Collaborators: Data-Driven Decision-Making for Workplace Wellbeing

Collaborators: Data-Driven Decision-Making with Jina Suh and Shamsi Iqbal

This article delves into a collaboration between Dr. Jina Suh, a Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research focusing on Human Understanding and Empathy, and Dr. Shamsi Iqbal, a Principal Applied and Data Science Manager for the Viva Insights team. Their work centers on developing data-driven tools to support organizational leaders and executives in making more informed and effective decisions regarding their teams, work practices, and overall workplace culture.

The Intersection of Productivity and Wellbeing

The core of their research lies at the intersection of productivity and wellbeing. Both researchers emphasize that these two aspects are intrinsically linked; an individual's wellbeing significantly impacts their productivity, and vice versa. Their project aims to create tools that help people leaders foster both aspects within their teams.

From Research to Product: A Seamless Transition

Shamsi Iqbal's transition from Microsoft Research to the Viva Insights product group highlights a crucial aspect of their collaboration: bridging the gap between research findings and practical application. Iqbal shares her motivation for this move, driven by the transformative changes in the workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic and a desire to bring years of lab research into practice. This move has allowed for a more direct impact on products that shape the employee experience.

The Viva Insights Project: Empowering People Leaders

The current project focuses on supporting people leaders—ranging from C-suites to middle managers—who are tasked with making decisions that influence team dynamics, culture, and wellbeing. Often, these decisions are made based on intuition or are delayed due to uncertainty. The research aims to provide data-driven tools that enable leaders to make more decisive and effective actions by offering insights into their work practices, teams, and environments. The goal is to reduce uncertainty and facilitate a reflexive conversation with data to improve decision-making.

Advantages of Long-Term Collaboration

Jina Suh and Shamsi Iqbal have a history of collaboration, which they highlight as a significant advantage. This established relationship allows them to understand each other's strengths, weaknesses, and working styles, leading to a more efficient and effective workflow. They can anticipate each other's needs and communicate complex research concepts in a way that resonates with product teams.

Bridging the Language Barrier: Research to Product Translation

A key challenge in translating research into product is the difference in language and focus between research and product teams. Iqbal emphasizes her role in translating research findings into product-relevant terms, ensuring that the value of the research is understood and appreciated by product groups. This involves identifying customer needs and framing research questions within a product context.

The Role of Data and Human Context

While data is central to their work, both researchers stress the importance of human context. Data can show trends, but humans provide the interpretation and narrative. They aim to create tools that augment, rather than replace, human decision-making, ensuring that real-life wisdom and emotions are integrated into the process. The challenge lies in motivating users to engage with data and fostering a