HR Data Insights
2024
Data Analytics
LLM
UX Research
Usability
Transforming complex HR analytics into an AI-assisted, self-serve experience that improved insight comprehension by 46% and platform navigability by 67%.
Irene L, Shadiah G. - Design & Product; Tanaya D, Jun Xue, Emil G - Data Sci; Anthony I, Kyle O - Fullstack Eng
Context
Using AI on HR data to uncover bias in the workplace
Sigma Squared, founded by two Harvard economists, uses econometrics and AI to help organizations identify and address disparities in their talent processes. As the early-stage startup grew, it aimed to scale its impact, turning rigorous analytics into clear, actionable insights for HR leaders.
Challenge
Low usage hinted at usability issues
Despite the strength of Sigma Squared’s analytics, engagement across the platform was low. HR leaders weren’t returning regularly or exploring the data deeply, and our data scientists were spending significant time walking customers through results. We suspected that usability — rather than lack of interest — was the root cause, but we didn’t yet know where the friction lay.
Our goal was to uncover why users struggled to extract value from the platform and identify the most impactful improvements to drive adoption.
Approach
Solution
A snapshot of your HR health and top opportunities
Each organization now sees a concise overview of its HR "health" — a composite of efficiency scores across hiring, compensation, performance, engagement, promotion, and retention — along with cards highlighting employee groups most affected by bias.
Visualizing Disparity and Bias at a Glance
We restructured the dashboard such that any metric had an associated "deep dive", which visualizes bias and disparity side by side and clarifies how they relate.
AI-powered explanations
We integrated OpenAI to generate summaries that explain what’s shown in each data visualization. These dynamic explanations use natural language to help HR leaders feel confident interpreting their data.
Outcomes
Early indicators of success
In hi-fi testing, the redesigned experience improved platform navigability by 67% and insight comprehension by 46% compared to the previous version. Participants reported feeling more confident exploring the data without assistance from data scientists.
General availability and ongoing monitoring
The MVP launched to general availability in August 2024, and the team is now tracking monthly active users and engagement with the new Deep Dive feature to validate long-term adoption and scalability.
Strategic impact
By reframing analytics into an accessible, self-serve experience, Sigma Squared freed up internal data science resources, strengthened its value proposition, and laid the foundation for sustainable growth in enterprise HR analytics.