Omron Healthcare Reduces Data Search Effort by 60% with ThoughtSpot

Key Outcomes

• Reduced data search time by 60%
• Eliminated recurring data verification tasks
• Increased recognition as a department with valuable business insights, activating collaboration with related departments

The Challenge

The Data Analytics Department within the company's Technology Development Headquarters is responsible for analyzing health-related measurement data generated by healthcare devices.

On the other hand, in the existing environment, data search and aggregation using code were difficult, and different team members used different tools, leaving room for improvement in data and code sharing and standardization. Therefore, for each request, the person in charge had to write code from scratch, create graphs, and paste them into PowerPoint presentations to perform analysis and reporting.

As a result,

• The increasing number of requests raised the workload of those in charge, putting pressure on their core business time
• Data searches were time-consuming, requiring personnel involvement even for simple analyses
• Past analysis results were not sufficiently shared, leading to cases where the same graphs had to be recreated
• It was difficult to reflect analysis results in real time against daily-updated data
• There was no environment where non-engineers/analytics personnel could access data, limiting the scope of interest

—such situations had arisen.

In particular, the increase in requests from other departments created a need to streamline internal collaboration within the technology development department, so that analytics personnel could devote more time to their core analysis and research activities.

The Solution

The team explored ways to improve operational efficiency for those in charge and create an analytics environment that could involve departments beyond engineering. They decided to adopt ThoughtSpot, which excels in conversational data analysis and emphasizes intuitive usability. After implementation, frequently referenced metrics and commonly asked questions were set up as permanent dashboards (Liveboards), creating an environment where information could be verified immediately when needed. Furthermore, natural language search enabled even employees without programming knowledge to explore data on their own, starting from what they wanted to know.

Key Features

• Liveboard (Dashboard)
  Frequently referenced metrics such as the number of device measurements and usage status are visualized, providing an environment for immediate verification when needed.
• Data Search via Natural Language
  Even without knowledge of programming languages, users can operate the system, enabling employees who do not write code to access data starting from what they want to know.

Impact

By setting up dashboards on a permanent basis, analytics personnel were able to monitor data without repeatedly executing source code, and the recurring verification tasks became unnecessary.

For simple data searches, tasks that previously took 1–2 minutes are now completed in about 10–20 seconds with ThoughtSpot. The actual experience is that it takes less than half the time, reducing work time by approximately 60%.

Kazuma FujitaData Analytics Department, Technology Development Department, StaffOmron Healthcare Co., Ltd.

Furthermore, with the ability to perform fixed-point observations via dashboards, the verification tasks that had to be done repeatedly have been reduced to zero.

Kazuma FujitaData Analytics Department, Technology Development Department, StaffOmron Healthcare Co., Ltd.

Furthermore, with the advancement of data visualization, the Sensing Technology Development Department came to be recognized within the company, including the Technology Development Headquarters, as a department with valuable information. Departments that previously had little contact, such as public relations and new business departments, also began making inquiries, and the data utilization phase began moving to the next stage.

As a result, internal communication became more active, and movements to disseminate analysis results both inside and outside the company began to emerge.

Movements have emerged to monitor not only final metrics such as sales but also 'intermediate metrics' such as device usage status and app connection rates, and the platform has begun functioning as a foundation to support more data-driven decision-making.

Hiroshi KoshimizuData Analytics Department, Technology Development Department, Assistant ManagerOmron Healthcare Co., Ltd.

Future Outlook

Going forward, the company is looking to apply ThoughtSpot to the operational aspects of research and development, such as managing data acquisition status across various R&D projects. In the future, the goal is not only to share dashboards created by the Sensing Technology Development Department but also to enable each department to create their own dashboards and obtain necessary insights through conversational analysis. The company also envisions utilizing data acquired in-house as an asset and expanding it to fixed-point observations in research and development. The intention is to use ThoughtSpot not merely as a tool for operational efficiency, but as a foundation that connects insights gained from research and development back to society.