This case study examines how Universum, a global leader in employer branding insights, partnered with 205 Data Lab to modernize its data infrastructure. The initiative addressed long-standing challenges in managing complex, multi-market survey data and established a scalable foundation for advanced analytics, self-service reporting, and AI readiness.
Access via PDFUniversum 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.”
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:
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:
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 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
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