Many clients are relying on their Wi-Fi networks to estimate onsite workspace occupancy. And while it is hard to beat the price of the data (aka free), it’s important to remember that sometimes you get what you pay for. We work very closely with clients and occasionally are asked to test raw Wi-Fi network data for its accuracy as a proxy for onsite occupancy. We’ve found that unique device pings to Wi-Wi networks can be an extremely poor, garbage-in, garbage out metric for occupancy if not treated appropriately The chart below shows that when compared to onsite person counts by human observers, the unique pings were ~25% of actual occupancy. Our advice is that before relying on Wi-Fi data to estimate occupancy, a client should hire a reputable service provider to calibrate the signals to reality. At Jerde Analytics, we always start our engagements with a full data audit to ensure all relevant data are quality inspected prior to use. ➡️ #jerdeanalytics #futureofwork #workplaceanalytics
