Making better decisions through data-driven insights

Back in the golden age of advertising during the 1960s, communications specialists believed—in the words of Mad Men’s Don Draper—"people want to be told what to do so badly that they'll listen to anyone". It was also a time when market research consisted mainly of asking a few friends or consumers why they buy a product, before the widespread use of focus groups in the 1980s.

Times have changed. For today, the communication, creative marketing and advertising industry is propelled by another tool to reach the psyche of its target audience: data. Driven by data analytics, communicators are no longer dictators of a brand message, but purveyors of real engagement and authentic conversations.

Bertrand Tan, a graduate of the Master of Science in Communications Management (MCM) programme at SMU, and the Head for Data Analytics in the Corporate Communications Division of Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), is one such proponent of the use of data, as he says, “to help others make better-informed decisions through data that would point to the best course of action”. And he is in the right organisation to do so: A*STAR is Singapore’s lead public sector agency for economic oriented research to advance scientific discovery and develop innovative technology.

“In my current role at A*STAR, I work towards understanding trends, business priorities and goals of Singapore's SMEs and Large Local Enterprises using data from a variety of sources,” explains Bertrand.

“This then helps us introduce relevant R&D products and services to help them leverage science and technology to improve productivity or to find their next ‘S Curve’.”

Contrary to his current field of expertise, Bertrand was not always a communications or data science enthusiast. Rather, he had graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, and started his career as an engineer at Hewlett-Packard’s (HP) Business Printing Division. At HP, he helped with the development of the company’s inkjet technology and was responsible for improving both colour quality and speed performance for their printers.

After nearly two years with HP, seeing that global affairs remained unstable in the wake of the tragic September 11 attacks on the United States; Bertrand decided to join the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) as an Air Force Engineer.

“I felt a need to contribute my technical skills to the security of Singapore, peace and prosperity cannot be taken for granted” explains Bertrand, who went on to work on the CH-47 Chinook helicopters and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), for over 12 years.

This fast-paced and fulfilling career, however, skidded to a halt when Bertrand contracted a viral infection that weakened his kidneys, resulting in him having to undergo dialysis and a kidney transplant later on. Due to this development, he requested a transfer to the RSAF headquarters, where he was interviewed and found suitable for a posting to the Air Force Information Centre, serving as Head of the Public Relations Section.

During the time of Bertrand’s kidney transplant, he participated in a clinical trial that will help determine the prescription of new medicine. This first-hand brush with clinical research — also exposed him to the world of medical research and development for the first time. Because of this momentous event, Bertrand recognised the importance of statistics, data science and evidence-based work, and the benefits that brings to decision-making in a multitude of scenarios. 

“Through my interactions with the researcher, I was inspired to combine my engineering and communication skills with data science,” Bertrand says.

Bertrand’s newfound interest in data science and analytics was a key factor for deciding on the SMU MCM programme in 2018, as he recalls, “the SMU MSc in Communication Management programme was the only one that offers both Data Analytics and Behavioural Insights”.

He also learnt that he was eligible for SMU Warriors Scholarship through the RSAF Career Transition Centre. The scholarship aims to equip retiring SAF military servicemen with advanced knowledge and skills to help them successfully transit from military service to a second career. After years of medical bills, Bertrand was grateful to be able to fulfil his dream of further education without worrying about finances. Together with modules like Strategic Management, Integrated Marketing Communications and Digital Marketing, these competencies would later help him to synergise his work with his colleagues at A*STAR to achieve better marketing communications outcomes.

Equipped with a solid foundation in data analytics and communication management, Bertrand is now in A*STAR performing data analytics for marketing and audience research. Discovering which messages are conveyed more effectively through different communication channels and medium about the value that R&D products and services can bring to businesses; and to understand perceptions of the A*STAR brand and the strength of its associations.

There are countless ways in which data is leveraged to improve public and private programmes, but it is essential to keep sight of its purpose. As Bertrand says, "being empathic is key towards meeting the needs of our audience". In other words, it’s not enough to merely collect and interpret data. Analysts like Bertrand must also understand the human element if they wish to use data to design better public services in practice, and reach the goal of contributing to the progress of the society we live in.