Beyond Data and Algorithms in Data Distiller: The Human Element in Customer Experience Management
Years ago, I was a Product Manager at MathWorks, working on Simulink—a tool that allowed engineers to design embedded algorithms without needing to write a single line of C code. I remember vividly being in a meeting with General Motors, presenting to some of the brightest engineers working on the next generation of hybrid vehicles. I was the nerdy kid in the room, passionately explaining how they could simulate smarter engine designs right on a canvas, bypassing countless hours of manual coding. After my presentation, one of their senior engineers walked to the podium. He smiled at me and said, “Saurabh, have you ever lifted and felt what an engine is like? We’re going to put this in someone’s car—it’s deeply personal. As much as we love your algorithms, we expect that you won’t take away the human element of testing whatever folks build on a computer out on the shop floor (their factory testbeds). We’ll test more, double-check ourselves, and ensure that it’s the absolute best fo
