A corporate culture that combines "challenge" and "peace of mind" -- From someone with no experience in data analysis to manager of an analyst team

While more and more people are considering changing jobs for their careers, some people may feel anxious about working in a new environment. In particular, changing jobs to an area where you have no experience can be a big hurdle, and it seems that even if you want to take on the challenge, you may not be able to take the first step.

In this context, XICA Inc., which has the vision of "developing talent" and is committed to supporting the growth of its members, has many members who have made the transition from having no prior experience to becoming data analysts.

At XICA, data analysts are professionals in the "advertising x statistics" category who analyze advertising-related data at a high level, and they also listen to clients' requests and connect the data to their management decision-making and action.

Yuki Koutsa, section manager of the MAGELLAN section of the ADVA Analysis Department, who joined XICA in September 2019, is one of those who blossomed into a data analyst at XICA. Although Koutsa had no experience in full-scale data analysis work, he built up a track record as a data analyst and is now leading a team of analysts as a manager. His remarkable growth process has made him a role model recognized by everyone in the company.

How did Takatsusa become a manager in a field she had no experience in just two years after changing jobs? We will explore the culture and initiatives at XICA that supported her as we listen to her journey of change.

XICA Co., Ltd.
ADVA Analysis Department/MAGELLAN Section Manager
Yuki Koutsa

After graduating from Chiba University's Department of Economics, he joined a major GMS retailer as a new graduate. He then moved to an airline-related business. After working at an airport, he was transferred to the corporate sales department. He joined XICA in September 2019. He is currently the manager of the MAGELLAN section of the ADVA Analysis Department.

Analytical thinking can turn negative emotions into positive problem-solving

-- It's been two years since you joined the company, Takatsusa. What kind of company do you think XICA is now?

Everyone has times when they feel emotionally overwhelmed or distressed at work.Instead of making decisions based on emotions, try to get to the root of the feelings.I believe that XICA is that kind of company.

When you dig deep enough to find out why you're suffering, you may realize that it's not the work itself that's the problem, but rather your perception of your work that's the real cause.

Analyze your feelings and find the root cause.A company where analytical thinking is deeply rootedIf you can understand the root cause, when negative emotions arise, instead of being swept away by them, you can transform your thoughts into what you can do to solve the problem.

Not only is it an organizational culture, but there are many members who are good at making these kinds of changes individually,A psychologically safe environment where positive emotions are sharedIt has become like this.

There is a high level of psychological safety within the team, so there is a lot of frank communication.Because we can discuss things without having to worry about each other, the quality of our work naturally improves and it becomes easier to give positive feedback to help people grow.Thanks to "analytical thinking," it's easy to achieve results and grow in this environmentI think that's what we've been able to do.

Seeking a growth environment where I can work on my favorite "analysis"

── That's interesting. You're using the "analysis" that is the core of your company to care for emotions and build your organization. Could you tell us how you came to change jobs to XICA?

I joined a major GMS retail company as a new graduate. I was a sales floor assistant, and my job was to analyze best-selling products and the population distribution of the trade area to design the optimal sales floor. After working there for about three years, I wanted to gain experience in the B3B business, so I changed jobs to an airline-related company. After working at the airport for about ten months, I was transferred to the corporate sales department and gained experience in sales to existing clients.

I started thinking about changing jobs around the third year of working at my previous job. I was 3 years old at the time and was worried about whether I should continue doing the same job. I was impatient with the slow pace of growth.I want to work in an environment where I can grow more.I thought now was the time to make a career change, so I decided to change jobs.

── Why did you become a data analyst at XICA?

It may seem like an inconsistent history, butWhen I looked back at the work I had done up to that point, I noticed a common thread: analysis.By making improvements and suggestions based on numerical evidence, the store's sales increased and I felt that it was leading to results for my clients. Coupled with the fact that I'm the type of person who can't rest until I've thoroughly researched things that interest me, I thought that analysis suited my personality.

I decided to change jobs to XICA because it would allow me to do the analytical work I enjoy and also provide an environment where I could feel a sense of growth.

With the support of my team members, I became a full-fledged analyst

── Even though you had been working with numbers in your previous job, you had no experience as a full-fledged data analyst. Was it difficult for you to get used to the job after changing jobs?

At first, there were so many things I didn't understand. Now, the ADVA Analysis Department has grown to be a large unit that accounts for 3% of the entire company, but at the time, the department had only a few people, so I was desperate to get results quickly.

Within the first month of joining the company,ADVA MAGELLANAfter learning how to use and analyze the software, I was immediately handed over the projects that my senior had been in charge of, and by the third month, I was in charge of projects on my own. Since the organization was still developing, this was the most difficult period for me.

── You overcame a difficult time when the education system was still underdeveloped. At what point did you realize that you had grown as a person?

The time when I felt I had grown the most was in my 10th month after joining the company. The client I was in charge of made a difficult request: "We want you to improve the prediction accuracy of the price fluctuation model." From then on, I was tasked with the monumental task of listing as many social phenomena that could affect price fluctuations as possible and predicting how they would affect them.

If the model was not completed, the contract would have been terminated the next day, but we managed to complete the delivery just before the deadline. The client was satisfied, and the contract was renewed without any problems. The person in charge at the other end said, "I'm glad that Takatsusa was the analyst."I finally felt like I had become a full-fledged data analyst.

── What was the key to your success?

You can't accomplish your mission alone,Being able to "identify where one's responsibility lies" by taking responsibility for solving the client's problemsI think that is the key to our success.

The success of this project was not achieved by me alone, but by the entire team.

Whenever I had trouble with how to proceed with the analysis, my boss at the time would immediately meet with me one-on-one to discuss it. Furthermore, members who were not directly involved in the project also helped me with tasks such as identifying elements.

All members,Since I am responsible for solving my client's problems, not just my own success, I will collaborate beyond my role if necessary. international success.They think about what they should do now while considering the overall optimization, so they have a strong sense of teamwork.This project gave me a strong sense of the organizational culture at XICA. And that culture remains unchanged to this day.

Currently, we set aside time every day after work to share with our team the progress of projects, challenges, and support we need. We aim to run an organization that can respond flexibly to any situation.

Asking yourself questions accelerates your growth

── It seems that the culture of encouraging growth has been properly passed down. Has the training system for data analysts been improved in the past two years?

The education system for data analysts has improved considerably compared to two years ago.

We currently have an onboarding training program for inexperienced members to smoothly become independent data analysts. Based on the "six-stage model of thinking" by educationalist Benjamin Bloom, the first month of training is for members to acquire "knowledge," "understanding," and "application." From the second month, members acquire the next stages in an on-the-job training format, aiming to become independent in about six months.

The biggest change compared to two years ago isThe OJT system was in placeWhen,Each stage had clear targets to achieve.The program is designed to give students the necessary and sufficient experience to become a data analyst who can contribute to clients, and to enable them to become independent as quickly as possible.

── Thanks to the significant improvements that have been made over the past two years, it seems likely that those joining from now on will be able to make steady progress.

It is true that things have improved, but I think the system is merely supplementary.For a person to grow, effort is essential.

XICA has a vision of "talent blossoming",In order for talent to blossom, the person needs to go through a period of hard work.As the saying goes, "Bloom where you are planted," I would like everyone to first focus on the tasks in front of them.

However, this does not mean that you should just do as you are told without thinking.Unless you thoroughly dig deep into why you are doing the work in front of you and how you can do it better, there is no point.After all, analytical thinking is also useful for personal growth.

As a manager, I want to repeatedly ask questions to help my team members analyze themselves. By continuing to ask questions with trust, they gradually become clearer about what they want to do and begin to feel passionate about their work.I believe that by continually facing questions, people grow spontaneously.

── The shortcut to growth is to face yourself and tackle the task at hand. As a manager, what kind of team would you like to create in the future?

What I want to create isWe are a team that combines "challenge" and "peace of mind.".

I want all of my team members to pursue the careers they desire and live the lives that are true to themselves. However, I'm sure the road to success will not be smooth and there will be many challenges to overcome.A foundation for taking on your own challenges with peace of mindI would like to create this.

As the number of members in the department continues to grow,A system that allows employees to immediately access the information they need immediately after joining the companyIt is also important to maintain relationships where you can talk to each other freely.

I will continue to strive to create a team that has a good balance of challenge and security, and where work is fun.

*The affiliation and title of the interviewee are those at the time of the interview.

[Interview and text]Fumiaki Sato
[photograph]Daisuke Koike
[Editor] Yuko Kawabata (XICA)