Live Case – Project
Using Data Science to Improve Business Processes and Outcomes for Donatos Pizza
A Collaboration Between
Donatos Pizza is looking for support in designing strategies for extracting and leveraging business-focused insights from data.
Design and recommend AI and ML strategies for expanding on our capacity to leverage data for better decision-making. For instance, develop a system for using artificial intelligence to expand upon our capabilities to leverage customer and transactional data. As another example, create an algorithm for machine learning that analyzes costumer data to predict future purchasing patterns with confidence (within + / – 10%).
System/Process:
-Increased reliance on actionable data for making business decisions
-Improvement over current predictive models
-Customer segment targeting
-Increased automation and efficiency, reduced waste
Business KPI’s:
Project Topics
Data Management
Company Information
| Company | Donatos Pizza |
| HQ | Gahanna, OH |
| Revenue | N/A |
| Employees | 500-2500 |
| Stage | Large Enterprise |
| Hiring Potential | Follow-on Projects, Formal Internship, Entry Level Full-Time |
| Website | https://www.donatos.com/ |
Company Overview
Donatos Pizza is a pizza delivery restaurant franchisor headquartered in Gahanna, Ohio, United States. It has nearly 200 locations in eleven states, with the majority of locations in Ohio.
Experiential Learning Program Details
| School | Northern Illinois University (NIU) |
| Engagement Format | Live Case - Think "Hackathon" or Case Competition with a whole class of students! This learning format allows educators to deliver experiential learning to students at scale. Students are often split into groups to work on a live case (or a series of cases) from a real host company that directly relates to key learning objectives. |
| Course | Business in Action, Fall 2022 (Collum) – Donatos |
| Level |
|
| Students Enrolled | 40 |
| Meeting Day & Time | Online MW 6:00 - 8:40 pm CT |
| Student Time Commitment | 4-7 Hours Per Week |
| Company Time Commitment | 1 Hour |
| Duration | 7.57 Weeks |
Program Timeline
| Touchpoints & Assignments | Due Date | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
FALL A: Company & Projects Reveal
FALL A: Company & Projects Reveal
Students enrolled in FALL A (August - October 2022) are introduced to the company and projects.
|
August 29th, 2022 | Event na | |
|
Confidentiality Agreement
Confidentiality Agreement
During this program, you'll be working on a real project posed by a real industry partner. By registering for the CapSource system and participating in this Program, you are bound by the Rules of Engagement, including strict confidentiality of information shared with you. Please be respectful and professional.
|
September 5th, 2022 | Event na | |
|
Fall A: Announce Teams
Fall A: Announce Teams
Teams are announced for students enrolled in FALL A (August - October 2022).
|
September 7th, 2022 | Event na | |
|
FALL A: Official Project Launch
FALL A: Official Project Launch
Project launch and company visit with students enrolled in FALL A (August - October 2022)
|
September 12th, 2022 | Event na | |
|
FALL A: Deliverable 1 Due
FALL A: Deliverable 1 Due
Students enrolled in FALL A (August - October 2022) submit Deliverable 1.
|
September 19th, 2022 | Submission Required submission-required | |
|
FALL A: Deliverable 2 Due
FALL A: Deliverable 2 Due
Students enrolled in FALL A (August - October 2022) submit Deliverable 2.
|
September 28th, 2022 | Submission Required submission-required | |
|
FALL A: Company Visit
FALL A: Company Visit |
October 3rd, 2022 | Event na | |
|
FALL A: Deliverable 3 (Paper & Presentation) Due
FALL A: Deliverable 3 (Paper & Presentation) Due
Students enrolled in FALL A (August - October 2022) submit Deliverable 3.
|
October 10th, 2022 | Submission Required submission-required | |
|
FALL B: Company & Projects Reveal
FALL B: Company & Projects Reveal
Students enrolled in FALL B (October - December 2022) are introduced to the company and projects.
|
October 19th, 2022 | Event na | |
|
FALL B: Announce Teams
FALL B: Announce Teams
Teams are announced for students enrolled in FALL B (October - December 2022).
|
October 26th, 2022 | Event na | |
|
FALL B: Official Project Launch
FALL B: Official Project Launch
Project launch and company visit with students enrolled in FALL B (October - December 2022).
|
October 31st, 2022 | Event na | |
|
FALL B: Deliverable 1 Due
FALL B: Deliverable 1 Due
Students enrolled in FALL B (October - December 2022) submit Deliverable 1.
|
November 7th, 2022 | Submission Required submission-required | |
|
FALL B: Deliverable 2 Due
FALL B: Deliverable 2 Due
Students enrolled in FALL B (October - December 2022) submit Deliverable 2.
|
November 16th, 2022 | Submission Required submission-required | |
|
FALL B: Deliverable 3 (Paper & Presentation) Due
FALL B: Deliverable 3 (Paper & Presentation) Due
Students enrolled in FALL B (October - December 2022) submit Deliverable 3.
|
November 21st, 2022 | Submission Required submission-required |
Key Project Milestones
-
November 7, 2022 - Deep-dive on Donatos
- What is the company’s brand, mission and values, and how these are “lived” by the company?
- What is the company’s target demographic, product, and business model? How is the company structured?
- What is the customer’s problem/need and how the company’s product or service is solving that problem? What is their unique value proposition?
- Define the current challenge:
- What are the company’s business objectives? How are these measured and assessed?
- How do company representatives imagine AI and ML can or should be leveraged to advance the company’s business objectives (e.g. churn prediction to enhance customer experience)? How are these ranked /prioritized?
- What data are available (e.g. customer purchase patterns)? How are data currently being used?
- Narrow the focus: What is ONE goal (e.g. improve customer experience) that the company aims to achieve as the result of this project? How will AI/ML enable the desired outcome? Are there any blockages that can be anticipated at this early stage of the process?
Suggested Deliverable:
Draft a preliminary Story Map or other graphic organizer that shows the relationships between:
- the company’s business objectives (high-level)
- the outcome(s) sought as the result of this project (AI and ML integration in key business processes)
- data points/sources
- potential strategies
- potential blockages
-
November 16, 2022 - Research Strategies for Leveraging AI
Reflecting upon your knowledge of the business objectives, desired outcomes, and existing data, conduct industry research to learn:
- How is AI and machine learning being used to in business processes to achieve outcomes similar to those sought by this company?
- Who are the leaders in using AI and machine learning, and what do they recommend?
- What are some “quick wins” that can be had by moving from automation to AI? How can current processes be fine-tuned?
- What strategies would have the greatest impact (how is this measured), and why?
- What innovative strategies would empower the business to change-up standard practices and be “future-proof”?
Suggested Deliverable:
Curated, annotated resources. Integrate new information and insights into Cognitive Map (or other visualization created for Deliverable 1)
-
November 30, 2022 - Develop Prototype for Applying AI/ML Strategy
- What strategy and model will you prototype? What is your rationale?
- What systems and processes are involved, and how so?
- How do your recommendations improve over current standard practices and predictive models?
- What are specific ways you anticipate your prototype will:
- Produce the desired outcome(s) and advance business objectives?
- Increase the use of actionable data for making business decisions?
- Increased automation and efficiency, and reduced waste?
- “Future-proof” Donatos?
Suggested Deliverable:
Prototype, Paper & Presentation
Project Resources
There are no resources currently available
Industry Mentors
Academic Mentors
Assigned Students
There are currently no students assigned.