CS 6959-001 Spring 2025 Human-Centered Data Management

CS 6959/3960: Human-Centered Data Management

Mon/Wed, 4:35-5:55pm; WEB 1230

  • Instructor: Anna Fariha
    Office Location: WEB 2851
    Office hours: Mon & Wed, After class at the classroom
  • TA:
    • Prajwal V Atreyas <prajwal.v.atreyas@utah.edu>
    • Praneeth Chavva <praneeth.chavva@utah.edu>

TA Office Hours & Location

Day Time TA Location
Mon 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Praneeth MEB 3115
Wed 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Praneeth MEB 3115
Thu 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Praneeth MEB 3115
Fri 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM  Praneeth (Zoom) [Zoom] Link Passcode: 857734

Discussion: Piazza (Sign up Link)

Class Schedule and Important Dates

Holidays:  Follow the academic calendar.

Exam, Quiz, and Homework Dates

Event Note Due/Event Date
(all due dates are 11:59 PM MT)		 Weight
Quiz 1 In class, Duration: 40 mins Jan 29, Wed 5%
Quiz 2 In class, Duration: 30 mins Feb 19, Wed 5%
Homework 1

SQL, Spreadsheets, Data Cleaning

Release: Feb 1

 February 28, Fri 15%
Quiz 3 In class, Duration: 30 mins Mar 5, Wed 5%
Homework 2

NoSQL, Metadata Management, Data Visualization

Release: Mar 1

 Mar 28, Fri 15%
Quiz 4 In class, Duration: 30 mins Apr 2, Wed 5%
Late Mid Term In class, Duration: 70 minutes Apr 9, Wed 30%
Presentation

Present a topic in a group of 3 members.

12 minutes per group [9 min presentation + 2 min Q&A + 1 min transition]

Select topic here

 10%
Project

Individual projects. Submission Items:

(1) Demo Video with Narration

(2) PDF Poster

Proposal due: Mar 1

Final project due: Apr 21

 10%
Class participation for Bonus Points

In-class quiz

 16 classes will have in-class quiz, each worth 0.25 bonus points 4%

 

Lectures

Event Date Topic Additional Materials

Lecture 1

Slides A, Slides B,

Note 1, Note 2,

Scribe
Video

Jan 6

Course Organization and Structure, Introduction to Relational Data and SQL

Lecture 2

Slides

SQL Practice.pdf

Note-3, Note-4, Note-5, Note-6

Scribe

Video

 

Jan 8

SQL (Part 2)

SQL Practice Class [Led by the TAs]

Lecture 3

Slides

Scribe

 

Jan 13

Presentation Discussion

Spreadsheets

Programming by Example + FlashFill [Part 1]

Lecture 4

Slides

Scribe

 

Jan 15

Programming by Example + FlashFill [Part 2]

 

Jan 22

Presentation by 6 groups

 

Lecture 5

Slides

Scribe

 

Jan 27

Data Cleaning

Lecture 6

Slides

Scribe

Jan 29

Quiz 1

Project  Discussion, Missing Value Imputation & Data Wrangling

 

Feb 3

 Presentation by 6 groups

 

Lecture 7

Slides

Scribe

Feb 5

 Query by Example

Lecture 8
Slides

Scribe

 

Feb 10 

  Package Queries

Lecture 9

Slides 1, Slides 2

Scribe

 

Feb 12

 Document Summarization by Example, Data Visualization

Lecture 9 [contd...]

Slides

Feb 19

Quiz 2

Data Visualization II [Led by the TAs]
Feb 24 Presentation by 6 groups

Lecture 10

Slides

Scribe

Feb 26

 NoSQL

Lecture 11

Slides

Scribe

Mar 3

 Data Profiling, Meta-data Management, Functional Dependencies, Denial Constraints

Lecture 12

Slides

Scribe

Mar 5

 Quiz 3, Conformance Constraints, CoCo, Data Lakes, Data Discovery

Mar 17

 Presentation by 6 groups

Lecture 13
Scribe

Slides

Mar 19

 Video data analytics, Video data management system (VDBMS), Recommendation for visualization (SeeDB)

Lecture 14

Scribe

Slides

Mar 24

 Speech and natural language querying systems, Visual query languages, Spatial Query

Lecture 15

Slides

Scribe

Mar 26

 Data Exploration, Simpson's Paradox

 

Mar 31

 Presentation by 6 groups

 

Best practices for UI and UX

Slides

Scribe

Apr 2

 Quiz 4
Apr 7 Review
Apr 9 Late Mid Term

Slides

Apr 14

 Mid Term Review + Project Discussion

Lecture 16

Slides

Scribe

Apr 16

 Explainability, Data Debugging, Data Provenance, Causality

Lecture 17

Slides

Scribe

Apr 21

 Responsible Data Management, Course Feedback

 

Helpful Tutorials

Course Description

Course Type: In Person
Description: This course will cover recent trends and practices in data management with a particular focus on human-centered aspects. We will emphasizes the central role of humans in data management. The course will cover: spreadsheet systems, data cleaning and transformation systems, notebook-centric analysis tools, explanation and provenance systems, data discovery systems, approximate query processing systems, speech and natural language querying systems, text and video analysis systems, semi-structured data systems. The emphasis will be on a mix of human-centric concerns, interface ideas, and scalable data processing ideas with a focus towards the end user. Topics will include NoSQL and other structured data systems, data systems usability and accessibility tools such as visual query languages, speech-based query languages, query by example, etc. The course will cover best practices for user interface (UI) design for data-management systems, user interactions, user modeling, and user experience (UX). The course will also cover recent tools and techniques for enhancing data quality such as data cleaning, wrangling, transformation, meta-data management, and tools and techniques for data discovery, exploration, visualization, debugging, and data provenance. The course will have an emphasis on building usable tools for data analysis tasks and how data systems should be designed to assist their users in computation and analysis. 

Prerequisites

  • CS 3500
  • Python
  • Basic probability and statistics (e.g. MATH 1040, review)
  • Some basic understanding of SQL and Relational DBMS is good, but I will cover some basics during the first few lectures.

Course Materials

  • All course materials will be available on Canvas. All materials for this course are copyrighted. Do not distribute or share course resources without instructor permission.
  • Slides used in lectures will be made available on Canvas.
  • Additional reading materials will also be made available on Canvas.
  • There is no required textbook.

Course Outcomes

By the end of the course, you will:

  • Be able understand the aspect of humans-centeredness in the design of data systems.
  • Have familiarity with spreadsheet systems and be comfortable with common spreadsheet operations.
  • Be able to use common data cleaning and wrangling tools.
  • Have familiarity with speech and natural language-based querying systems, visual query languages, and query by example.
  • Develop new ideas for interface design for enhancing data-systems usability and have knowledge about the best practices for designing UX and UI.
  • Be proficient in NoSQL and other structured data systems.

Academic Honesty Statement

Since the integrity of the academic enterprise of any institution of higher education requires honesty in scholarship and research, academic honesty is required of all students at the University of Utah. Academic dishonesty is prohibited in all programs of the University. Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to: cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and facilitating dishonesty. Appropriate sanctions may be imposed on any student who has committed an act of academic dishonesty. Instructors should take reasonable steps to address academic misconduct. Any person who has reason to believe that a student has committed academic dishonesty should bring such information to the attention of the appropriate course instructor as soon as possible. Instances of academic dishonesty not related to a specific course should be brought to the attention of the appropriate department Head or Chair. Since students are expected to be familiar with this policy and the commonly accepted standards of academic integrity, ignorance of such standards is not normally sufficient evidence of lack of intent.

Check out the following policies for more information:

1. https://deanofstudents.utah.edu/accountability/academic.php

2. https://www.price.utah.edu/students/current/semester-guidelines

3. https://handbook.cs.utah.edu/2024-2025/CS/Academics/policies.php

 

Any sort of academic dishonesty will result into:

  • 0 for that assignment (homework assignment, quiz, exams)
  • An additional grade reduction for the class.
  • A filing with the Academic Dishonesty board.

Examples of academic dishonesty

  • Searching for homework solutions in the Internet and using it.
  • Searching for any part of the homework solutions in the Internet.
  • Collaborating/copying with any other current/past student of the class, or anyone else, while doing homework assignments.
  • Using any AI tool (such as ChatGPT) to generate (or validate) solutions of homework assignments.

Course Policies

Communication

  • All course materials, such as lecture slides, homework assignments, grades, etc. will be posted on Canvas. Class announcements will be done via  Piazza/in-class/emails.
  • Regularly check your UMail, CANVAS, and Piazza.
  • Electronic or equipment failure: It is your responsibility to maintain your computer and related equipment in order to participate in the online portion of the course. Equipment failures will not be an acceptable excuse for late or absent assignments.
  • Online submissions: You are responsible for submitting the assignment with the required naming convention, correct file extension, and using the software type and version required for the assignment.

Assignments, Assessment and Grading

  • Homework:  Two homework assignments will be distributed. You can use up to a total of 5 late days for all the homework assignments. No credits will be given for any further late submission after you have used up all your 5 late days. For example, you can use 2 days for the first one and 3 days for the second one.
  • Quizzes: There will be 4 quizzes.
  • Exam: There will be one (late) mid-term. There will be NO final.
  • Project:  All projects are individual project. There are two kinds of projects. Undergrad level and Graduate-Level. More details will be provided later. Graduate-level project will be more demanding than undergraduate-level project.
  • Presentation: Form a group of up to 3 members for a class presentation. You can choose a topic from the list given here. Put your names next to the topic of your choosing. Make sure all members are available during the presentation day. Failure to present on your chosen date will result in zero for presentation.
  • Regrades: All regrade requests must be submitted within 3 days of the grades being released. No late requests for regrades will be entertained. All regrade requests must be submitted via Gradescope. No oral regrade requests will be accepted.
  • Grading: The following chart denotes the minimum grade you will get for each number ranges. For example, if your total score is 87, you will receive no less than a grade of B+.

 

Score GPA

A

93-100

4.0

A-

90-92.99

3.7

B+

87-89.99

3.3

B

83-86.99

3.0

B-

80-82.99

2.7

C+

77-79.99

2.3

C

73-76.99

2.0

C-

70-72.99

1.7

D+

67-69.99

1.3

D

63-66.99

1.0

D-

60-62.99

0.7

E

0-59.99

0.0

 

University Policies

  1. The Americans with Disabilities Act. The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services, and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need accommodations in this class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Olpin Union Building, (801) 581-5020. CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations. All written information in this course can be made available in an alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability Services.
  2. University Safety Statement. The University of Utah values the safety of all campus community members. To report suspicious activity or to request a courtesy escort, call campus police at 801-585-COPS (801-585-2677). You will receive important emergency alerts and safety messages regarding campus safety via text message. For more information regarding safety and to view available training resources, including helpful videos, visit safeu.utah.edu.
  3. Addressing Sexual Misconduct. Title IX makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender (which Includes sexual orientation and gender identity/expression) is a civil rights offense subject to the same kinds of accountability and the same kinds of support applied to offenses against other protected categories such as race, national origin, color, religion, age, status as a person with a disability, veteran’s status or genetic information.  If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted, you are encouraged to report it to the Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, 135 Park Building, 801-581-8365, or the Office of the Dean of Students, 270 Union Building, 801-581-7066.  For support and confidential consultation, contact the Center for Student Wellness, 426 SSB, 801-581-7776.  To report to the police, contact the Department of Public Safety, 801-585-2677(COPS).
  4. COVID-19 - see coronavirus.utah.edu
  5. Undocumented Student Support Statement. Immigration is a complex phenomenon with broad impact—those who are directly affected by it, as well as those who are indirectly affected by their relationships with family members, friends, and loved ones. If your immigration status presents obstacles to engaging in specific activities or fulfilling specific course criteria, confidential arrangements may be requested from the Dream Center. Arrangements with the Dream Center will not jeopardize your student status, your financial aid, or any other part of your residence. The Dream Center offers a wide range of resources to support undocumented students (with and without DACA) as well as students from mixed-status families. To learn more, please contact the Dream Center at 801.213.3697 or visit dream.utah.edu.
  6. Drop/Withdrawal Policies. Students may drop a course within the first two weeks of a given semester without any penalties. Students may officially withdraw (W) from a class or all classes after the drop deadline through the midpoint of a course. A “W” grade is recorded on the transcript and appropriate tuition/fees are assessed. The grade “W” is not used in calculating the student’s GPA. For deadlines to withdraw from full-term, first, and second session classes, see the U's Academic Calendar.
  7. Other important information.
  8. Student Mental Health Resources
    • Rates of burnout, anxiety, depression, isolation, and loneliness have noticeably increased during the pandemic. If you need help, reach out for campus mental health resources, including counseling, trainings and other support.
    • Consider participating in a  Mental Health First Aid or other  wellness-themed training provided by our Center for Student Wellness and sharing these opportunities with your peers, teaching assistants and department colleagues
  9. Student Support. Your success at the University of Utah is important to all of us here! If you feel like you need extra support in academics, overcoming personal difficulties, or finding community, the U is here for you.

    Student Support Services (TRIO)

    TRIO federal programs are targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities.

    Student Support Services (SSS) is a TRIO program for current or incoming undergraduate university students who are seeking their first bachelor's degree and need academic assistance and other services to be successful at the University of Utah.

    For more information about what support they provide, a list of ongoing events, and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

    Student Support Services (TRIO)
    801-581-7188
    trio.utah.edu
    Room 2075 
    1901 E. S. Campus Dr.
    Salt Lake City, UT 84112

    American Indian Students

    The AIRC works to increase American Indian student visibility and success on campus by advocating for and providing student centered programs and tools to enhance academic success, cultural events to promote personal well-being, and a supportive “home-away-from-home” space for students to grow and develop leadership skills. 

    For more information about what support they provide, a list of ongoing events, and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

    American Indian Resource Center
    801-581-7019
    diversity.utah.edu/centers/airc
    Fort Douglas Building 622
    1925 De Trobriand St.
    Salt Lake City, UT 84113

    Black Students

    Using a pan-African lens, the Black Cultural Center seeks to counteract persistent campus-wide and global anti-blackness. The Black Cultural Center works to holistically enrich, educate, and advocate for students, faculty, and staff through Black centered programming, culturally affirming educational initiatives, and retention strategies.

    For more information about what support they provide, a list of ongoing events, and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

    Black Cultural Center
    801-213-1441
    diversity.utah.edu/centers/bcc
    Fort Douglas Building 603
    95 Fort Douglas Blvd.
    Salt Lake City, UT 84113

    Students with Children

    Our mission is to support and coordinate information, program development and services that enhance family resources as well as the availability, affordability and quality of child care for University students, faculty and staff.

    For more information about what support they provide, a list of ongoing events, and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

    Center for Childcare & Family Resources
    801-585-5897
    childcare.utah.edu
    408 Union Building
    200 S. Central Campus Dr.
    Salt Lake City, UT 84112

    Students with Disabilities

    The Center for Disability Services is dedicated to serving students with disabilities by providing the opportunity for success and equal access at the University of Utah. They also strive to create an inclusive, safe, and respectful environment.

    For more information about what support they provide and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

    Center for Disability Services
    801-581-5020
    disability.utah.edu
    162 Union Building
    200 S. Central Campus Dr.
    Salt Lake City, UT 84112

    Students of Ethnic Descent

    The Center for Ethnic Student Affairs offers several programs dedicated to the success of students with varied cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Their mission is to create an inclusive, safe campus community that values the experiences of all students.

    For more information about what support they provide, a list of ongoing events, and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

    Center for Ethnic Student Affairs
    801-581-8151
    diversity.utah.edu/centers/cesa/
    235 Union Building
    200 S. Central Campus Dr.
    Salt Lake City, UT 84112

    English as a Second/Additional Language (ESL) Students

    If you are an English language learner, there are several resources on campus available to help you develop your English writing and language skills. Feel free to contact:

    Writing Center
    801-587-9122
    writingcenter.utah.edu
    2701 Marriott Library
    295 S 1500 E
    Salt Lake City, UT 84112

    English Language Institute
    801-581-4600
    continue.utah.edu/eli
    540 Arapeen Dr.
    Salt Lake City, UT 84108

    Undocumented Students

    Immigration is a complex phenomenon with broad impact—those who are directly affected by it, as well as those who are indirectly affected by their relationships with family members, friends, and loved ones. If your immigration status presents obstacles that prevent you from engaging in specific activities or fulfilling specific course criteria, confidential arrangements may be requested from the Dream Center.

    Arrangements with the Dream Center will not jeopardize your student status, your financial aid, or any other part of your residence. The Dream Center offers a wide range of resources to support undocumented students (with and without DACA) as well as students from mixed-status families.

    For more information about what support they provide and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

    Dream Center
    801-213-3697
    dream.utah.edu
    1120 Annex (Wing B)
    1901 E. S. Campus Dr.
    Salt Lake City, UT 84112

    LGBTQ+ Students

    The LGBTQ+ Resource Center acts in accountability with the campus community by identifying the needs of people with a queer range of [a]gender and [a]sexual experiences and responding with university-wide services.

    For more information about what support they provide, a list of ongoing events, and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

    LGBTQ+ Resource Center
    801-587-7973
    lgbt.utah.edu
    409 Union Building
    200 S. Central Campus Dr.
    Salt Lake City, UT 84112

    Veterans & Military Students

    The mission of the Veterans Support Center is to improve and enhance the individual and academic success of veterans, service members, and their family members who attend the university; to help them receive the benefits they earned; and to serve as a liaison between the student veteran community and the university.

    For more information about what support they provide, a list of ongoing events, and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

    Veterans Support Center
    801-587-7722
    veteranscenter.utah.edu
    418 Union Building
    200 S. Central Campus Dr.
    Salt Lake City, UT 84112

    Women

    The Women’s Resource Center (WRC) at the University of Utah serves as the central resource for educational and support services for women. Honoring the complexities of women’s identities, the WRC facilitates choices and changes through programs, counseling, and training grounded in a commitment to advance social justice and equality.

    For more information about what support they provide, a list of ongoing events, and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

    Women's Resource Center
    801-581-8030
    womenscenter.utah.edu
    411 Union Building
    200 S. Central Campus Dr.
    Salt Lake City, UT 84112

    Inclusivity at the U

    The Office for Inclusive Excellence is here to engage, support, and advance an environment fostering the values of respect, diversity, equity, inclusivity, and academic excellence for students in our increasingly global campus community. They also handle reports of bias in the classroom as outlined below:

    Bias or hate incidents consist of speech, conduct, or some other form of expression or action that is motivated wholly or in part by prejudice or bias whose impact discriminates, demeans, embarrasses, assigns stereotypes, harasses, or excludes individuals because of their race, color, ethnicity, national origin, language, sex, size, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, or religion.

    For more information about what support they provide and links to other resources, or to report a bias incident, view their website or contact:

    Office for Inclusive Excellence
    801-581-4600
    inclusive-excellence.utah.edu
    170 Annex (Wing D)
    1901 E. S. Campus Dr.
    Salt Lake City, UT 84112

    Other Student Groups at the U

    To learn more about some of the other resource groups available at the U, check out:

    getinvolved.utah.edu
    studentsuccess.utah.edu/resources/student-support

    See more guidelines

Acknowledgements

Some of the course materials are generously provided by Prof. Alexandra Meliou, UMass Amherst.