As part of the Master of Management in Analytics program's experiential component, the annual Study Trip consists of a combination of company site visits, guest lectures by top-level executives, as well as daily student reflections. In June 2019, for the program's inaugural trip, the MMA students travelled with professors Shoeb Hosain and Sujata Madan to San Francisco for meetings with Airbnb, Amazon, Google, McKinsey, Salesforce, Sonder and Uber. Read on to discover more about the expertise shared at each location.
June 17 - Airbnb
At Airbnb鈥檚 U.S. West head office, the MMA students kicked off their trip with a hands-on view of how partners are chosen, how new service-lines are developed and how to keep a high level of quality control - all using data and analytics to surface leading indicators. The office hosted a live model of a historic home setup to inspire the workers to 鈥渓ive their work.鈥�
June 18 - Amazon & MMA Networking Event at Segment
The first part of the day included a tour of the Amazon San Francisco offices, where the team led the MMA group through vendor management use cases, and how critical up-to-date insights are for client and vendor retention. They also provided insights into how they decipher new product launches and business criteria to sustain them.
The evening featured an inspiring networking event with McGill alumni and invited guests from various companies and sectors. This large group came together to listen to a panel discussion on Analytics and AI in the workforce and how companies deal with data projects and ensure they succeed. The panel was moderated by Shoeb Hosain, the MMA Program Director, with panelists from StitchFix, Salesforce.com and Segment.
June 18 - McKinsey
As one of the gold standard consulting companies in the world, the MMA students were delighted to visit McKinsey at their downtown San Francisco headquarters. Having a duo of senior partners speak to the students about transforming the digital consulting practice into industry leading projects and research was a valuable learning experience. With a boardroom view that resembled a scene from the hit TV series Suits, the MMA students benefitted from exposure to consulting in the fast lane.
June 19 - Google
Midway through the trip, the MMA students arrived at one of the must-sees on any tech professional鈥檚 list - the famous Googleplex in Mountain View, California. Hosted by Googlers from their YouTube, Adwords and GoogleGlass divisions, the students enjoyed front row seats for a Q&A with some of the top technical engineers and consultants. As they moved from building to building, they got a chance to test out the iconic Google Bikes.
June 20 - Applied AI Summit
To change gears, the MMA students attended the where they had a chance to rub elbows with leading AI professionals in San Francisco who flew in from various cities to attend the conference. Listening to thought leaders in the three streams, which included Leading AI Solutions in Industry, AI for Social Innovation and AI in Research, the group got a chance to hear cutting-edge topics in the high-tech space, as well as network with leading professionals. The Summit also hosted an Employer-Job Seeker session where students had the opportunity to meet hiring managers interested in top young talent.
June 20 - Golden Gate Bridge
What is a trip to San Francisco without visiting the Golden Gate Bridge? As you can see, the Canadians took over!
June 21 - Salesforce
With a substantial presence in the Bay Area, Salesforce.com is a hotbed of renowned products and workplace software innovation. The MMA students received incredible exposure from Product Managers regarding how to build, maintain and improve some of the leading workplace tools on the market. Using deep statistics, the Salesforce team showed how a successful company keeps trying to stay ahead of the curve. To boot, the clients took the team to the top of their 1,000-foot tower to enjoy unparalleled panoramic views of the city.
June 21 - Uber
The offices at Uber were an incredible cross between boutique hotel and a futuristic working environment. With young engineers and statisticians buzzing about, the MMA group gained from an insider look into how an upstart company transformed transportation and, with sights set on aggressive expansion, what the next chapter holds. Using their background in data science, the Uber team highlighted the importance of constant experimentation and pushing the envelope.
June 21 -Sonder
To close the trip, the MMA students were hosted by an impressive company that was founded by McGill graduates. Sonder, which bridges the advantages of an Airbnb and a hotel, was originally launched in Montreal and has now expanded to over 700 employees. Seeing a small startup based in the Plateau grow and spread their wings to become a hub of technical innovation was inspiring for the entire group. The ever-expanding Sonder staff showed the students how a healthy combination of analytics, exquisite design and sweat equity can make a large impact in the marketplace.
Interested in how data can drive top or bottom-line decisions?
- Learn more about the experiential module of the Master of Management in Analytics program at McGill
- Do you want to collaborate with the MMA as an industry partner? There are many ways to participate, monika.brozyna [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Industry%20partnership%20enquiry%20) (please contact us).
- See more photos of the MMA Study Trip
