MSA Alumni Spotlight
Xiaochen Zhang (’16)
Director, Data Science and Analytics, Razorfish
Washington, DC
About Xiaochen
Hi, I’m Xiaochen, a 2016 graduate of Georgia Tech’s MSA program. I’m currently based in Washington, DC, where I work as a Director of Data Science Analytics at Razorfish, a digital marketing company. My career journey started at Publicis Sapient, focusing on digital transformation, and evolved into leading data-driven initiatives that bridge business strategy, product development, and machine learning.
How do you use analytics or data science in your day-to-day work?
My daily work revolves around three core areas:
- Reporting & Measurement: I collaborate with stakeholders to define success metrics and guide junior analysts in building dashboards and reports.
- Cross-functional Collaboration: I work closely with UX/UI designers, developers, and strategists to ensure data informs product improvements.
- Machine Learning & Experimentation: I lead ML projects from ideation to deployment, ensuring they deliver measurable business value through robust ML Ops practices.
What do you enjoy most about your job, especially when it comes to working with data?
What I love most about working with data is the unexpected insights it can reveal. For example, we ran an experiment with a utility company to encourage users to reduce electricity use during the day by signaling that it would be more expensive. We expected people would conserve energy during peak hours. Instead, we found that users interpreted the message as electricity being cheaper at night, so they actually used more energy at night—contrary to our goal.
Moments like that—when the data tells a story you didn’t anticipate—are what make the work exciting. It’s those surprises that push us to think critically, refine our strategies, and uncover meaningful insights that truly inform decisions.
What's one favorite memory you have from the MSA program-academic, social, or professional?
One of my favorite memories is from Dr. Polo Chow’s Data Visualization class. It was intense and challenging, especially during group projects, but incredibly rewarding. Late-night work sessions were often fueled by donuts from Sublime Donuts, especially their quirky “A”-shaped ones—a sweet reminder of striving for that A grade!
What MSA skill, class, or project helped you get your job or grow in your career?
The main takeaways I gained from the program are alignment and focusing on the ‘why’ rather than the ‘how.’
Alignment means ensuring everyone is on the same page. Different opinions often arise because people see only part of the problem. By sharing knowledge openly, teams can quickly converge on a shared understanding.
Focusing on the why—the purpose behind your work—helps guide decisions, align efforts with team goals, and support long-term career growth. Together, these skills are invaluable for navigating complex projects and integrating diverse perspectives toward a common goal.
What advice would you give to a MSA student looking to break into your industry?
My advice is to focus on two key qualities: empathy and collaboration. Empathy means seeing things from the user’s perspective. It helps you develop product sense, understand what truly matters, and make decisions that benefit the user rather than being distracted by short-term metrics. When you do things for the user’s sake, the results often pay off in the long run.
Equally important is collaboration. Working effectively across different teams—UI, development, product management—requires you to communicate your ideas clearly and influence without formal authority. When you can align a team around a shared vision, you not only make your work more effective, but it becomes much more rewarding because the impact is amplified. Cultivating these skills will set you up for success in any analytics or data-driven role.