For students in Goizueta’s Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) program, data is more than numbers; it’s a language for solving business problems.
Thanks to the program’s commitment to experiential learning, students recently got the chance to practice speaking that language in the real world. The 2025 MSBA Business Challenge transformed classroom theory into hands-on consulting experience, with the help of top Atlanta consulting firm SEI.
Bridging Analytics and Business Value
SEI, which specializes in AI, technology, and data analytics, crafted a problem that required not only technical rigor but also creativity and business acumen. This year’s challenge, AI-Driven Menu Optimization in the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) Industry, asked students to use authentic business data to develop an AI-enabled approach for menu decision-making. The students ran numbers, quantified trade-offs, and proposed a scalable, repeatable process suitable for enterprise use.
“Our SEI team spent several weeks discussing how to provide the students with a challenge that is highly relevant to what they are learning in the program and will provide them with a ‘real world’ experience based upon what we see across our various clients,” says Emory alumnus and SEI Strategy and Transformation Consultant Powell Jones 86C. Jones was one of several members of the judging panel who provided industry perspective and feedback, which also included Jaime Boltin, Carrie Francis, John Longo, and Shilpi Sharma.
Eleven student teams entered the competition, each taking a unique approach to optimizing menu design using data and AI. After two rounds of intense analysis and presentations, three finalist teams were selected to present their solutions live to the SEI judges and Goizueta faculty. Their work demonstrated not only analytical sophistication but also a strong grasp of communication and stakeholder engagement—skills essential for translating insights into action.
“The presentations from the student were phenomenal,” says Jones. “Our panel of reviewers commented many times how the high quality of the recommendations and supporting analytical rigor is already approaching what is expected of experience consultants. We agreed among ourselves how much we learned from working with the students and hearing their perspectives and insights during the challenge.”
Recognizing Excellence
The top honors went to “Beauty and the Beast,” which included students Tina (Tianyi) Huang 26MSBA, Villanelle Chen 26MSBA, Sebastien (Xinjie) Lin 26MSBA, and Alyssa (Yaxin) Qian 26MSBA, for their project AI-driven Menu Optimization Utilizing Operational, Customer and Micro-economic Data. Their solution integrated multiple data dimensions to identify menu configurations that balance customer preferences with profitability and operational efficiency.
“Our core goal was straightforward: deliver a better customer experience that drives higher revenue, while at the same time keeping operational costs under control,” says Chen. She explained that their concept wasn’t just about listing items more efficiently, but fundamentally redesigning how a digital menu adapts in real time to context and need.
“Our system recognizes different consumption intentions and adapts the menu flow accordingly.” Rather than simply offering discounts or speed, the team framed personalization as reducing mental effort and helping customers make choices that feel intuitive.
She emphasized that menu logic must align with operational reality. “A smart menu doesn’t push whatever is most profitable on paper, but what makes sense operationally.” In other words, the AI considers not only demand but “what the kitchen is already cooking, what won’t slow down a busy line, and what fits the habits of people who walk into that specific store.”
Finally, the team incorporated behavioral context into decision-making. “Traffic delays, weather conditions, public events, and time-of-day patterns consistently influence how long customers are willing to wait and what type of food they crave.” These signals become “behavioral modifiers,” shaping recommendations dynamically rather than just feeding raw data into a decision engine.
Second place went to “Hungry All the Time,” including team members Smriti Goyal 26MSBA, Peili Chang 26MSBA, Chelsea Yeh 26MSBA, and Jane (Jiatong) Pan 26MSBA, who proposed a personalized menu system that aligns individual preferences with purchase drivers to boost conversion and loyalty.
Third place, “Team Wang,” comprised of Yves (Yuchen) Wang 26MSBA, Rio (Bochen) Hei 26MSBA, George Wang 26MSBA, and Runchu Chen 26MSBA, impressed judges with a vision of transforming drive-thru efficiency using voice AI to enhance customer experience.
Building the Future of Applied Analytics
Now in its third iteration, following partnerships with FedEx (2019–2022) and Truist (2023), the business challenge continues to evolve as a cornerstone of the MS in Business Analytics program. Each year, it reaffirms Goizueta’s commitment to learning by doing, preparing graduates who can harness data to shape strategy and deliver measurable business impact.
“Our MS in Business Analytics students excel at mastering technical skills and, more importantly, defining innovative solutions to real business problems,” says Scott Radcliffe, the program’s director. “The SEI business challenge highlights their readiness to lead at the intersection of business, data, and technology. We’re especially grateful to Goizueta alumnus Powell Jones and SEI for providing this outstanding learning opportunity for our students.”
Goizueta’s STEM-designated MS in Business Analytics combines business, data, and technology to make you an effective business data scientist for a data-driven world. Learn more.
