Class Intro

ISOM 675 · Data Visualization

Prasanna Parasurama

About me

• Assistant Professor, Information Systems and Operations Management
• Research focus: AI, labor markets, and online platforms
• Fourth year at Emory
  • Before Emory: UMich (undergrad), San Francisco (industry), NYU (PhD)

About you

• Name
• Relevant background
  • Education
  • Industry experience
• Why MSBA?

About this course—what you will learn

• Fundamentals and principles of data visualization
• How to read, interpret, and evaluate data visualizations
• How to create good data visualizations
  • For exploratory data analysis
  • To effectively communicate data stories to others

Tech stack

• Tableau—get the student version
• Python / Altair; some R / ggplot2
• Quarto and marimo for notebooks and publishing
• VS Code or Cursor for an IDE
• Codex for agentic AI coding
  • Four months of ChatGPT Plus free for eligible students

Course site and Canvas

• Course site
  • Lectures and course materials
• Canvas
  • Quizzes
  • Assignments
  • Grades
  • Announcements

Course components

Component	Weight
Attendance and participation	5%
Canvas quizzes and assignments	25%
Projects	20%
Midterm exam	20%
Final exam	30%

Attendance and participation

• Attendance is mandatory—there will be a sign-in sheet.
• You can miss up to two classes without penalty.
• Scheduled presentation days are exceptions.

Quizzes

• In-class quiz after each module
• 10 questions
• 15 minutes
• Closed book
• LockDown Browser

Required readings

• Readings will be available on the course site or Canvas.
• Questions from the readings may appear on quizzes.

Projects

• One Python-based project
• One Tableau-based project
• More information later

Midterm exam

• Conceptual and application-based questions
• Multiple choice
• Closed book
• More information later

Final exam

• Conceptual and practical questions
• Closed book
• More information later

Policy on AI use

• AI is powerful, and its capabilities are improving rapidly.
• It can enhance learning or replace learning.
• My goal is to teach you how to use AI tools without replacing your learning.
• Assignments and projects: AI use is allowed.
• Quizzes and exams: AI use is prohibited.
  • These are closed-book assessments.
  • They account for approximately 65% of your grade.

A cautionary tale on AI and learning

Source: Strömberg, Lei, and Wu (2026); visualization from The Economist, August 18, 2026.