Putting Data Analytics to Work to Improve Agentic AI User Experience

One of the first things we learned in the UC Davis Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) program is that data doesn’t live in a vacuum. It lives in products, in decisions and in real users’ hands.

The cornerstone of the MSBA curriculum is the unique year-long practicum project with a client company. Our team’s practicum project with RoloScan, an AI-powered business-card scanning and contact-management app, became a hands-on lesson in connecting analytics to product strategy.

Inside Our Project with RoloScan

RoloScan asked our student team to evaluate how users interact with key features—OCR scanning, notes, reminders and relationship insights—and recommend improvements to increase engagement. We surveyed 70+ of our peer MSBA students in a large beta test, giving us access to real user data and first-impressions of their UX.

Our toolkit included Python for data analysis, Tableau/Looker for visualization and Google Forms for feedback collection. What started as a dataset quickly became a story about usability, adoption and the power of listening to users.

We mapped patterns such as:

• Where users hesitated or abandoned steps.
• Which features felt intuitive.
• What actions led to repeated use.
• How minor UX adjustments could improve retention.
• Each insight helped us translate user behavior into a roadmap of product recommendations.

What the Practicum Taught Us about Real-World Analytics

Weekly check-ins with Roloscan and our faculty coach mirrored a true workplace environment. We scoped tasks, delivered updates and learned to communicate findings with clarity—not just through dashboards—but through decisions that someone could act on.

We experienced the full product lifecycle:

1. Understanding business needs
2. Designing a research approach
3. Analyzing user interaction data
4. Presenting insights in a decision-ready format

The project reminded us that successful analytics isn’t about the most complex model, but the most useful recommendation.

Why the UC Davis MSBA Practicum Project Stands Out

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The practicum project is one of the most defining parts of the UC Davis MSBA experience. Instead of waiting until graduation to gain industry exposure, students work with real companies throughout the program. With the MSBA program located in San Francisco—at the heart of global AI, tech and data innovation—it gives us access to networking events, employers and emerging tools shaping the future of analytics. It’s internship-style learning, built directly into the curriculum.

The experience benefits both domestic and international students. It supports industry readiness, CPT/OPT pathways, communication development and the confidence required to operate in cross-functional teams. The rhythm is fast—the quarter system moves quickly—but growth happens just as fast.

The UC Davis MSBA practicum teaches you analytics and how to think like an analyst who drives decisions that matter.

We entered with the goal of learning data science. We left understanding the product. We discovered how a simple workflow—like scanning a business card—becomes a complex data journey filled with user behavior, friction points and opportunities for better design.