On April 16, 2026, the Women in Big Data, Pacific Northwest Chapter gathered for a session that felt like more than just a technical workshop—it was a reality check. Led by Professor Naveen Gudigantala from the University of Portland, the workshop, “From Model to Decision: Building Machine Learning Solutions That Actually Change How Organizations Act,” tackled a critical question: Why do 80% of machine learning models never make it to production?

It’s Not a Math Problem—It’s a Human One

For many of us working in Python notebooks and SQL queries, it’s tempting to see a high accuracy score as the finish line. But as Prof. Naveen illustrated—drawing on the well-known case of IBM Watson’s $50 million partnership with MD Anderson—technical excellence alone does not guarantee success.

The gap between a model in the lab and a solution in production is rarely about algorithms or infrastructure. It’s about culture, psychology, and organizational alignment. As Prof. Naveen emphasized:
“Analytics projects are not technology projects; they are business projects.”

The BizML Framework: Start with the Decision

Introducing the BizML framework (by Eric Siegel), Prof. Naveen encouraged us to begin not with the data, but with the decision we want to influence. To avoid building “orphan systems”—models with no clear ownership—we must align three key pillars:

• The Business: What specific decision will change because this model exists?
• The Data: Is the data clean, comprehensive, and reflective of reality?
• The Model: Is it explainable and trustworthy for stakeholders and regulators?

More Than Just Data

What made this session truly impactful wasn’t just the technical discussion—it was the mindset shift. We explored the “1 to 100 rule”: building the model is 1 unit of effort; deploying it and driving real organizational change is 100.

As Prof. Naveen put it, a model without an owner is like a plant without water—it may look promising at first, but it won’t survive.

The Takeaway

To all technologists: don’t just fall in love with your code—fall in love with the problem you’re solving and the people who will use your solution. Real impact happens when technical excellence meets human trust.

A sincere thank you to Prof. Naveen Gudigantala for an insightful session, and to the WiBD Pacific Northwest Chapter for creating such an engaging and empowering space. Let’s continue building solutions that truly move the needle.

A Community for the Pivot

This forward-thinking approach reflects the mission of the Women in Big Data Pacific Northwest Chapter. The event also supported the Pacific Phoenixes program, a dedicated community helping women transition into data careers or re-enter the workforce with confidence.

We are building more than models—we are building the technical and emotional confidence needed to lead.

What’s Next? Crafting Your Professional Story

If this session showed us how to make our models heard, the next step is learning how to make your voice heard.

Explore our upcoming personal branding, where we share insights on how to craft a professional story that is authentic, clear, and uniquely yours. In the world of data, how you communicate who you are is just as important as the insights you generate.

Join Women in Big Data

Ready to move beyond working in silos and start growing within a supportive, global community?

Connect with us at www.womeninbigdata.org to access:

• Mentoring programs
• DataCamp training opportunities
• A global network of 30,000+ professionals

 

Your voice—and your journey—matter.