Behind every great product decision is a great question. As a data science manager at Houzz, Yanying Qiu leads a global team that turns complex data into insights that inform decisions around new product features and customer support strategies, making the Houzz Pro experience even better for the professionals who rely on it every day.

How would you describe what you do at Houzz?
A big part of my role is helping teams ask the right questions before jumping into the data. I work closely with partners across Product, Design, Engineering and Sales to understand the problem we’re trying to solve, identify the signals that matter most and help turn those insights into data-backed decisions that teams can act on.

What do you enjoy most about your role?
I enjoy learning how our products are being used in the real world. That can mean evaluating how new features are being adopted or uncovering opportunities to improve onboarding and workflows so pros are set up for success. Taking all of that data and turning it into clear, actionable insights that help improve the product is where I see the most impact. 

Tell us about your career journey. How did you find Houzz?
My path to data science started with a degree in applied mathematics. While I was in college, I participated in data science competitions, case studies and internships, which helped confirm that this was the field I wanted to be in. 

Before joining Houzz, I worked in a machine learning role at a smaller company, where I built models to predict loan defaults for financial institutions. The work was technically challenging, but over time I realized I wanted to be closer to the product side of the business and collaborate with product managers, designers and engineers. That’s what led me to Houzz nearly five years ago.

What’s your favorite thing about working at Houzz?
One of the best parts is being so close to the impact of the work. It’s rewarding to see how insights from our data translate into real decisions that improve the product for our community and help the business continue to grow.

I also really value the collaborative culture. People are generous with their time and knowledge, which is especially important in data work where context matters just as much as the numbers.

What’s something that has surprised you about working here?
How well our fully remote environment works. Even with team members spread across different time zones, collaboration is strong and everyone makes time for connection through team events, happy hours and in-person meetups.

What advice would you give to someone starting out at Houzz?
Stay close to the product and spend time exploring the tools. Experiencing Houzz Pro firsthand helps you understand the business, our customers’ needs and the thinking behind product decisions.

What’s your favorite Houzz Pro feature?
The 3D Floor Plan tool. It’s a really unique part of Houzz Pro, especially with advanced features like photorealistic images and LiDAR room scans. It’s incredibly powerful and it’s exciting to see how pros can use it to bring their ideas to life.

What makes you most excited about the future of Houzz?
What excites me most is seeing Houzz Pro become a core part of how larger, more complex businesses operate. Knowing our work helps shape how people run their businesses makes the impact feel very tangible.

What do you do when you’re not working?
I love skiing and try to spend as much time on the mountain as possible during the winter. Last year, I managed around 30 days! I also enjoy photography, cooking at home and doing things that help me step away from screens.