I’m Yadi Sheng — an analyst who turns messy data into decisions.

More precisely: I read the gap between the story everyone tells and the reality the data shows — and I act on it. In my Gen Z insurance project, the story was that money buys coverage; the reality was that education and learned financial behavior mattered more. In my F1 rookies project, the story was that a strong start wins; the reality was that a rookie’s environment — who they’re measured against — shaped their progress more than raw talent. Finding that gap, and saying what to do about it, is the whole job.

I hold two degrees from UMass Amherst — a BBA in Operations & Information Management, where my coursework focused on data analytics, and a BS in Sport Management. I also completed Isenberg’s undergraduate Certificate in Business Analytics, and earned an SAP Recognition Award for completing Isenberg’s SAP Business Suite program of study. This fall I’m starting my M.S. in Business Analytics.

My approach is simple: every analysis has to answer one question — so what? A pattern only matters if it helps a business make money, prioritize, find its customers, or make a sharper decision. That’s the lens I bring to every project on this site.

Numbers don’t lie — but they’ll faithfully repeat a bad question. My job is to ask the right one in the first place, and to catch the numbers when the inputs are wrong.

I’m early in my career, and I treat that as an edge, not a gap. I don’t arrive blank — I arrive with a clear way of thinking and no bad habits to unlearn. That makes me quick to pick up a team’s way of working and build on it, rather than fighting someone else’s playbook. Give me a problem and data, and I’ll find the signal in it.

I work across domains — consumer behavior, sports, and gaming analytics — because the thinking travels even when the subject changes. My toolkit runs from Python and SQL to Tableau, Alteryx, Excel, and VBA. The tools shift with the problem; the question stays the same.

Credentials

  • BBA — Operations & Information Management, UMass Amherst (Isenberg)
  • BS — Sport Management, UMass Amherst (Isenberg)
  • Certificate in Business Analytics — Isenberg School of Management
  • SAP Recognition Award — SAP Business Suite program of study
  • Relevant coursework: Project Management (OIM 451), SAP-ERP Systems (OIM 452), Machine Learning (OIM 454)
  • In progress: M.S. in Business Analytics, UMass Amherst