The Data Stack Show - The PRQL: The Data Switchboard

Episode Date: November 21, 2022

In this bonus episode, Eric and Kostas preview their upcoming conversation with Max Werner of Obsessive Analytics Consulting.

Welcome to the Data Stack Show prequel. We just recorded a show with Max Werner, who runs a consultancy called Obsessive Analytics. But he has done data work for all sorts of companies, small SaaS startups, to the gaming division at Warner Brothers. You know, huge. And it was a really interesting show. Costas, I think one of the takeaways I had at the end of the show was this

concept of the switchboard, right? And the data professional is like operating a switchboard. Do you think that that's a good analogy for someone in a data role? Costas Pintas- Yeah. I mean, it is because the switchboards also requires an operator, right? You need to have a human there to make the connections.

So, yeah, I think that for the current status of how things work in terms of moving data around, yeah, it's pretty accurate. What I wonder is that, like, does this mean that we are going to end up with, instead of switchboards having automated circuits and we're not going to need someone to operate the switchboards? So I don't know.

We didn't ask him that. So we didn't ask him. That would have been a good question. Yeah. Yeah. Probably we have to ask that like next time, but that's, I think is super important, but anyway, that's for the future, I think that's for now. Like, yeah, like the Swiss board is like a very good analogy.

And I think it would be great to hear actually like from the data engineers out there, how they feel about this. Yeah, that's true. I would encourage like the people who want like to reach out and let us know. Send an email or like get in contact with us. And so if you think like if you feel like a switchboard operator or not. Yeah, that's great. Yeah.

Eric at data stack show.com or Costas at data stack show.com. We would love your feedback on whether you think it switchboard operators to get an analogy. Of course, every analogy is imperfect. Do you think Eric that we can also like give something back if anyone reaches out to us like a. What? Eric Boothman- Oh yes, absolutely. Coffee mug and t-shirt. A hundred percent. We can also like give something back if anyone reaches out to us, like a mod. Oh, yes, absolutely.

Coffee mug and t-shirt, 100%. If you reach out, we will send you a coffee mug and a t-shirt. Whether you answer the question or not. But please answer the question. But please answer the question, yes. We need to know if you like a switchboard operator, okay? All righty. Well, thank you for joining us

for the people if the concept intrigues you listen to the show with Max we talked about all sorts of interesting stuff the gaming pipelines at Warner Brothers

was absolutely fascinating you know each team with their own Redshift cluster super crazy and fun to hear about that and yeah we will catch you on the next one.