By Zoe Milligan
“I need the completion report for the last compliance module. The board wants to see 100% by the end of the month.”
That was a familiar refrain from the Chief Operations Officer in one of my previous roles. Each month, he would proudly present our near-perfect completion rates to the board, confident that these numbers reflected the success of our learning culture.
But one day, I asked a simple question:
“What impact is this having on our frontline teams, both in the short and the long term?”
He hesitated. Then, quietly, he said, “I’m not sure. We don’t really measure that.”
That moment has stayed with me ever since. Because behind every percentage point lies a person, a learner juggling priorities, adapting to pressure, or trying to find their place in a rapid and at times volatile, workplace.
The data looked impressive, but it had lost its heartbeat.
In our pursuit of proof and performance, we sometimes forget what those numbers are truly meant to represent: people in the process of growth.
The Case for Compassionate Analytics
That experience sparked a realisation that changed how I view learning data. Yes, analytics can illuminate patterns that were once invisible such as engagement trends, skill gaps and even emerging strengths. But when they’re used without care, they risk turning learning into a transaction rather than a transformation.
That’s why we need a new paradigm: compassionate analytics. Analytics that don’t just measure progress, but also understand context. That seek not to judge, but to support, guide, and empower.
At its core, this shift isn’t about tools or dashboards, it’s about culture. A culture that believes data should serve people, not the other way around. This starts with rethinking the ethics of how we collect, interpret, and act on the insights our data reveals.
The Ethics of Insight: Building a Culture of Trust
Every piece of learner data, every click, completion, and reflection, represents part of someone’s professional story. Treating that data with care isn’t a compliance task; it’s an ethical commitment.
When analytics are used primarily to monitor rather than mentor, we send an unspoken message: We’re watching you. Over time, this approach can quietly erode the psychological safety that true learning depends on. When learners feel tracked rather than trusted, they stop experimenting, stop asking questions, and retreat into compliance instead of curiosity.
The risks run deeper still. Algorithms built on historical data can unintentionally reinforce bias, rewarding those who fit familiar learning patterns while disadvantaging others who communicate, process, or participate differently. In global or culturally diverse workplaces, data without context can easily be misinterpreted. Lower engagement rates might not indicate disinterest; they might reflect different cultural norms around communication, collaboration, or authority. Without this awareness, we risk drawing conclusions that alienate rather than empower.
When we treat learner data as a dialogue rather than surveillance, we shift from fear to trust, from judgement to understanding. Ethical data use means recognising that learning isn’t a single story told through metrics, it’s a collection of diverse human experiences.
Learner data is a gift and, like any gift, it should be treated with gratitude and care.
AI as an Ally, Not an Overseer
Artificial intelligence is often misunderstood as a force of detachment. Something cold, mechanical, or impersonal. But used wisely, AI can actually humanise learning. It can help us see what the human eye misses, freeing us to focus on empathy and connection.
Instead of using AI to monitor productivity, we can use it to uncover meaning; patterns that help us anticipate needs, personalise learning, and tell stories of genuine growth. By detecting subtle signs of disengagement or struggle, AI gives facilitators the insight to step in before a learner falls behind, offering timely encouragement or alternative pathways. It can curate personalised learning experiences that adjust to an individual’s pace, preferences, and performance, creating a journey that feels relevant and responsive rather than prescribed.
At a broader level, AI can transform raw data into rich visual narratives, helping L&D teams communicate progress in a way that resonates with both the heart and the head. It allows us to link learning insights to behavioural shifts and cultural outcomes, revealing how growth unfolds across an organisation.
When guided by ethics and empathy, AI doesn’t replace human judgment, it amplifies it. It helps us look beyond numbers to see people in motion, progress in context, and learning as a living, breathing system. And that’s where compassion becomes action.
From Compliance to Care: Practical Ways to Bring Heart to Data
If the idea of compassionate analytics feels abstract, here’s the good news- it starts with small, practical shifts that you can make right now. Each step strengthens the bridge between data and humanity.
-
Redesign Dashboards to Ask Better Questions
Most dashboards answer what is happening but the real power lies in asking why.
Instead of “Who hasn’t finished?” ask “Who might need help?” or “What’s getting in their way?”
Try this: Add a short “Learner Pulse” question after each module such as “How confident do you feel applying this skill?” or “What support would help you next?”
When confidence becomes a metric, insight becomes empathy.
-
Blend Numbers with Narratives
Data shows you the pattern. Stories show you the person. Pair your analytics with real learner reflections or manager observations to reveal meaning behind the metrics.
Try this: For every report, include one “Learner Story Spotlight”, a short anecdote or quote that captures human impact. It reminds everyone that each data point represents someone’s courage to learn.
-
Use AI to Create Impact Stories
AI can help visualise transformation in ways that resonate. Instead of static charts, tell stories of growth; confidence curves, collaboration heat-maps, or narrative-driven dashboards that show progress over time.
Try this: Turn your analytics into an “Impact Snapshot”, a concise, story-driven visual showing how learning improves confidence, collaboration, or leadership behaviour. It’s data that moves hearts as well as minds.
-
Create an Ethical Learning Data Charter
Trust is built when people understand how their data will be used and why. Establishing clear principles shows respect and accountability.
Try this: Co-create a simple “Learning Data Charter” with your team. Outline what data you collect, how you use it, and how it benefits learners. Share it openly in onboarding or on learning portals. When data use is transparent, trust naturally follows.
-
Measure Growth, Not Just Completion
Completion rates don’t tell the story of growth they tell the story of compliance. Shift your focus to measuring development, confidence, and application over time.
Try this: Introduce “learning growth maps”, quick self-assessments or manager check-ins that capture how capability and confidence evolve. When progress is visible, impact becomes meaningful.
Data Storytelling: The Bridge Between Insight and Impact
When we pair analytics with empathy, data transforms from a report into a relationship. It helps leaders see not only how learning performs, but how it feels. What it changes, what it unlocks, and what it inspires.
It reminds me of that earlier moment, standing in the boardroom as the COO proudly presented his 100% completion report. On paper, it was a success story. But what the numbers didn’t show were the real stories. The frontline workers staying late to complete modules after their shifts, the emerging leaders who discovered confidence through coaching, or the quiet achievers who grew in ways no dashboard had captured.
That’s what data storytelling allows us to do: to bring those invisible stories into the light. To use numbers not as proof of compliance, but as evidence of growth. Imagine presenting a report that doesn’t just say, “Engagement increased by 20%,” but instead shares:
“After introducing peer mentoring, learners reported greater confidence in applying skills. One participant said, ‘For the first time, I feel like my voice matters here.’ That confidence lifted team collaboration scores by 12%.”
That’s not just a statistic, it’s a story of transformation. And stories like that are what turn analytics into influence. They bridge the gap between human experience and organisational insight, reminding us that behind every data point lies a person, and behind every person lies potential waiting to be seen.
The Human-Centred Future of L&D
The future of learning measurement isn’t about collecting more data, it’s about collecting more understanding.
When we combine analytics with empathy, we stop treating learners as data points and start recognising them as people in progress.
When we measure with care, we don’t just prove learning, we improve it.
Technology will continue to evolve, but our greatest innovation will always be human compassion because when we lead with heart, our data doesn’t just reflect outcomes, it reveals true impact.
When data gains a heart, learning gains its purpose.
And that’s how we move beyond measurement toward meaningful, human transformation.
About the Author: Zoe Milligan
Zoe Jayne Milligan is a learning strategist dedicated to igniting the spark of learning in every individual. She designs transformative, technology-enabled learning experiences that empower people, champion inclusivity, and inspire organisations to create equitable opportunities for growth. Connect with Zoe via LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/zoemilliganignitespark
