One of the many data sources that we utilize are the weekly statistics for every show on Broadway. This information comes from the Broadway League, the official trade association for the Broadway industry. We are looking for a keen analytical eye and the ability to clearly communicate their findings.
Here is a breakdown of what we are specifically looking for when we review your work:
1. Accuracy. The questions are relatively simple examples of the kinds of questions that this data can answer. We need to have confidence that when you work on a task independently, you will take the time to ensure that you have found the correct answer.
2. Process. Just as important as the answer is how you went about solving the problem. Documenting the steps that you took is an important part of working together as a team. It is vital for troubleshooting issues and promoting transparency. So as much as possible
3. Visualization. Tables of numbers may be precise, but they don’t lend themselves to rapidly understanding patterns. We are looking for clear, correct, and simple figures. You should use the appropriate chart type for conveying your answer to a broad audience.
4. Tools. Finally, we are least concerned with the software and tools you use to complete the task. You will have plenty of time to grow and learn the tools that we commonly use on the job. So within reason, the tool(s) you use to complete this task are the least important point.
Questions
1. How much money did shows in Nederlander venues make in this calendar year?
2. How does that number compare with other theatre owners?
3. Comparing the 2015-16 and 2016-17 Theatre Season, which Theatre Week had the largest difference in attendance?
4. Historically, what are the best and worst weeks of the Broadway season?
5. If you were a producer creating a show, would you choose a Musical, Play, or Special Event? Why? (This is the only question without a clear correct answer. This is an example of abstracting an opinion based on the data provided)
Additional Notes
Attached you will find an excel file and a data dictionary that defines the fields. You should include the answers to the questions, the steps you took to reach the answer or prepare the data, and your visualizations. This can be in whatever format is most convenient for you, including but not limited to excel, powerpoint, pdf, tableau, python, R, or jupyter notebook.
The data is a sample of real, publicly available figures. It should be treated with the level of scrutiny that you would use when getting data from a third-party source. Cleaning the entire data source is not a requirement for this task. You only need to concern yourself if there are any issues in the data that affect the questions.
