“It is an Incredibly Painstaking, Time-Taking Domain to Work in”: Examining the Work-Life Tensions and Meaningful Experiences of Data Work in Elite Sport

Abstract

This article utilizes empirical insight to critically reflect on the employment and life experiences of data workers in a high-performance environment. The context under study is that of elite sport and the role of performance analyst – a specialist field comprising the use of technology and data in the process of improving sport performance outcomes. Using in-depth semi-structured interviews, the social and organizational environment encompassing data work is explored to examine how it may enable or constrain certain labour practices. The findings reveal implications concerning the nature of data work, and in particular how the pursuit of data at scale escalates issues regarding work-life balance. By acquiring insight into the everyday experiences of analysts and the nature of datafied knowledge production, the study demonstrates how participants find meaning in their labour through establishing credibility and a connection to the affective dimensions of work. We conclude by offering practical recommendations for those entering into this field of work that centre on the importance of enculturation and the collaborative nature of the role, reinforcing the imperative that a human-centred approach to examining data work helps us to better understand how data representations come into being.