CIBC, Deloitte and Tableau recently hosted the inaugural Data VizArt Student Challenge (DVA).  This unique competition combined data visualization, storytelling and analytics, and invited competitors from across Canada to create a visual answer to a data-driven question.

The challenge included a Qualifying Round that identified the top 10 teams (out of 70) who competed in a Finals Round event in Toronto on March 24, 2018. Schulich MBAN students Pranay Bhatt and Raman Punn won second place in the Finals Round by designing a Tableau Story that answered the question: “How well is Canada positioned to be a leading global business hub?”

Their victory is perhaps even more impressive by the fact that it was the team’s first experience using the software.

“This was our first time using Tableau and we learned this tool over the 2 months we spent on this competition,” said Pranay. “At the end of it all, we can confidently say that we have added data visualization to our skillset.”

In addition to their accelerated and self-directed technical learning, Pranay and Raman enjoyed the chance to observe their colleagues and competitors. “We learned a lot from the other teams that participated,” recalls Pranay. “It was fascinating to see all the teams come up with different ways to present the same data.”

A capture from Pranay and Raman’s Data VizArt submission.

Impressing the judges was no easy feat with an intimidating five categories of judging criteria:

  • Innovation
  • Design
  • Storytelling
  • Analytical Correctness
  • Final Pitch

“We made sure that we gave equal importance to the five judging criteria for the competition.  Having said that, the thing that stood out the most in our work was the storytelling piece,” said Pranay. “We made it integral to all our efforts and ensured that our visuals conveyed key insights, which were presented in a logical cohesive manner.”

“It was an amazing experience.”

Congratulations MBANs!