Universum’s business success depends on turning complex survey data into actionable insights

Universum is a global leader in employer branding analytics. The company enables organizations to attract and retain top talent through data-driven recommendations derived from large-scale, multi-market survey programs.

Data is central to Universum’s operations. Its teams collect, process, and interpret high-volume survey responses across many languages and markets to deliver reliable insights for clients.

As Prakash Rajagopalan, Head of Technology at Universum, explained: “We provide actionable recommendations to our clients based on the insights we derive from complex data.”

Universum faced structural and operational challenges in managing market research data at scale

The Universum engagement was distinguished by the technical and analytical demands of modeling market research data. Each survey contained more than one hundred questions, producing an even greater number of derived KPIs that were used and combined in different ways. This required balancing flexibility, accuracy, and scalability within the data model.

Before partnering with 205 Data Lab, Universum identified several constraints that limited efficiency and scalability:

  • Highly customized data structures constrained scalability. Each country introduced unique survey elements, increasing system complexity and maintenance requirements.
  • Manual processes reduced efficiency. The data platform required extensive manual handling and validation, resulting in longer reporting cycles and operational overhead.
  • Earlier modernization attempts did not scale effectively. An internal Postgres- and AWS-based solution could not manage the complexity or data volume required for global operations.

205 Data Lab implemented a modern, scalable data architecture aligned with Universum’s business goals

205 Data Lab began with a comprehensive assessment of Universum’s existing data environment and its alignment with the company’s strategic objectives. Through stakeholder interviews across business and technical teams, the consultants identified pain points in data collection, modeling, and reporting processes.

The team then designed a flexible data model capable of accommodating evolving survey KPIs while preserving the integrity of historical reports. This ensured that older datasets remained fully comparable as new dimensions were added over time.

A phased roadmap emphasized iterative prototyping and close collaboration. The implementation leveraged a modern, interoperable data stack:

  • Snowflake for cloud-native, scalable data warehousing
  • dbt for version-controlled data transformations
  • Cube for unified data modeling and API delivery
  • Tableau for self-service business intelligence and visualization

This approach enabled Universum to migrate from legacy systems without disrupting ongoing operations, while laying a sustainable foundation for future analytics and product innovation.

The modernized platform delivered measurable improvements in efficiency, collaboration, and innovation readiness

  • Reporting time decreased substantially. Reports that previously took hours to produce are now generated in minutes.
  • Analytical work begins earlier. Teams can access and analyze data before survey fieldwork concludes, accelerating delivery to clients.
  • Cross-functional collaboration improved. More engineers, analysts, and business users can now explore and use the data independently.
  • Capabilities for real-time insights expanded. The infrastructure supports more dynamic and automated analytics workflows.
  • Readiness for AI and digital transformation increased. The system provides the foundation for planned AI-driven initiatives in 2025 and 2026.

“The new data infrastructure powered by technologies like Snowflake and dbt has made our data more robust, scalable, and flexible. This has been a game-changer for our ability to innovate and deliver better insights to our clients.”

Prakash Rajagopalan, Head of Technology, Universum

The enhanced data infrastructure has transformed internal reporting and enabled real-time product innovation

Universum achieved a major improvement in operational efficiency within its reporting processes. According to Prakash Rajagopalan, Head of Technology, “We used to spend a significant amount of time creating PowerPoint reports through an operationally intensive process. Now, with Tableau integrated into the system, much of that work is automated.”

The upgraded infrastructure also created a foundation for product innovation. Prakash noted, “We are now exploring ways to connect live data directly to our BI platform and provide real-time insights—an advancement that was not possible before.”

He summarized the overall impact: “The new data infrastructure, powered by technologies like Snowflake and dbt, has made our data more robust, scalable, and flexible. This has been a game-changer for our ability to innovate and deliver better insights to our clients.”

— Prakash Rajagopalan, Head of Technology, Universum