🎃 W1D3: Spooky Decision Trees & Logic Flow 🌙

👻 Navigate the maze of logic with Halloween magic! 🦇

📚 Course Information
🗓️ Session: Week 1, Day 3 (W1D3)
⏰ Duration: 3 hours
🎯 Phase: Computational Logic
📍 Format: Virtual (Zoom)
🎓 Type: Technical Foundations
📊 Difficulty: Beginner-Friendly
🎯 Learning Objectives

By the end of this haunted lesson, you'll be able to:

  1. 🌳 Construct basic decision trees that guide users from problems to solutions
  2. ⚡ Optimize trees by putting common paths first
  3. ❓ Handle uncertainty with "I don't know" options
  4. 🎨 Create visual diagrams showing decision logic clearly
  5. 🤖 Apply decision trees to your AI assistant designs
🔮 Curious about real-world applications? Click to reveal!

Decision trees are everywhere!

  • 🏥 Medical diagnosis systems use them to identify illnesses
  • 📱 Netflix uses decision trees to recommend what you watch next
  • 🎮 Video games use them for AI character behavior
  • 💳 Banks use them to approve or deny loans
  • 🚗 Self-driving cars use them for navigation decisions
🕸️ Interactive Decision Tree Explorer

🎃 Choose Your Halloween Adventure! 🎃

Click through this spooky decision tree to see how it works!

Want to celebrate Halloween?
⏰ Lesson Timeline (The Haunted Path)
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🕕 6:30-6:40 PM - Opening & Physical Activity (10 min)

Stand up and BE a decision tree! Move left for NO, right for YES as we navigate questions together.

🕕 6:40-6:50 PM - Simple Miro Setup (10 min)

Learn just TWO shapes: 💎 Diamonds for questions, 📦 Rectangles for answers. That's all you need!

🎨 Why these shapes? Click to learn the psychology!

Shape Psychology in Decision Trees:

💎 Diamonds naturally suggest a point of divergence - they literally point in multiple directions!

📦 Rectangles feel stable and final - perfect for ending points and solutions.

These conventions come from flowchart standards developed in the 1960s for computer programming!

🕕 6:50-7:00 PM - Decision Tree Gallery Walk (10 min)

View examples and identify what makes a tree helpful vs. confusing.

🕕 7:00-7:30 PM - Core Learning: Building Trees Together (30 min)

Build a complete decision tree step-by-step for choosing study methods.

✨ The Golden Rule of Decision Trees (Click!)

Most common paths should be shortest!

If 80% of users need quick tips, don't make them answer 5 questions. This is called the "80-20 optimization principle."

Example: Amazon puts "Buy Now" before "Add to Wishlist" because buying is more common than wishlisting!

🕕 7:30-8:00 PM - Breakout: Practice Scenarios (30 min)

Build your own tree: Planning Your Day OR Fixing Tech Problems.

🕕 8:05-8:20 PM - Tree Sharing & Patterns (15 min)

Share your creations and discover common patterns.

🕕 8:25-8:45 PM - Connecting to AI Assistants (20 min)

Apply decision trees to make your AI assistant helpful, not annoying!

🕕 8:45-9:15 PM - Assignment & Reflection (30 min)

Review assignment, reflect on learning, preview tomorrow's skills check.

🛠️ Interactive Tree Builder

Build Your Own Spooky Decision Tree! 🌲

Type your text and add nodes to your tree. Click any node to edit it!

👆 Type your text above and click a button to add nodes!

💡 Pro Tips for Tree Building (Click for secrets!)

The 3-Level Sweet Spot: Most effective decision trees are 3-4 levels deep. Deeper = more complex, Shallower = too simplistic.

Binary is Beautiful: Yes/No questions are easier to follow than multiple choice. If you have 3+ options, break it into multiple binary questions.

Test Your Tree: Walk through your tree with 3 different scenarios. If any path feels frustrating, redesign it!

Edit Anytime: Click on any node you've created to edit its text. Perfect for iterating on your design!

📋 Your Assignment: One Spooktacular Decision Tree

⏰ Time: 45 minutes maximum

📅 Due: Before W1D5

Requirements:

  1. Create ONE complete decision tree
    • For a common user request
    • 3-4 levels deep
    • Includes edge cases ("I don't know" options)
    • Hand-drawn is perfectly fine! 📝
  2. Optimization check:
    • Mark the most common path
    • Confirm it's the shortest route
  3. Connection paragraph:
    • Which W1D1 component uses this tree?
    • How does it get needed information?
  4. Test scenario:
    • Walk through one specific example

Grading Focus:

🎯 Usefulness:
Does the tree actually help users?
✨ Simplicity:
Is it simple enough to follow?
🔗 Connection:
Does it connect logically to W1D1?
📚 Example Assignment Ideas (Click for inspiration!)

Great topics for your decision tree:

  • 🎧 Choosing the right music for your mood
  • 📚 Selecting the best study technique for different subjects
  • 🍕 Deciding what to eat based on time/budget/dietary needs
  • 💼 Prioritizing tasks when everything feels urgent
  • 🏃 Choosing workout intensity based on energy/time/goals
  • 📱 Troubleshooting common phone issues
🧠 Key Terms & Concepts

🌳 Decision Tree

A diagram that asks questions and leads to answers, like a choose-your-own-adventure book!

🔘 Node

A point where you ask a question or give an answer. The diamonds and rectangles in your tree!

➡️ Branch

The path you take based on an answer. The arrows connecting your nodes!

⚡ Optimization

Making common paths shorter so most users get quick answers. Work smarter, not harder!

🎯 Edge Case

Unusual situations that still need handling, like "I don't know" or unexpected answers.

🔀 Binary Decision

A choice between two options (Yes/No, True/False). The simplest and clearest type of decision!

🎬 Pre-Class Resources

Watch these spooky-good videos before class:

📺 Decision Trees Explained

18 minutes - Core concepts

Learn the fundamentals with clear examples

📺 Decision Trees in Daily Life

22 minutes - Practical applications

See how you already use decision trees!

📺 Netflix Recommendations

8 minutes - Real-world example

Discover how streaming services use trees

🌙 Ready to Navigate the Logic Maze? 🌙

Remember: Every great decision tree starts with one good question!

🎃 👻 🦇 🕷️ 🌙