Last month, eIMPACT launched two data dashboards that are now accessible to WTIA member companies. The project, a culmination of years of research and analysis, will shed much-needed light on the Washington state tech industry for years to come.

“We fancy ourselves to be a data-driven industry, and yet we don’t have very good data about our industry,” said WTIA CEO Michael Schutzler. “Our primary purpose as a trade association is to serve our members. We should know how many tech companies there are in Washington, in Seattle, in Spokane; how many employees they have, what kinds of products and services they offer, the job types and average wages, and so on. We should also know how we compare to Boston, San Francisco, Austin, etc.”

The Economic Impact Dashboard reveals the industry’s impact on the economy. On it you can find the tech job multiplier, information about tax contributions, and startup formation trends. The Workforce Dashboard answers three key questions: 1) What does the demand look like for specific tech jobs, 2) how many people in the region are available for those jobs, and 3) how many people are graduating from tech-related programs? The answers to these questions will help schools steer their curriculum, show recruiters where their work is truly needed, and guide the state in determining where to spend their educational dollars.

“We can use the information to educate tech company leaders and also to motivate government officials to help the industry continue to grow,” said Schutzler. “It paints a more accurate picture of how we’re doing as an industry and helps legislators understand us,” he added. “Having accurate data allows us to focus on facts on the ground.” 

Being able to answer these questions with accurate, complete information requires a sophisticated level of economic analysis. After collecting and analyzing public and private data sets, eImpact interpreted the findings into easily digestible charts. This version is the beta of what is expected to become a more complete and useful resource for longitudinal studies.

“I think this project is breaking new ground as far as what we’ve done with tech councils…They’ve got a unique vision and a creative approach,” said Erik Larson, CEO of eImpact. “WTIA is going deeper and has a bigger scope, particularly around workforce. They’re looking to the future in terms of creating talent.”