1 Welcome!

In the first few chapters, we will introduce you to the basics of the R and Python tracks, and you will find helpful explanations to questions you might have at the beginning of your coding journey. There will be a quick introduction to the Data Science track so that you can get started with the project quickly. So let’s start with the basics!

In all tracks, you will work on your project in small groups of fellow students. Such group work helps you finish the project faster and makes your results better. Our experience shows: The members’ different backgrounds and discussing different opinions and ideas will produce the best results. Besides, it is more fun to work on a project together than to code alone.

The groups can consist of a maximum of three members. You can choose your two teammates yourself, and we won’t interfere with your arrangements. All group members must complete the same difficulty level (beginner or advanced track) since the tasks are different for each track. We encourage you to collaborate with students from various departments. This interdisciplinarity allows you to get to know people from other departments, giving you a whole new perspective on the project and tasks.

It is essential to note that each person must submit the project individually for a certificate when submitting your project. However, each person’s project can look identical to the other members of your group. You will get more information at our first Coding Meetup on November 24, 2021.

This Airbnb case study and its project guide were developed and written from scratch by TechAcademy’s Data Science team. Lara Zaremba, Lukas Jürgensmeier, Annalisa Strauß, Karlo Lukic, and Inga Lasys developed the project in R, while Felix Schneider, Manuel Mair am Tinkhof, and Thilo Leitzbach developed it in Python. We would also like to thank Benjamin Lucht for his extensive input in making this project a reality.