MSc Business Analytics

3 Ways the MSc in Business Analytics Is Enriching Her Tech Career

Lily Tran, a graduate of Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU) Master of Science (MSc) in Business Analytics, is General Manager of AvePoint’s Vietnam office. The global SaaS company transforms workplaces by empowering them with effective collaboration and data management tools.

Lily has two main responsibilities at AvePoint. As General Manager, she keeps daily business operations humming and ensures strategic goals are met by setting operational policies and managing budgets and employees. At the same time, as a product management professional, she oversees product implementation from concept to execution. The products can be very diverse: from digital education and customer relationship management to intranet portals and e-commerce.

Here, she shares three ways that NTU’s MSc in Business Analytics is value-adding to her career.

1. Strengthening Both Tech and Business Skills

In tech product management, it is crucial to know not just the latest, cutting-edge technologies. It is just as important to discern how these advancements can be tapped in the most efficient way possible.

The MSc in Business Analytics enhanced this strategy skill in Lily and upped her consulting capability. She says, “The Marketing & Customer Analytics module taught me to wear both my business and technology hats. We were trained to spot potential AI areas while sharpening our business strategy. We learnt how to optimise a process or generate a new business model alongside tech considerations.”

Lily explains that while exciting technologies like AI can be applied in many ways, it often doesn’t make business sense to invent something new just to utilise these advancements. “What works better is to inject AI into an existing IT product that we are already very familiar with,” she says, “and I have the MSc programme to thank for honing my business acumen in this area.”

2. Using Data for Human Resource Needs

The programme has also inspired Lily to appreciate the beauty and accuracy of machine learning and predictive analytics, which can be employed even in a softer skill area such as leadership.

For example, in her current role, Lily uses machine learning to understand her staff’s performance.

“We shortlist people with outstanding performance at work and gather their data – such as their education background, areas of interest, career records, professional development goals and feedback from others – to feed into machine learning models,” she says. “This way, we can extract insights into how each person best fits into the company. We can also achieve fairer and more accurate evaluations of staff performance: an evaluation metrics powered by data is a lot more bias-free.”

Machine learning has also become a popular tool to predict employee turnover or retention, which is something Lily is keen to explore. “I’m glad that I could familiarise myself with these analytical tools in the NTU programme. They turn out to be super useful for managers like me and can help us become more competent in human resource management,” she says.

3. Getting a Head Start in the Data Analytics Age

Before embarking on the programme, Lily was a business analyst, where she witnessed how data has become “the world’s most valuable resource”, she says. “Making sense of data to arrive at the best decisions is now the backbone of success for any enterprise. I feel that it is paramount to equip myself with data skills, and that is why I chose to enrol in the MSc in Business Analytics programme.”

She describes how the Deep Learning and Contemporary AI in Business module has armed her with the knowledge and framework to carry out data analytics initiatives and to effectively solve problems with data: “The module exposed me to really advanced AI technologies like Convolution Neural Network, Generative Adversarial Network and Recurrent Neural Network including Long-Short-Term-Memory.”

For Lily, the potential of data and analytics is limitless. “Data will eventually become an essential part of our daily life,” she opines, and notes that while digital transformation is boosting productivity, optimising processes and generating new business models, it is analytics that is truly creating a revolution by multiplying and accelerating these outcomes.

“As a graduate of Business Analytics from a highly reputable institution and a team leader in a progressive tech company, I see myself as part of the pioneer generation that is driving and injecting analytics into everyday systems,” she says. “Now and in the future, my goal is to inspire others to join this very special troop!”

To find out more how the MSc Business Analytics can enhance your career, schedule a chat with us.

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