The Clearly Podcast
Introducing Season 3
Summary
This season, we're aligning our podcast with the structure of our upcoming book, "BI Confidential." Our goal is to create material that will directly contribute to the book, addressing real-world practices in BI and analytics.
We'll start by debunking the myth of "best practice." Best practice can often lead to paralysis, as people get stuck on whether something is standard rather than considering if it fits their specific needs. Instead, we should focus on good practices that work for our specific contexts, even if they aren't the so-called best.
Another important topic will be the journey from descriptive to prescriptive analytics. Basics are crucial, but they can take a lot of effort to get right. Once the basics are in place, advanced analytics often follow more easily.
Understanding client types and motivations is key. Different organizations—whether they're high-growth and chaotic or structured and regimented—require different approaches. We must adapt our methods to fit the client's specific needs.
We'll also discuss the importance of equipping your toolbox with the right tools. No single tool can do everything, so it's important to have a variety and know when to use each one. This includes tools like Excel, which remains a staple.
Selecting the right partner is another crucial element. Understanding client motivation and organizational context helps tailor our approach to better meet their needs.
Other topics will include long-term maintenance, data quality, governance, cloud infrastructure costs, licensing, and subscription models. Ongoing costs are often overlooked but can significantly impact the overall success and sustainability of BI projects.
This season aims to provide practical, real-world insights and strategies for effective BI and analytics, blending our podcast discussions with the structure needed for our book. Stay tuned for a series of engaging and informative episodes!
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Transcript
Andy
Gentlemen, this is the self-indulgent start of season three, and I'm pretty excited about it.
Tom
Yeah, these self-indulgent episodes are always good fun, aren't they?
Andy
So, season three is about aligning our podcast with the structure of the book we're planning. Despite having lots of material, we've never organized it well for a book. This season, the podcast will align with the book, "BI Confidential," which I just registered as a domain.
Tom
I think the first chapter should debunk the myth of "best practice"—the idea that it even exists. Once you get past that, you can do what's right for your organization without getting stuck on so-called best practices.
Andy
Do you think there's a "best practice paralysis"?
Tom
Yes, people get stuck on whether something is best practice instead of considering if it fits their specific needs. I've had technical discussions where best practice advice didn't fit the actual workload.
Shailan
Absolutely, best practices depend on your goals. Sometimes, there's no one-size-fits-all solution.
Tom
There are good and bad practices, but even bad practices can be okay occasionally, like having a cream cake once in a while.
Andy
If it works and achieves the objective within a reasonable timeframe, it might not be an issue.
Tom
Another chapter should address the journey from descriptive to prescriptive analytics. While basics are essential, they aren't always easy to implement.
Andy
The basics can take a lot of time and effort, but advanced stuff often falls into place once you've got them.
Tom
I'll add a comment about that to your LinkedIn post.
Andy
We also need to consider client types and motivations. Understanding the client's organizational type can dictate the implementation approach. High-growth, chaotic organizations need a different strategy compared to structured ones.
Tom
It reminds me of a project manager who used a "wagile" approach, blending waterfall and agile methods.
Andy
For high-growth organizations, too much structure can be a disaster. Understanding your client is crucial.
Shailan
Practices evolve. What works now might change, especially with cloud environments where costs can spike unexpectedly.
Andy
And we must keep adapting.
Shailan
Absolutely. Power BI and visualization tools show that best practices aren't always transferable. Replicating Excel reports directly often doesn't work.
Tom
We need to talk about equipping your toolbox. No single tool does everything. Each tool has its place, like Excel, which remains ubiquitous.
Andy
Selecting a partner to work with is also crucial.
Shailan
Yes, understanding client motivation and organizational context helps tailor our approach.
Andy
We'll cover debunking best practices, client types, motivations, soft skills, tool selection, long-term maintenance, and costs.
Tom
Including data quality and governance is essential too.
Shailan
We should also discuss cloud infrastructure costs, licensing, and subscription models. People often overlook these ongoing costs.
Andy
Great points. Let's make sure our podcast stays self-indulgent and ranty. That's what makes it enjoyable.