submission penalties apply even for technical issues!

How to Practice Your 8-Minute Presentation

Timing Practice Technique

Stage 1: Slow Read (10-12 mins)
• Present with notes in front of you
• Focus on clarity and understanding
• Get familiar with the flow
• Don't worry about time yet

Stage 2: Natural Pace (8-9 mins)
• Present with minimal notes
• Focus on natural explanations
• Time yourself with a stopwatch
• Identify sections that run long

Stage 3: Polished (7-8 mins)
• Present without reading
• Focus on engagement and flow
• Final timing check
• Make adjustments to stay within 8 minutes

Pro Tips:
📹 Record yourself once - you'll spot issues immediately
👥 Present to a friend or family member for feedback
⏱️ If you're consistently over 8 minutes, remove a slide or shorten explanations
🎯 Aim for 7.5 minutes to leave room for nervousness

Turnitin Upload Requirements

What to Upload vs What to Present

Upload to Turnitin (BEFORE class)

Complete slide deck (all slides)
References included on final slide
Appendix if needed (data sources, additional charts)
Your name and student ID on title slide

Important: The uploaded file can have 20+ slides

Present in Class

Key slides only (not every slide)
Focus on: flow chart, visualizations, results
8 minutes maximum
Can skip appendix/reference slides during presentation

Strategy: You can have 20 slides uploaded but only present 8-10 of them

File Format: Upload as PowerPoint (.pptx) or PDF
File Name: StudentID_LastName_Assessment2.pptx
Deadline: Before your Week 8 class session begins

Week 8 Presentation Day

What Happens Next Week

The Presentation Process

Upload presentation to Turnitin BEFORE class
Arrive early for technical setup (connect laptop, test slides)
Present 8 minutes (will be timed)
Brief Q&A (2-3 minutes)
Feedback provided by instructor

Flow Chart Clarity

20% of marks

Clear, complete, logical process shown

Visualization Quality

30% of marks

Both types shown, well-labeled, insightful

Model Evaluation

30% of marks

Metrics explained, business impact clear

Business Relevance

20% of marks

Insights actionable, limitations acknowledged

Remember: This is 30% of your final grade - preparation today determines success next week!

Q&A and Workshop Completion

Questions? Let's Finalize Your Approach

Open Floor For:

Flow chart feedback and review
Visualization questions and troubleshooting
Timing concerns and pacing strategies
Technical issues (software, data, methods)
Clarification on rubric requirements

Before You Leave Today:

Complete your flow chart draft
Audit your visualizations
Know your 8-minute structure
Identify any gaps to work on

Next Week:

Upload to Turnitin before class
Arrive early for setup
Be ready to present!
Bring questions for Q&A

You've got this! 🎯
Use today's frameworks, practice your timing, and you'll deliver a strong presentation.