Ken Dafoe | SpeakerHub

Personal Details

Bio

I have always woven teaching into my professional journey, starting with consulting engagements across Canada and the United States before moving into academia. With a combined 40 years of experience working with data and analytics, my career has been rich and varied. For CGA Canada, I created IT course materials and devised several hundred multiple-choice questions for exams.

The advent of AI and machine learning, alongside the development of environments like RStudio, marked a pivotal moment in data analysis, transitioning from merely descriptive to advanced predictive analytics. This shift transformed the role of data in business and ignited my interest in how data can enhance human resources practices. At the college level, I developed two courses for HR graduate certificate students, focusing on leveraging people data to gain deeper insights into employee dynamics.

Throughout my academic career, I have co-authored four papers, contributing the data analysis and interpretation sections. I have also written for CBC Radio, The Star, The Kitchener Record, and published dozens of articles in numerous magazines. I am thrilled to share my data insights and techniques with HR and other interested professionals.

Current position (1)

College Professor

Conestoga College

Presentations

Presentations (4)

From Icebergs to Exit Interviews: Data Insights from the Titanic to Turnover Analysis

With records for over 1,300 documented passengers aboard the RMS Titanic, their stories of survival and tragedy have captivated the world for over a century. Many have seen the numerous moves, grasping at the human decisions and sheer luck that dictated who lived and who perished on that icy night in 1912. But how much of this is grounded in reality, and what can data tell us that history books and films cannot?

In this insightful presentation, we dig into the Titanic dataset, uncovering the critical decisions and factors that influenced survival rates during its catastrophic final hours. We dissect the roles of class, age, gender, and more in the survival outcomes, using rigorous data analysis to separate fact from fiction.

But why stop at the past? We shift focus to the modern workplace, using similar analysis methods to cut into employee turnover. We’ll explore how the Titanic's lessons can inform leadership and decision-making in today's dynamic business world.

Beyond Spreadsheets: Unveiling Company Dynamics Through Salary Analysis

What can a simple list of salaries reveal about an organization? This presentation looks into how generative AI and other available technologies go beyond traditional spreadsheet analysis to unlock profound insights from employee salary data. Discover the power of AI in deciphering organizational structure, uncovering equity gaps, outlining promotion pathways, and forecasting salary trends. We will introduce practical AI tools and methodologies that not only deepen our understanding of compensation fairness and internal hierarchies but also empower strategic HR interventions. Join us to learn how today's analytical tools are transforming HR analytics into a beacon for equity and transparency in the workplace.

Interpreting the Unspoken: Text Analytics in Employee Survey Analysis

Starting with spreadsheets for analyzing employee surveys is standard, but to truly grasp what your employees are communicating, deeper analysis is necessary. This presentation guides HR professionals through the journey of interpreting employee survey results beyond the surface level. By integrating factor analysis and item response theory, we can unlock the nuances in Likert scale responses and bridge them with the rich context of open-ended text answers. This dual approach allows us to gain a comprehensive understanding of employee sentiments, leading to more informed decision-making. Discover how to surpass basic survey analytics to fully comprehend your employees' feedback, enhancing your strategic HR initiatives.

Transforming Incident Analysis: Leveraging AI for Effective HR Decision-Making

In Human Resources, analyzing employee incidents has traditionally relied on the judgment of HR professionals. However, the advent of generative AI tools like ChatGPT is revolutionizing this critical task.

This presentation explores how the integration of text analytics and AI support can elevate the analysis of workplace incidents. By employing sophisticated AI algorithms with text analysis, HR professionals can dissect incident reports with unprecedented accuracy, highlighting key themes and sentiments, resulting in actionable insights. This ensures a more objective and comprehensive analysis where AI augments human expertise.

This presentation will show the practical applications of these tools, demonstrating how they enhance the clarity and impact of HR's incident analysis and decision-making processes. Join us to discover how text analytics and AI are transforming incident analysis, ensuring precision and fairness in the workplace, and driving strategic HR initiatives forward.