BI

INSC 40843
Business Intelligence & Analytics
Fall 2026

Instructor:	Dr. David S. Preston, PhD
Class Sections	Section 055: Tues/Thurs (12:30-1:50 p.m.) - Neeley 1519 Section 065: Tues/Thurs (2:00-3:20 p.m.) - Neeley 1519
Course Web Site:	http://sbuweb.tcu.edu/dpreston/BI/BI-fall2026.htm
E-mail Address:	d.preston@tcu.edu
Office:	Hays 3249; 817-257-6154
Office Hours:	Thurs 8:30-10:30am and by appointment

Administrative

Class Syllabus

TCU Online (D2L)

Slides

Slides: Introduction to BI & Analytics

Slides: Data Pitfalls

Slides: Competitive Advantage

Slides: Moneyball Debrief

Slides: CodeBreaking Algorithms

Slides: Blockchain ; Nakamoto-Bitcoin Paper

Access to TCU Online Library:
- go to TCU Mary Couts Burnett Library, click top tab "Databases" then "B", scroll down to "Business Source Complete"

Assignments

There are 8 individual Assignment options: Top 6 Assignments count (drop/skip any 2)
Assign1: WSJ-A: "Tech Career"
Assign2: WSJ-B: "The Tech Workplace"
Assign3: WSJ-C: "Sports Analytics"
Assign4: WSJ-D: "Industry Applications of Analytics"
Assign5: Alteryx Assignment
Assign6: Tableau Assignment
Assign7: Case-A: "Data/Digital Strategy"
Assign8: Case-B: "Managerial Analytics"

Wall Street Journal (WSJ) Readings
There are 4 Assignments related to WSJ Readings. TCU students have access to a full WSJ online version.
Register via the following link: www.WSJ.com/TCU

I have setup a WSJ course "BI and Analytics" which includes 4 readings lists corresponding to the 4 WSJ assignments.
The link to the WSJ course is https://context.wsj.com/class/013980f0-5e26-11f1-bacd-65c12ad06fe6
WSJ-A: "Tech Career"

- "The $900,000 AI Job Is Here"

- “Tech Job Seekers Without AI Skills Face a New Reality: Lower Salaries and Fewer Roles”
- “The Tech Jobs That Are Safe From AI”

- “The New Career Odyssey Waiting for Today’s College Grads”dd
WSJ-B: "The Tech Workplace"
- “Why It Pays for Startups to Move to Silicon Valley”
- “The Power of Finding the Sweet Spot of Hybrid Work”
- “The Remote-Work Dream Isn’t Dead, but It’s Slipping Away”
- “Too Much Work to Do? Have Your Digital Twin Handle It”
WSJ-C: "Sports Analytics"
- “How Science Built the Best Shooter in the NBA Draft”
- “The Data-Obsessed Coach Who’s Challenging College Basketball’s Golden Rule”
- “How the ‘Moneyball’ Oakland A’s Reinvented Baseball and Beyond”
- “The ‘Moneyball’ Firm Behind Your Chicken”
- “How a Pro Gambler and a Secret Database Turned a 150-1 Long Shot Into a Soccer Miracle”
WSJ-D: "Industry Applications of Analytics"
- “AI Is Helping Scammers Outsmart You - and Your Bank”
- “Private Equity Recruits Data-Science Talent as Industry Tackles Machine Learning”
- “AI-Generated Data Could Be a Boon for Healthcare—If Only It Seemed More Real”
- “Big Subsidies for Google, Limited Water for Locals: The Dilemma of AI in India”
- “Now Tech Moguls Want to Build Data Centers in Outer Space”

Case Studies
There are two case studies outlined below.
Access to articles - go to TCU Mary Couts Burnett Library, click top tab "Databases" then "B", scroll down to "Business Source Complete".
You can also find articles directly via google search
One page single spaced (12 pt font) is the maximum for each of these case assignments
Case-A: “Data Strategy”
i) “Why Your Company Needs a Chief Data, Analytics, and AI Officer”. (Harvard Business Review – Gopal et al.)
ii. “Why Your Digital Investments Aren't Creating Value” (Harvard Business Review – Sinha et al.)
iii) “When It Comes to Long-Term Value, Incumbents Should Think Like Digital Disruptors”. (Harvard Business Review - Furr and Chakraborty)
iv) “The High Cost of Misaligned Business and Analytics Goals.” (Harvard Business Review – Sainam et al.)

Case-B: “Managerial Analytics”
i) “Better People Analytics: Measure Who They Know, Not Just Who They Are.” (Harvard Business Review – Leonardi and Contractor)
ii) “When to Give Employees Access to Data and Analytics: Five Criteria to Determine when -- and to what Degree -- to Democratize Data.” (Harvard Business Review – Shapiro)
iii) Where Data-Driven Decision-Making Can Go Wrong.” (Harvard Business Review – Luca and Edmondson)
iv) Video: “The Inevitable Decline of WeWork”

Data Analysis Exercises

Cluster Analysis: Law School Salary Data

Code Breaking Exercise

HR Analytics: Tech Firm Employee Performance Data

Correlation Values

Technology Project

Technology Project Description

Technology Project Peer Evaluation Form (optional)

Alteryx Resources

Alteryx License - Student Verification (Why Learn Alteryx - click button "Sign Up Now")
Alteryx requires a PC for installation

Notes for Installing Alteryx Designer (install the following order if given the option)
1. “Non-Admin Alteryx Designer” (make sure to install first)
2. “Non-Admin Alteryx Designer Patch” (if provided this option)
3. “Non-Admin Alteryx Predictive Tools”

Create an account in the Alteryx Community

Tableau Resources

Tableau website: www.tableausoftware.com

Tableau Student License: http://www.tableausoftware.com/academic/students

Tableau Website Login
- go to www.tableausoftware.com

Alteryx-Tableau Project

Alteryx-Tableau Project Description

Alteryx-Tableau Project Teams (Section 055)
Alteryx-Tableau Project Teams (Section 065)

Alteryx-Tableau Project Peer Evaluation Form (optional)

Dirty Data for Alteryx Data Cleanup:

Data Cleansing Exercise - CoffeeChain Dirty Data

Data Cleansing Exercise - Superstore Dirty Data (Assignment 5)