Individual Assignment
ACCT 5972 Accounting Analytics for Business Decision Making
T3 2023
Background
ABC QLD is a not-for-profit (NFP) organization located in Queensland Australia. As part of
the 2021 strategy, ABC QLD has developed an aspirational future for the organisation which
focuses on becoming an expert in youth development. To achieve the strategy, ABC QLD
commits funds raised from various sources to a range of programs across multiple geographic
areas.
To be socially responsible and ensure that the funds are used efficiently to achieve its
strategy, ABC QLD’s manager has consulted you about the possibility of setting up a data
analytics project so that you can help her understand how the organization performs. To
conduct this project, your first task is to help the manager narrow down some specific
questions.
ABC QLD has an internal data platform, which archives some data resulting from the
organization’s daily operations. The archived data includes information with respect to all
sessions/programs running over a period of 6 months across multiple locations. A detailed
data dictionary will be provided on Moodle for your access.
These archived datasets, albeit not perfect, will be provided to help your exploration of
operational activities. Because of the growing awareness that data analytics can facilitate
organizations’ performance, ABC QLD is very supportive of collating any new data items for
you may require once you have identified any sensible business questions.
Requirements:
Data analytics process can be described as IMPACT cycle. The purpose of this assignment is
to offer you an opportunity to apply the IMPACT cycle to work on a real case, although the
scope of the case has been scaled down.
The expected outcome of the assignment is a short report to present your insights
gleaning from the background information and data provided. Insights can include, but
are not limited to, how the organization performs currently and how the organization can
improve its performance. The report can inform the manager of how the organization is
operating and lays the foundation for further data analytics work.
The questions appearing in the background or requirements are vague. Please identify
business questions (at least five questions) on your own, state the identified questions clearly,
raise your hypothetical expectations and discuss the underlying reasons leading to your
expectations. As an example, a specific question can be: which program is the most popular?
Data provided in case has its own limitations. Please discuss the limitations of the data which
prevent you from exploring your questions to draw better conclusions/insights.
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When you plan your analyses, please articulate how you will explore your own identified
questions. Specifically, what tests do you want to use? Do you need new data items
collected? If so, what are those data items? How will you visualize your findings?
After articulating your plan, please execute your plan accordingly.
In communicating your insights, you are encouraged to use dashboards. There is no limit
about the number of dashboards, with 3 to 5 dashboards expected as a general guidance.
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 Format and Presentation:
Your report should be written in a manner appropriate for a formal presentation at a meeting
with the manager of ABC QLD. Please note that there will be mark deductions if these
instructions are not followed.
The Report should:
 Be typed using Times New Roman Font Size 12, double-line spacing, and margins on all sides
must be at least 2 cm wide of the A4 paper. For footnotes (if any), use font size 10 and single-
line spacing.
 Tables and diagrams must use Times New Roman Font Size 12 with single-line spacing.
 Include an executive summary. The executive summary must have its own separate page and
should not be more than 100 words. The executive summary is a plan for the report (i.e., what
you intend to write in the report) AND a summary of findings. The executive summary does
not count towards the report wordcount.
 Include an introduction and a conclusion. The introduction provides a general overview of what
the report will be about. The conclusion provides a brief overview of the contents of the reports,
highlighting major insights.
 Not exceed the following word limits:
• 2,000 words. Any writing beyond this limit will not be marked. Introduction, conclusion and
footnotes, are included in the word limit. This word limit does not include the executive summary,
bibliography and appendix (if any).
 Limit the usage of footnotes for points of clarification, not referencing. Marks may be deducted
for inappropriate uses of footnotes and appendices.
 Use appendices only for the following:
• list of major assumptions, if any;
• list of screenshots, if necessary.
 Include a bibliography and appropriate in-text references (refer to the School of Accounting’s
Guidelines on the Presentation of Written Assignments, available on Moodle).
 Consult the lecturer-in-charge if you are unsure about any of the above formatting requirements
as marks will be deducted for not complying with the formatting.
 Plagiarism:
Where it is discovered that a submission has plagiarised any part of the assignment, a mark of
zero (0) can be awarded for the assignment. Please ensure that you are aware of what constitutes
plagiarism:
https://student.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism