schroders: what it need to know about alteryx
TRANSCRIPT
What IT need to know about AlteryxBenefits, best practices, present and future opportunities
20/03/2015
Michael Renwick | Developer/Analyst
Month 2015 | For professional advisers only. This material is not suitable for retail clients[Second line for cover page footnote where necessary]
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What IT need to know about AlteryxWhat is this new tool that the business want….?
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What IT need to know about AlteryxThe very first real question…
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What IT need to know about AlteryxThe most common data science tools in use
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What IT need to know about AlteryxThe most common data science tools in use
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Sorry O’Reilly, I’m not sure I consider Windows as a “tool” (Powershell maybe)
???
R we’ll mention later.
What IT need to know about AlteryxExcel.
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How is this different from Excel?
What IT need to know about AlteryxHow is this different from Excel? A very loaded question…
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What IT need to know about AlteryxHow is this different from Excel?
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Answer: If you were to turn a spreadsheet into a “proper” ETL process, it would look like an Alteryx workflow.
What IT need to know about AlteryxHow is this different from Excel?
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What does this do that SQL doesn’t already do?
What IT need to know about AlteryxWhat does this do that SQL doesn’t do?
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Region Amount Date Africa 100 1/1/2015 Africa 220 1/4/2015 Europe 450 1/1/2015 Europe 299 1/4/2014
Region 1/1/2015 1/4/2015 Africa 100 140Europe 220 200
Have Want
Dynamic pivot or unpivot
What IT need to know about AlteryxWhat does this do that SQL doesn’t do?
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Dynamic pivot or unpivot
What IT need to know about AlteryxWhat does this do that SQL doesn’t do?
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Name Member Member MemberABC Co John Susan EdDEF Co Avi Prasad Steph
Name TeamABC Co John, Susan, EdDEF Co Avi, Prasad, Steph
Have Want (initially)
Text to columns / general rejig
Name Data Member ABC Co Member EdABC Co Member JohnABC Co Member Susan… … …
Want (ultimately)
What IT need to know about AlteryxWhat does this do that SQL doesn’t do?
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Text to columns / general rejig
What IT need to know about AlteryxWhat does this do that SQL doesn’t do?
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Answer: Provides a Swiss Army Knifetm set of tools for common data problems, and a bunch of other tools that SQL can’t touch. (Like R)
Building a better workflow - Best Practices.
Begin with a normal workflow
What IT need to know about AlteryxBuilding a better workflow - Best Practices
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Convert all inputs / outputs to generic ones.
What IT need to know about AlteryxBuilding a better workflow - Best Practices
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From the outside, your module now looks like this
What IT need to know about AlteryxBuilding a better workflow - Best Practices
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Hook up your data sources.
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CRM
CRMFin data
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Different CRM
Different CRMFin data (Sharepoint)
Switch sources to something else (Sharepoint anyone?)
Crucially, you can now create a completely repeatable unit test
What IT need to know about AlteryxBuilding a better workflow - Best Practices
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Input data source 1
Input data source 2
What IT need to know about AlteryxBuilding a better workflow - Best Practices
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IT can relatively easily create a configuration layer. Dev/Test/Prod
Parameter ParameterParameter Parameter Parameter Parameter Parameter Parameter
CRM
Fin data
CRM
Future opportunities “In database” tools
What IT need to know about AlteryxFuture opportunities : “In database” tools
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Today, typical ETL tools give the illusion that you’re seeing a flow
What IT need to know about AlteryxFuture opportunities : “In database” tools
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but “Steps” are often black boxes …
What IT need to know about AlteryxFuture opportunities : “In database” tools
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but “Steps” are often black boxes … leading to code somewhere else
What IT need to know about AlteryxFuture opportunities : “In database” tools
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In Alteryx now, you can build flows that run in the database
Inside SQL Server
What IT need to know about AlteryxFuture opportunities : “In database” tools
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This metaphor may extend to difficult to use big data platforms
Inside Hadoop? Redshift?
What IT need to know about AlteryxFuture opportunities : “In database” tools
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Users already know how to build flows (and what to run next)
Inside Hadoop? Redshift?
What IT need to know about AlteryxAlteryx source is human readable**
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This is an Alteryx workflow xml, processed into a tableau visual, using… Alteryx! (dynamic data dictionary?)
**almost
What IT need to know about AlteryxThis might be just what you need to capture the imagination of your data scientists.
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A sandbox for extreme data exploration / creativity.
The views and opinions contained herein are those of Michael Renwick, Developer/Analyst, Schroders and may not necessarily represent views expressed or reflected in other Schroders communications, strategies or funds.
Past performance is not a guide to future performance and may not be repeated. The value of investments and the income from them may go down as well as up and investors may not get back the amount originally invested.
Issued in March 2015 by Schroder Unit Trusts Limited, 31 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7QA. Registered No: 1893220 England. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
What IT need to know about AlteryxThank you very much!
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