This is the second module of Decision Support Systems (801AA, 12 ECTS), previously called Laboratory of Data Science (664AA, 6 ECTS).

Instructors:

• Anna Monreale
  • KDD Laboratory, Università di Pisa
  • http://pages.di.unipi.it/amonreale/
  • anna [dot] monreale [at] unipi [dot] it
  • Office hours: Friday: 14:30-15:30 online using Teams or at the Department of Computer Science, room 374/E (Please ask for an appointment by email).
  • Telephone +39-050-2213119

• Cristiano Landi
  • KDD Laboratory, Univesità di Pisa
  • cristiano [dot] landi [at] phd [dot] unipi [dot] it
  • Office hours: Monday: 11:00-13:00 online using Teams or at the Department of Computer Science, room 343 (Please ask for an appointment by email).

Always email both instructors and include [LDS] at the beginning of the subject line.

The following is the timetable for the whole Decision Support Systems course. The two modules span differently over the semester. The first module will take most of the lessons from September to October. The second module will take most of the lessons from November to December.

A Teams channel (TBD) is used to post news, Q&A, and other stuff related to the course. The lectures will be held in person only and will NOT be live-streamed, but recordings of the lectures from this or previous years will be made available to non-attending students. The recording publication could receive some delays (one week of delays).

• The slides used in the course will be inserted in the calendar after each class.
• Recordings of each lecture will be made available for non-attending students.

To prepare yourself for the practical test, you can use these past exam exercises on: programming (using Python instead of Java), SSIS, and MDX.

• 2016/17 text, 2015/16 text and 2015/16 solution, 2014/15 text and 2014/2015 solution, 2013/14 text, 2012/13 text and 2012/13 solution.

• Anaconda
• Since SQL Server 2019 Management Studio or newer:SQL Server 2019 Management Studio.
• Since Visual Studio Community 2022. Install/include SSDT workload in the installation manager of Visual Studio: instructions Italian: Data Tools Visual Studio 2022 IT English: Data Tools Visual Studio 2022 EN.
• Microsoft Excel
• Power BI Desktop
• Unipi VPN

Note: preconfigured virtual machines will be available to download in the Teams channel for both AMD64 (Intel/AMD) and ARM (Apple Silicon) architectures. The virtual machines come with all the required software installed and tested, except for Microsoft Excel: you can download it for free from office.com using your University credentials.

• Connection to wi-fi
• F.A.Q.s about the labs
• Unipi VPN
• Unipi Authentication to access the VPN, make sure that network access services are enabled on your profile. Follow this link to access your Unipi profile.
• Access to the SQL server: please write an email to the teachers to get the info

The exam of Decision Support Systems (801AA, 12 ECTS) consists of a written part and an oral part on the topics of the first module (50% of the final grade), and a lab project or written test with discussion on the topics of the second module (50% of the final grade). See Module I: Decision Support Databases for the theory part. The project of Module II can be discussed only after passing Module I and not later than one year since then.

The lab project must be submitted by the specified deadline. If the project is not submitted within the deadline, a practical test and a discussion on the topics of the second module will be required for the exam instead.

PROJECT A project consists of a set of assignments corresponding to a BI process: data integration, construction of an OLAP cube, querying of the OLAP cube, and reporting.

The project has to be performed by a team of 3 students.

• Project assignments: Project (last update 25/09/2026)
• Data: Main Data, Additional Data. Use your UNIPI account!

Registration to the written exam is mandatory (pay attention at the deadline for registering!): register here

Please indicate in the notes “Only Lab” for doing only the discussion of the lab project; “Only DSD” for doing only the written+oral part of the DSD module; or “DSD+Lab” for doing both.

Important: The date of the lab project discussion will be communicated to you by the instructors. The dates reported in the registration website refear only the written part of the DSD module.

How to book a slot for the practical test? For students who need to do the practical test during the exam session because they did not deliver the project, they must report their studentID in the dates listed in this shared document: Pratical Test booking. Available dates are: 5th June 20206, 19th June 2026, 7th July 2026. If you have important issues with these dates, please write an email to the teachers asap.

• Decision Support Systems - Module II (6 ECTS): LABORATORY OF DATA SCIENCE (2025/2026)
• Decision Support Systems - Module II (6 ECTS): LABORATORY OF DATA SCIENCE (2024/2025)
• Decision Support Systems - Module II (6 ECTS): LABORATORY OF DATA SCIENCE (2023/2024)
• Decision Support Systems - Module II (6 ECTS): LABORATORY OF DATA SCIENCE (2022/2023)
• LABORATORY OF DATA SCIENCE (2021/2022)
• LABORATORY OF DATA SCIENCE (2020/2021)
• LABORATORY OF DATA SCIENCE (2019/2020)
• LABORATORY OF DATA SCIENCE (2018/2019)
• BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE LAB (2017/2018)