Topic: Data Analytics

Blurred image of patients on hospital beds in ICU Research Brief / Health Care

Anticipating Overcrowding Risk in the ICU

A model vastly outperforms predictions based on prior hospital data

A mobile phone showing cashless payments Research Brief / Personal Finance

Cashless Payments: Faster Transactions, Easier Borrowing and Increased Household Income

System provides digital record of payments for India’s vast self-employed ranks, satisfying lenders, and raising the likelihood of starting a business

A flow chart overlaid on programming language. Research Brief / Technology

The Trade-Off Between Fairness and Accuracy in Algorithm Design

What happens when data is excluded?

Hands of businesswoman on computer laptop on sofa in home. with a search bar overlaid on the image. Research Brief / Finance

Using Google Trends To Detect Revenue Misreporting

It’s public and free and could help auditors

Humanoid robot among a large number of symbolic people. Research Brief / Technology

AI from AI: a Future of Generic and Biased Online Content?

Sharing the technology’s weak work product negatively influences the quality of its output going forward

Aerial view of marathon city runners. One person leading marathon. Research Brief / Forecasting

Experts Struggle to Accurately Forecast Societal Change

On COVID-19’s impacts, social scientists’ predictions weren’t much better than those of laypeople

Handmade leather sandals, isolated on white background. Research Brief / E-commerce

How Many Pairs of Sandals Would You Look at Online?

On your phone, about 20. How retailers can best harvest sales from those glances

Detail of a 19-century painting depicting the Battle of Kulikovo (1380 CE). Research Brief / Cultural History

Testing 17 Theories on the Development of Complex Civilizations

Large-scale data project produces stark conclusion: military technology + agricultural productivity caused the takeoff

A screen grab of the Volunteer Match website that reads "How do I?' on an orange and white background. Research Brief / Technology

Matching Algorithms Work Fine — Until Bypassed By External Links

How to rebalance supply and demand amid today’s chaotic internet traffic

People with luggage standing under an awning waiting for rids next to an Uber sign. Research Brief / Ride-Sharing Services

A Matching Mechanism to Reduce Uber/Lyft Customer Wait, Improve Revenue

Queuing models aren’t simple but offer big potential service improvements

A white clock on a black background that is dissolving on the right side Research Brief / Data Analytics

Deciding When to Decide Can Lead to Better Outcomes

An interpretable model versus black-box algorithms for complex decision making

Man on bike riding in bike lane on busy street Research Brief / Transportation

A Data-Driven Approach to Optimizing Bike Paths

A model for cities to boost ridership, without snarling car traffic

Research Brief / Technology

Can Algorithms Help Reduce Hospital Readmissions?

Measuring the utility of increased care and testing, inputs that aren’t always immediately available

Research Brief / Data Analytics

Old Ways of Thinking Cause Managers to Disregard Analytics

Highlighting the right data and making it relevant can help overcome resistance

Surgeon thoroughly washes his hands at a sink Research Brief / Health Care

A Scheduling Tool that Considers Employee Preferences

A model for staffing O.R.s incorporates the costs of worker dissatisfaction and idle time

Graph of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. Research Brief / COVID-19

Graphic Presentation of COVID-19 Data Can Skew Perceptions of Risk

Showing cumulative cases — not day-to-day trends — could nudge people to avoid reckless behavior