Elder Research

Our team’s excited to be at Hotel Data Conference (HDC) in Nashville! Today, Lisa Targonski is joining a panel on a hot topic: AI in Hospitality 🤖 Artificial intelligence will play a role in all aspects of hospitality—whether it’s boosting revenue strategy, streamlining operations, deciphering data, or enhancing sales and marketing. During the panel, Lisa and other leaders will unpack the benefits and challenges involved in the next era of AI. We’re glad to join the conversation and connect with hospitality leaders from around the world. 🌎 If you’re at the conference, we’d love to see you at our booth! P.S. If you’re interested in learning more about our work in hospitality, visit the Hospitality page on our website. #HDC2024 #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #HospitalityIndustry

Data professionals are master interpreters. 👌 John Cook of Marriott International shares how in this clip. John is a Senior Director of Data Science and Reporting for Marriott where he and his team help stakeholders across the company—from sales and marketing to revenue management. Each business team has plans and goals … And each has a different perspective when it comes to data. What’s helped John? 👓 Building a well-rounded view of the business 👂 Taking time to listen to stakeholders and really grasp where they’re coming from 💬 Communicating with business teams in a way they understand Catch John’s full conversation with Evan Wimpey on the latest episode of the Mining Your Own Business podcast. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also on our website: 🔍 Mining Your Own Business #DataAnalytics #DataScience #Hospitality #Podcast

machine learning + subject matter expertise = better forecasts for 1 housing manufacturer A housing manufacturer wanted to use data to make fast and accurate forecasts of housing-related economic indicators. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲: Their prediction process involved using a lot of time and resources to compile data from various sources. 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Our team developed a suite of forecast models, combining subject matter expertise with flexible ML models to optimize accuracy and minimize variability. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀: The ensemble models our team built matched or outperformed the client’s paid subscription forecasts.   Check out the full case study in the Resources section of our website.    #DataScience #MachineLearning #Forecasting

We’re proud of our team! A big congrats to Jericho McLeod on earning Best Poster Presentation at the University of Oxford’s International Pandemic Sciences Conference. His poster highlighted collaborative research on the spread of COVID-19 through extended family connections. Jericho also presented this research during this week’s INFORMS Security Conference in Arlington, VA. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆: Jericho’s research started through his studies in the Computational Science and Informatics PhD program at George Mason University. He and one of his professors, Eduardo Lopez, noticed a gap in the models that analyze where and how COVID-19 spreads. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗽: Current models were focused on how immediate family members impacted the spread of the disease, not extended family.     𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹: Discovering how extended family ties impact the spread of COVID-19. After going over key data from the pandemic, Jericho, Professor Eduardo, and the research team found that extended family ties have played a significant role in the way the disease spreads. What they discovered has opened the door for further research and updates to disease modeling. We’re thankful for their important work! Read more of the story: https://lnkd.in/eDEFKdk3

Can AI power outweigh human insight? Evan Wimpey, our resident data comedian, tested that with a humorous experiment: Evan snuck five preselected words into a podcast conversation—from quirky words like “Salmon City” to analytics-focused words like “target shuffling.” His goal: Analyzing the weirdness of the sentences using text analytics. 💡 What he discovered sheds light on the current state of AI and analytic tools: “They’re powerful; they’re plentiful; they democratize access to sophisticated analysis techniques. But when it comes to meaningful insights, it’s more important than ever to have a thoughtful human driving the analysis,” says Evan. Find out what happened in his fun and insightful experiment: https://lnkd.in/e_FpxdT9 #DataScience #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #LLM

Excited for the summer Olympics? Find out how one professor has used math and analytics to help swimmers take home gold. 🏅 Professor Ken Ono has been working with athletes from the University of Virginia to fine-tune their swimming techniques—down to the tiniest details. 🏊 For example, slight differences in hand positioning can make swimming strokes much more efficient. And even a slight misalignment of kicks three strokes away from a wall can cause a swimmer to lose precious time. Factoring in these elements and more, Professor Ono’s approach has been a game changer. Dive into his data-driven techniques: https://lnkd.in/eiZN9Hdv Photo credit: Kristina Armitage/Quanta Magazine; source: Klubovy/iStock

Data without action is useless. That’s why this data leader from Marriott International asks: Is the data understandable? 💭 As Senior Director of Data Science and Reporting for Marriott, John Cook leads a talented team of associates dedicated to supporting the U.S. and Canada sales, marketing, and revenue management teams. A big part of his team’s job is helping stakeholders gain actionable insight from data. ⚡ “Where we really get action and where we really get good results from data is when people are able to understand it and then use it to do something,” says John. “You might have a fantastic R-squared and a brilliant model, but it’s useless if nobody can do anything with it.” What’s been a game changer? Having people on the team who are great at the technical and investigative side of data AND good at translating what the data means for the business. 📊 John shares more insight on the latest episode of the Mining Your Own Business podcast. Catch his interview with Evan Wimpey on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also on our website: 🔍 Mining Your Own Business #DataAnalytics #DataScience #Hospitality #Podcast

Data visualization can’t stop at fancy charts, and here’s why: If a visualization looks nice but doesn’t provide clarity on how data fits into the bigger picture … It won’t inspire action. 🚧 The best data visualizations provide insights that move the needle—both for technical and non-technical decision-makers. 💡 Here are five things to remember to create visualizations that drive business decisions: 1️⃣ Prioritize Clarity: Avoid features that confuse—prioritize clear visuals to prevent business mistakes. 2️⃣ Keep It Simple: Ensure your visualizations are straightforward and easy to navigate, highlighting the essential data. 3️⃣ Get Interactive: Make your data more engaging with interactive elements that enhance exploration. 4️⃣ Customize: Let users tailor their visualizations for deeper insights, even if it adds complexity. 5️⃣ Make It Accessible: Equip users with tools that make it easy to act on insights, enhancing usability and adoption. What tips would you add to the list? 👀 #DataVisualization #DataAnalytics #DataScience

Nature’s calling! 🏕️ In this blog, Michael Fowler Ph.D. talks about triumphs … and trials 😅 he’s had in the great outdoors and what it’s taught him about data science and innovation: “It’s the forgetting to pack your raincoat because the weather looks so nice but ends up pouring hours later; forgetting to bring the sauce for spaghetti night while hiking the Appalachian Trail; or creating a shelter from natural materials because someone didn’t secure the tent in the canoe well, and you helplessly watched it float down river when your canoe flipped on a rock,” shares Michael. “These stories are passed on as fun anecdotes but also as important lessons learned for the next adventurer, a culture often missing from the realm of research.” Read Michael’s blog: https://lnkd.in/egsxCG8Q P.S. Hope your weekend includes plenty of fresh air and sunshine! 🌤️ #DataScience #ResearchandDevelopment #Innovation

We all hit roadblocks on projects, and it can be frustrating. 😩 When it comes to data projects, there are 2 common pitfalls: 1️⃣ Disconnected Data: Building the “perfect” data analytics environment without aligning it to real business challenges. 2️⃣ One-Stop Software: Searching for an “easy button” solution that promises to fix everything but often falls short. “If you’re not starting with that business problem in the beginning, you’re likely to make some bad decisions,” says our CEO Gerhard Pilcher. A good way forward: Before diving into an analytics project, evaluate the business problem you’re really trying to solve. It may take more time to do so, but it’ll save you a lot of headaches in the long run. For more tips on this topic, check out this article: https://lnkd.in/eG647H8A