Seeing People and Society Through Data (Part 2) | Data Analyst Roundtable vol.1

As the use of big data expands, demand is growing for data analysts who possess data analysis skills, engineering expertise, and business acumen. The Dentsu Group employs diverse data analysts who provide solutions to help numerous companies solve business challenges.

This roundtable shines a spotlight on the reality of such data analysts. In the first installment, five active data analysts gathered to discuss their work: Yuki Horikoshi, Mayuka Adachi, and Moeko Abe from Dentsu Inc., and Monoka Kubomura and Kazuko Kuriyama from Dentsu Digital Inc. In the second part, they discussed the rewards of working in the data field and their aspirations for the future.

Understanding data allows you to see society clearly

Q. What kind of sense of accomplishment comes from working in the data field? When do you data analysts find enjoyment and satisfaction in your work?

Adachi: For me, it's when I can develop a solution. While it's still difficult to develop something from scratch entirely on my own, I feel a sense of joy when I can develop a new analysis package together with my seniors.

Kuriyama: For me, it's when performing complex data analysis and aggregation for a process, and the results match the hypothesis I had envisioned beforehand. When aggregating and extracting data, I start by imagining what form the results will take. Getting results that align with my hypothesis gives me a real sense of accomplishment.

Kubomura: I understand. It's satisfying when the hypothesis you built from various perspectives turns out to be correct, isn't it?

Abe: For me, it's actually the opposite. When the aggregation results differ from my initial expectations, I formulate hypotheses about why it didn't work, systematically test each one, and pinpoint the exact cause. That's when I feel the greatest satisfaction. Identifying the root cause also increases my knowledge.

Horikoshi: I'm entering my third year working at the Data & Technology Center (DTC). Every time I engage with data, I gain discoveries and insights like "I saw an unexpected target profile" or "I found a new initiative." It makes me feel I'm growing daily, and it's fresh and enjoyable. Adding this new perspective of "understanding things through data" has expanded my awareness to previously unseen areas. It feels like the resolution of the world around me has sharply increased, enriching my life.

Cultivating a broad perspective in a diverse business environment

Q. What challenges do you hope to take on in the future? Please share your vision for the future, such as "I want to acquire this skill" or "I want to leverage this experience to challenge myself in a different role."

Horikoshi: After experiencing a transfer to DTC, I feel there's still so much I can do to contribute to building a society where people's feelings are properly conveyed. I've come to realize this is a mindset I want to cherish and carry forward, no matter which department I'm in.

Kuriyama: I want to keep challenging myself in various areas without limiting myself. Ultimately, I want to become someone who knows everything—someone people turn to for answers. I also want to remain someone who keeps taking on new challenges even as I get older. I've learned that having this mindset allows me to constantly gain new perspectives and knowledge, so I plan to keep challenging myself broadly.

Abe: Having studied architecture during my student days, I do have the aspiration to work in the field of city branding after accumulating knowledge at DTC. When I was assigned to DTC right after graduation, it was a field different from what I had studied, so I felt some anxiety and confusion about whether I could effectively utilize my abilities. However, I now think it was better than suddenly doing the work I had wanted to do. The Dentsu Group has such a wide range of businesses. I truly feel that joining a company like this has helped me cultivate a broad perspective. I believe choosing this job was meaningful, both for eventually challenging myself in the field of city branding and for considering my career path.

Kubomura: Earlier, Horikoshi mentioned that "working with data has increased my resolution of the world." I completely agree. Sometimes, understanding the data domain feels like the haze lifting from the world. I want to keep learning about new, unexplored areas and become a high-resolution professional.

On a more immediate level, my goal is to become able to identify potential issues before they actually occur. Currently, we often focus on solving existing problems, so I want to develop the ability to anticipate them proactively.

Adachi: First, I want to be involved in solution development from the very beginning. Currently, I'm working based on ideas proposed by seniors, but I want to be able to identify needs myself. Another area is the global collaboration I've recently been involved in. It's still early days, but going forward, I want to acquire the skills to negotiate on equal footing with people overseas.

Because data doesn't lie, data analysts must be honest

Q. Finally, could you share the perspectives, mindsets, or skills you consider most important for working as a data analyst?

Horikoshi: Data is now everywhere and increasingly part of our daily lives. Once I dove into this world, I truly realized how inseparable it is from our lives.

From my position working with data, what I find most important is the ability to envision possibilities: "If we use data like this, could we create a better society? Could we do something interesting?" You can't realize what you can't imagine, so the power to let your imagination run wild is essential.

Abe: I think meticulous people are well-suited. They don't brush off doubts or concerns with a "Oh well," but instead thoroughly investigate them. Then, they eliminate those sticking points to arrive at the correct result. People who can handle such details carefully are ideal, wouldn't you say?

Kuriyama: Absolutely. Honesty is also crucial. Data clearly shows results, for better or worse. When bad results emerge, instead of hiding them, we should clearly communicate them to the client and say, "Based on this, let's think together about what to do next." Focusing on future solutions is vital. Data doesn't lie. That's precisely why those who use it shouldn't lie either; they must be honest.

Adachi: I believe it's vital to have people with diverse perspectives come together. Once, when analyzing purchase data for a product with a junior colleague who had different perspectives and interests than me, they pointed out, "An influencer was showing how to use this product on social media. Maybe that's why sales are growing among young people." I hadn't checked that influencer, so I hadn't considered that angle. It was a great learning experience. Seeing things from a different perspective often reveals things you wouldn't notice otherwise. That's precisely why having people with diverse ways of thinking is beneficial.

Kubomura: This overlaps a bit with what Adachi just said, but data analysts often formulate hypotheses. It's not just about analyzing; the ability to hypothesize—like "Could this data increase be because influencers featured it?"—is crucial. We hear that "AI is changing the data analysis work environment," but when it comes to deciding which data to focus on and what hypotheses to formulate, I believe there are things only humans can notice. I hope we can view AI as a good partner and leverage the unique strengths that only humans possess.

A roundtable discussion with data analysts from the Dentsu Group. Did you get a sense of their true selves and their passion for their work? Many data analysts sincerely engage with data, pursuing its potential daily to solve various challenges.