Evidence and accuracy · 30%
Claims are sourced, assumptions are visible, calculations are reproducible and uncertainty is not hidden.
Academic-style open course · KECB-ANA330
Hospitality Analytics and Evidence-Based Venue Management
Build decision-focused measurement systems for attendance, revenue, contribution, retention, programming, workforce and public-relations activity.
Measurable learning
Course outcomes
- Translate management questions into measurable definitions.
- Build baselines and distinguish leading, lagging, financial and qualitative indicators.
- Calculate guest value, break-even, contribution and return ranges.
- Evaluate programs using comparable periods and explicit assumptions.
- Design dashboards that show uncertainty and data limitations.
- Present an evidence-based recommendation without claiming causation the data cannot prove.
Assessment architecture
How learning is evaluated
| Assessment | Weight |
|---|---|
| Measurement question log | 10% |
| Baseline and data dictionary | 15% |
| Calculator lab portfolio | 20% |
| Program comparison memo | 15% |
| Dashboard and review meeting | 20% |
| Final evidence-based recommendation | 20% |
Academic integrity
Evidence rules
- Label facts, sourced claims, observations, assumptions and unresolved questions separately.
- Do not invent venue data, biographies, financial records, safety facts or legal conclusions.
- Use real organizations only with permission or rely on clearly labeled simulations.
- Disclose assistance, templates and generative tools according to the instructor’s policy.
- Protect private guest, worker, artist and student information.
Weekly sequence
Read, apply and submit
Each week connects the free book library to a concrete tool or operating exercise. Instructors may substitute current peer-reviewed readings and local requirements.
Week 1Decisions before metricsStart with the decision, owner and consequence rather than available numbers.
Read and review
Apply
Submit or demonstrate
Write five management decisions and define what evidence would change each decision.
Week 2Definitions and data qualityCreate stable definitions, time windows, sources and ownership.
Read and review
Submit or demonstrate
Build a data dictionary for attendance, revenue, labor, promotion and repeat participation.
Week 3Baselines and comparison periodsChoose meaningful baselines and avoid comparing unlike nights.
Read and review
Submit or demonstrate
Create a baseline plan and document seasonal or operational confounders.
Week 4Guest value and retentionEstimate value using explicit behavior and margin assumptions.
Read and review
Submit or demonstrate
Calculate low, expected and high guest-value ranges and explain uncertainty.
Week 5Break-even and contributionSeparate revenue from contribution and fixed from variable costs.
Submit or demonstrate
Model one event or menu decision using three attendance or sales scenarios.
Week 6Pricing and capacityEvaluate price, cover, minimum spend and capacity together.
Read and review
Submit or demonstrate
Recommend a price range and identify nonfinancial guest or brand consequences.
Week 7Program and artist comparisonCompare offers and nights using consistent cost and outcome definitions.
Submit or demonstrate
Rank three options, then show how the ranking changes when assumptions change.
Week 8Food, beverage and inventory evidenceUse yield, variance, waste and margin without mistaking precision for accuracy.
Submit or demonstrate
Audit one product category and document measurement limits.
Week 9Labor and workflow measurementConnect staffing, preparation and service conditions to outcomes.
Read and review
Submit or demonstrate
Create a labor plan and identify where quality or safety constraints override efficiency.
Week 10Public-relations measurementMeasure reach, response, behavior and business outcome as different levels of evidence.
Read and review
Submit or demonstrate
Build a campaign measurement ladder and label what cannot be attributed.
Week 11Qualitative evidence and feedbackUse reviews, interviews, observation and staff notes systematically.
Read and review
Submit or demonstrate
Code a small qualitative sample and report themes without treating anecdotes as prevalence.
Week 12Dashboards and review cadenceDesign a small scorecard that triggers discussion and decisions.
Read and review
Apply
Submit or demonstrate
Build a weekly and monthly dashboard with owners, thresholds and action rules.
Week 13Ethics, privacy and uncertaintyMinimize personal data and communicate uncertainty honestly.
Read and review
Submit or demonstrate
Write a data-minimization and retention policy for the course project.
Week 14Capstone evidence reviewPresent a recommendation, alternative explanations and next measurement step.
Read and review
Apply
Submit or demonstrate
Deliver a decision memo and dashboard; defend assumptions and state what additional evidence could reverse the recommendation.
Common capstone rubric
What strong work must demonstrate
Operational usefulness · 25%
The work assigns owners, deadlines, resources, decisions and realistic next actions.
Stakeholder and ethical judgment · 20%
The plan considers workers, guests, artists, students, neighbors and community consequences.
Integration and reasoning · 15%
Recommendations connect across departments and explain tradeoffs rather than listing disconnected tactics.
Communication and defense · 10%
The final presentation is clear, concise and responsive to questions and contrary evidence.
Core source library
Required reading base
The assigned Keep ’Em Coming Back chapters and tools form the applied source base. Institutional instructors should add peer-reviewed scholarship and current official requirements.
Teach or adapt this course responsibly
Use the instructor resources for lesson planning, assessment blueprints, accessible delivery, bibliography records and capstone review.