Category: PASS

Discount Code for $200 Off PASS Business Analytics Conference

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Since you follow my blog with rapt joy, you have no doubt noticed that my last two posts are related to the PASS Business Analytics Conference coming up April 10-13 in Chicago. PASS gave me a discount code that allows those who use it to save $200 on their registration for the Conference.

The code is: BAC689BL

Using this code by March 15th will allow you to register for $1395, instead of the current full price of $1595.

As of March 16th, the full price goes to $1795. At that point, using the code above will allow you to register for… wait for it….$1595. Ahhhhh…. Predictive analytics….

Please note that this code is for new registrations only; it cannot be applied retroactively to existing registrations.

PASS also informed me that I will receive $50 for each person that registers for the conference using this code, up to a maximum of $500. Well, that’s really cool.

But here’s the thing. I don’t support PASS for monetary gain. I don’t volunteer as a PASS Regional Mentor for truckloads of cash. And I am not helping to promote the PASS BA Conference because I am speaking. I really believe in the value of this event.

So, any funds that come to me through the use of the discount code above will be donated to The Manya Memorial Fund.

If you or anyone you know is interested in attending this fantastic event, please feel free to use the BAC689BL discount code or share it with others. Thanks much.

Business Analytics and PASS: Yes Please!

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Over the past few years, I have been truly amazed at the power of Business Analytics. I know that part of that is due to my increased exposure to it through client projects. But it seems clear to me that the understanding of what analytics brings to the table has grown as well. One example of the rising prominence of analytics is the fact that IBM is paying out Marketing dollars on prime time commercials about it. From my perspective, that is neither insignificant nor a coincidence.

More and more companies are realizing their data isn’t some static asset that they should just stick onto disks like people used to hide money under their mattresses. It has value far beyond just keeping accounts up to date or being able to how many customers bought Jiffy Pop last week. That is information. And that is certainly important. But analytics takes us to another level entirely.

A client recently told me that his company has gotten really good at measuring operational metrics. Data can help you do that. But analytics can help you determine if you are measuring the rights ones in the first place. Suppose your company can tell the efficiency of Process XYZ with amazing precision and managers all over the company spend a lot of time, both in and out of the office, worrying about how it will fluctuate. Quality business analytics could help you show them how much of an impact Process XYZ actually has on company success. You may end up lowering the company’s overall healthcare costs by preventing a few ulcers.

I am actually just finishing an SSAS 2012 Tabular Model for the Client above in the next couple weeks. It is the first Business Analytics project in his company. It is just a Proof of Concept, and it is not yet complete, but he keeps telling me how valuable it has already been. It is allowing him to correlate data points he never could before. While it is a short project, and the team is just me and a part time PM, I am trying to keep it in the Agile vein and releasing new versions to him every few days or so with new fields, new measures, etc. Within about five minutes after I made the very first release, he told me that he had been able to prove a theory about what was causing a particular business pain, a pain that went up to the highest levels of his company. My point with this is that analytics can often help us see things from different angles or perspectives that are otherwise impossible.

I just can’t wait to get this into that hands of more people in this company. THEN we will really see what, I think, is the greatest benefit that Business Analytics provides: Questions. You read that right. Not Answers. Questions. Answers are great and analytics can provide those. But Questions are the gems. Truly successful business analytics will lead you to the questions you didn’t know to ask. 

I am certainly not the only one who has noticed the rise of Business Analytics. The Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS), which holds a SQL Server Summit every year, announced the first ever PASS Business Analytics Conference taking place in Chicago this April.

PASS BA Conference(b|t)

I have a passion for presenting and my excitement for analytics comes through. I have presented at many SQL Saturdays and various user groups both in person and remotely. When this conference was announced, I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that I would submit a session or two. I also knew that this was going to be a very long shot for me. The competition would be VERY stiff and, being the first event of this kind for PASS, there would be a lot of people vying for spots to present. I couldn’t believe it when I got the email that one of those sessions I submitted was accepted. It will be the crowning achievement of my Presenting career to date. I will be co-presenting with a friend of mine, Doug Lane (b|t), who I met at a SQL Saturday event in Chicago a few years ago.

Our session, Hailing Frequencies: Analysis Services Terms and Concepts, is a Star Trek themed introduction to the terminology and ideas that are an important foundation for Business Analytics projects using Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services as the technology of choice. We will be focusing on SQL Server Analysis Services 2012 and covering both the traditional Multidimensional Model (Cubes) as well as the new Tabular Model. The increased demand for analytics will lead to more and more analytics projects. Yes, I put that together all by myself. As such, it is important for people to have an understanding of what they are getting into and start off on the right foot.

There are so many amazing sessions at this conference. In addition to having the privilege of speaking, I am really excited to be counted as an attendee. Here are just a few of the many sessions that I am particularly excited about.

Dave DuVarney (b|t) of SolidQ is giving a session: Delivering Agile BI Solutions. I firmly believe that analytics projects are iterative and work best when users and stakeholders get their hands dirty early and often. This will provide awesome insight into how to handle this well.

Cindy Gross (b|t) of Microsoft and Eduardo Gamez of Intel are presenting: How Intel Integrates Self-Service BI with IT for Better Business Results. One of my first projects in my SQL Server career was designing/implementing a SQL Server Reporting Services Report Model for enable power-users at a client to create their own reports. Ever since then, I have been a proponent of empowering end users as part of an overall reporting solution. This session looks to be a magnificent look into how a highly respective organization like Intel was able to create a holistic solution with great success.

Marco Russo (b|t) will be delivering a session on: Modern Data Warehouse Strategy. In his abstract for this session, Marco points out that new technologies around Self-Serve BI and Big Data Analytics are not doing away with the concept of a Data Warehouse, “but we do need to update our strategy for data warehouse implementation to fit the requirements of this new era.” I am still relatively new to Data Warehousing in general so I expect to get a massive benefit from this session. Marco’s blog and book, Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Analysis Services: The BISM Tabular Model, have been of enormous help to me on my current Tabular Model project.

There are 60 sessions in all. Sixty. I am just ecstatic that PASS saw the value in holding an event like this focusing on Business Analytics. I feel so honored that I get to be a part of it.

If you work in a company that has data, then you work in a company that is likely to benefit from Business Analytics. We, as a global community are producing and consuming ever increasing volumes of data and at increasing speeds. Analytics is no flash in the pan; it is here to stay and the appetite for it will only get larger. The sooner you start learning about it, the better. The PASS Business Analytics Conference is an excellent place to start. You can register here. Your career is worth the investment. Who knows? Maybe you could end up leading your company (and yourself) into an era of better insight and success than ever before.

Who’s Got Two Thumbs And Is Speaking at the PASS Business Analytics Conference?

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PASS_BAC_Logo_JPEGThat would be my friend, Doug Lane (b|t). Oh, and me, too. We are actually co-presenting a Star Trek themed session: Hailing Frequencies: Analysis Services Terms and Concepts.

Abstract:

In this Star Trek-themed presentation aimed at non-technical folks, we will explain the terms and concepts important to understand when participating in projects involving SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS). You’ll learn the key differences between the SSAS Multidimensional Model (Cubes) and the SSAS Tabular Model. You’ll also learn the definitions and examples of key terms for each model, including but not limited to: measure groups, measures, dimensions, attributes, and hierarchies in the SSAS Multidimensional Model and tables, columns, and calculated measures in the SSAS Tabular Model. We will also demonstrate the basics of browsing of both Multidimensional and Tabular models using Excel 2013.

This conference has an amazing list of speakers.

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The fact (no pun intended) that my name is among this group of fantastic presenters from Microsoft and the SQL Community is pretty overwhelming. And the fact that I get to share this opportunity with a friend I met at a SQL Saturday is just that much better.

Summing Up PASS Summit 2012

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I attended my second PASS Summit this year. And my experience, once again, was awesome. This year was definitely a different kind of awesome, though. Last year, I was a First Timer and was awesomely overwhelmed at pretty much everything. This year, I was a First Timer Mentor, helping a group of First Timers learn the ropes and get their feet wet in the most excellent SQL Training event there is. This year was my first Summit as a PASS Regional Mentor. So, I had some official stuff I needed to do like attending the Regional Mentors meeting and the Chapter Leaders meeting and spending some time helping out in the Community Zone (a new feature this year). I also had the change to sit down with Chris Shaw (b|t), the other Regional Mentor for Canada, and several of our Canadian Chapter Leaders for an in-person meeting to talk about the challenges they face and how we, as Regional Mentors, can help them out. That was fantastic. Particularly since Canada is so vast, and Chris and I both live in the US, it was an amazing opportunity.

I also volunteered as an Ambassador, helping answer questions and direct people to where they need to be. It was my involvement this year that made such a difference for me. Putting together an event like the PASS Summit is a massive undertaking. Even though my part was miniscule, I felt honored and proud to help out a community that means so much to me. I also got to meet the AWESOME people of PASS HQ and do what I could to make their time a bit easier.

The sessions I attended were really cool and I cannot wait to start watching the session recordings. I met a lot of new people, including Buck Woody (b|t) and Denny Lee(b|t) and so many others for the very first time. I got to spend time with so many people who I rarely see. There are too many to name that fall into this category. SQL Karaoke was EPIC and frequent. That was just awesome to do karaoke to a live band. Just. Awesome.

I was asked recently what my biggest takeaway from Summit 2012 was. It only took about 1 second to come up with the answer, “Community.” This year, for me, was more about the Community than anything else.

I have to send out a hekaton of thanks to PASS HQ, the sponsors, speakers, volunteers, vendors, Microsoft, and everyone else who made the 2012 PASS Summit just friggin awesome.

Oh, and it took all week, but on Friday, I finally managed to juggle three of the full-sized beanbag chairs in the Community Zone.

SQL Saturday Nashua (146) Recap

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FenwayGateBOn October 20th, I had the pleasure to attend SQL Saturday 146 in my hometown of Nashua, NH. To speak in the vocabulary of my youth, it was wicked good. I have decided to have parts of this post be in Bostonian, the dialect of English that is common in a pretty wide radius around the fine city of Boston, MA. I will note the Bostonian sections by using the <Go Sawx!> tag at the beginning and the ending tag of </Go Sawx!>.

I know that Fenway Park is actually in Boston, but the majority of people in southern NH are Red Sox fans. In the interest of full disclosure, I have to come clean: I married a Yankees fan.

 

<Go Sawx!>

The Speakah Dinnah was on Friday night, and it was a wicked pissah. Meetin’ Mike Walsh (blahg|Twittah) and Jack Corbet (blahg|Twittah) for the first time was awesome. It is so much fun meetin’ people you have only chatted with on Twittah and stuff. I also got a meet a ton of new people and have a really good Seafood Samplah. It was a sweet time. And the SQL Satuhday hoodie all the speakahs got is spectaculah.

</Go Sawx!>

Saturday, I showed up early to help set up the PASS table and staff it with mighty Joe D’Antoni (blog|Twitter). As two PASS Regional Mentors, part of our job is to help out with the PASS table at events like SQL Saturdays. I spent pretty much all of my time there when I wasn’t in a session (or the bathroom, but we won’t go into that). I had a great time chatting with the attendees about PASS. The overwhelming majority of the attendees said it was their first SQL Saturday. It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm of people so new to SQL events.

I gave my MDX Trek: First Contact presentation during the first session of the day. It went well and I had good questions asked. It was really fun and I got some great feedback. Thanks to those who attended and endured my Star Trek nerdery.

I then sat in on Matt Masson’s (blog|Twitter) EIM – Bringing Together SSIS, DQS, and MDS session. I had not seen much of Data Quality Services before. That was pretty cool and great to see those tools put together to great effect.

I spent the third session hanging in the speaker ready room with Bill Pearson (Twitter), Andy Roberts (blog|Twitter) and Slava Kokaev (blog|Twitter). It was great to just sit and relax a bit and chat about Business Intelligence.

The fourth session of the day for me was with Bill Pearson in his Overcoming Barriers and Avoiding Mistakes With BI presentation. It was actually more of a group discussion format. That was cool and a refreshing change from the typical presentation format.

<Go Sawx!>

The aftah pahty was at a restarant called Mahtha’s Exchange (Martha’s, actually). I hung out with some really cool people and had killah appatizahs. It was low key and just really fun. Any chance to spend time with othah SQL people is a great time. Oh, and that Peanut Buttah Pie was frickin awesome, guys.

</Go Sawx!>

Mike and Jack put together one great SQL Saturday. The feedback from attendees and presenters alike was overwhelmingly positive. With the help of awesome volunteers like David Taylor (blog|Twitter) and so many others, SQL Saturday 146 in Nashua a great success.

SQL Saturday Minnesota (149) Recap

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My customary post-SQL-Event post is a Top Ten List. I have decided that I do not wish to be bound by the limitations of the number Ten. Therefore, from here on out, my plan is to do a more free form recap.

SQL Saturday #149 just took place in Minneapolis, MN, on September 29th. There were also some Pre-cons offered on September 28th. I shall arrange my recap chronologically.

September 28th

I attend the Unlocking Insight – Be a Data Hero pre-con given by Dan English (b|t) and Brian Larson. The content was on the BI stack in SQL Server 2012, with special focus on Tabular Models and Power View. I got a lot out of it and had fun, to boot. Nice work, gents.

I had to miss the Speaker Dinner this time around. But, if you will bear with me, I will imagine some events that may or may not (likely not) have taken place:

Llama1. Jason Horner (b|t) showed up riding a llama he personally befriended while on a hiking trip through the Andes. Her name was Gertrude and her ability to juggle was astounding.

2. Jason Strate (b|t) decided to challenge Gertrude to a game of chess. Fortunately for Jason, Gertrude’s hastily constructed Sicilian Defense was no match for his knights. Well done, Jason.

3. Jes Schultz Borland (b|t) demonstrated that she can actually levitate over a stack of SQL Server books by uttering a very long, high pitched, “SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” It was truly impressive to behold.

 

 

 

 

September 29th

I attended the POSH Eye for the BI Guy presentation given by Jason Horner (b|t). It was about using Powershell for managing objects in SSIS, SSRS, and SSAS. Jason showed great agility by doing an impromptu intro to Powershell when he learned that the vast majority of the attendees had never used it. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to playing with Powershell to do all kinds of cool stuff with the BI tools.

I attend the Design and Implement BI Like Edison session by Bill Pearson (t). He did a great job combining fascinating facts about Thomas Edison with Business Intelligence. It was a lot of fun.

I helped Mike Donnelly (b|t) distribute lunches to the experts in the lunch breakout sessions called “Topics on a Stick,” which is a great reference to the numerous stick-bound foods one can get at the annual Minnesota State Fair. I then hung out at the PASS table with Sarah Strate (b|t) to have my lunch and do my part as a PASS Regional Mentor.

I had the honor of giving my MDX Trek: First Contact presentation. I have a blast with this one. Thanks to all who attended and for the great feedback.

I attended the session called Fast Track to Spatial Reporting by Jason Thomas (b|t). Jason did a great job explaining the use of spatial data with Reporting Services 2008 R2. As someone who has only done basic stuff with maps in SSRS, I found it really helpful.

For the final session of the day, I went to Real-Time Analytics With SSAS Tabular DirectQuery by Paul Doyle (t). It was a really interesting look at the DirectQuery option for the new Tabular models in SSAS 2012. Paul and a colleague demonstrated how to set it up, track it using Profiler, and went over some of the caveats. It was a good session on a new topic for me. Nice work, gents.

The after party was a great time. I hung out with old friends and made some new ones. There was SQLKaraoke, which is always a good time. The SQL Saturday after-parties are just awesome. Spending time with the fine folk of the SQL Community is just awesome.

That pretty much wraps it up. Huge thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make this event the great success that it was. The people who give so much of their time and energy to put on events like SQL Saturday are truly an asset to the SQL Community and deserve way more recognition than they tend to receive.

PASS Regional Mentor–Canada

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I had mentioned in my most recent PD post, Professional Development Plans: Turning Your Job Into a Career, Part 2, that I wanted to jump back into SQL Community involvement and let PASS know of my desire to become a PASS Regional Mentor (RM). I was on the Executive Board for the Minnesota chapter of PASS, PASSMN, for three years and had a great time. After taking a few years off, I am ready and anxious to get back into the game. The RM program is a huge asset to both PASS local chapters and the PASS community as a whole. The roles of an RM are, as PASS Community Evangelist Karl Landrum (b|t) noted in her post on the PASS Blog, the following:

image

I heard from PASS Director Allen Kinsel (b|t) that PASS would like to have me on board as a Regional Mentor. Hazzah!!!! It is now official.

I will be helping Chris Shaw (b|t) with the mighty Canada region. I am really excited to get this opportunity to work with Chris and serve this community I care so much about.

To my Canadian friends:

1. Having grown up in New Hampshire before moving to Minnesota, I have never lived in a US State that did not border Canada.

2. Canada happens to be the only country outside the US to which I have traveled.

3. When I was growing up, my Dad would often watch Les Habitants on the French language channel.

4. I think Mike Myers is hysterical.

5. I studied French in school for 12 years. It was mostly written, though, so my conversational French is pretty poor. But I can tell you all about pencils, pens, dogs, cats, cows, pigs, coats, boys, girls, and colors. Oh, and skirts. I don’t wear them, myself, but I remember how to say it in French. Boats, too.

6. I remember watching the Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, thinking it looked pretty cool. I was only thirteen at the time.

7. My wife and I watched a whole big lot of the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver and it was just amazing. When I told her that being a Regional Mentor for Canada was a possibility, she immediately told me, “If you end up going to Vancouver, I AM COMING. Period.” 🙂

8. Like The Kids in the Hall, I was in a TheatreSports improvised comedy troupe for three years.

Words can’t really explain how excited I am for this new role. I am constantly telling people about the vibrant, fantastic SQL Community. It’s going to be great to be an ambassador for PASS in a more formal capacity.

SQL Saturday Chicago (119) Top Ten List

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As is my custom following a SQL event, I hereby release my SQL Saturday Chicago Top Ten List. And, as always, these are in no particular ranking order and some really cool things could not make this list due to limitations of the number Ten.

10. 6 of 1…

This year, like last year, I rode with some really great folks. Jason Strate (b|t) drove, and brought his awesome wife Sarah Strate (b|t) who volunteered at the PASS table. Jason brought fellow Digineerians Chris Fish (t), Joe Tempel (t), Eric Strom and my very own self, whose blog you now read with rapt joy. I have to say, I was looking forward to the drive with such fine humans just as much as anything. I had a lot of fun talking and laughing with them on the trek. And Jason once again proved he is a successful driver as we didn’t crash even once.

9. Speaker Dinner

The speaker dinner on Friday night was at Dave and Buster’s. There was pool and shuffle-board and general laughing and hanging out. These are always fun and just build up even more excitement for the event itself.

8. Un-Hacking My Blog

I found out Thursday night, just before heading to bed that my blog had been hacked. My home page was replaced with an announcement of the hack and some political statements of varying levels of popularity in different parts of the world. Given that the timing was such that I was about to present at a SQL Saturday, typically resulting in a bit of a bump in traffic to my blog, and the fact that it is about the time that the PASS Summit Program Committee could be looking over my blog as a factor in whether to accept a session from me, I must confess that I uttered a few expletives. But at the same time, it was really quite funny and became a bit of a running joke throughout the weekend. Anyway, after the speaker dinner on Friday night, Eric Strom helped me out in un-hacking it. To the credit of the hacker, it was not malicious. I didn’t lose anything. All they did was replace my home page. So, recovery was quite simple.

7. My MDX Trek: First Contact Session

I gave my MDX Trek: First Contact presentation during the first slot of the day. Once again, I was overwhelmed by the great folks in Chicago and the feedback I received. It means a lot when something I worked so hard on ends up really helping people understand a complex topic. So many people have told me that my way of explaining MDX and the cube space just made it click for them. Helping people learn is such a huge part of my aspirations for my career. Knowing that I am accomplishing that is just awesome.

By the way, if there is a topic you want to learn about, write a presentation on it. You do not need to be an expert to present on a topic. You learn a lot by putting these things together.

6. Performance Tuning 2012 SSIS Data Loads

Hope Foley (b|t) gave a presentation on the awesomeness that is SSIS 2012. I found out after from Hope that she did this presentation as a challenge to herself since she did not do a lot of SSIS. If you want to learn something, present on it. Hope did a great job and set an awesome example of the “present to learn” ideal.

5. Kama Sutra of SSIS: A Guide to Loving ETL

In this fine session, Bill Fellows (b|t) showed some great tips and tricks for using SSIS well. Even dealing with a bit of a hardware failure just before the session, Bill did a great job giving a fun and informative presentation. Not only that, but he gave out candy. I like candy.

4. SQL Server 2012 Column Store Index

I knew very little about Column Store indexes before this fine session by Kevin Boles (t). Kevin did a great job explaining how they work and how they apply to data warehousing. He discussed the ups and downs of using them. He then demonstrated how they work and the awesomesauce they can bring. I definitely need to dig into these more.

3. Advancements in CDC in SSIS 2012

In this presentation by Mike Donnelly (b|t), I learned how new features of SSIS 2012 make CDC just awesomely easy. Mike did a great job explaining how to use them and showing how easy they are to use. Mike has only presented a few times before, but it doesn’t really show. He really does a fine job like someone who has presented many times before.

2. After Party

SQL Saturday after parties I have been to have been just a total blast. This one was no exception. As usual for Chicago, this one featured SQL Karaoke. What a blast this is. Hanging out and laughing and some people singing, and other people doing something that could NEVER EVER be confused with singing. Just awesome.

1. SQL People

I hung out with some people this time around that I never really spent time with before. A few of us sat chatting until almost 3am. Yeah. That’s the awesomeness that is the SQL community.

 

SQL Saturdays are just awesome. I implore you to make an effort to go to one if you haven’t before. It still amazes me how welcoming people are. The phrase “SQL Family” is totally accurate.

SQL Saturday Madison (118) Top Ten List

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I have a habit of posting Top Ten Lists after SQL events. I hereby continue said habit. As always, these are not really in any particular order. And also, as always, there were cool things that could not make this list due to limitations of the number Ten. A huge thank you to all the fine humans who worked so hard to make this happen and the sponsors for dropping some coins in the mighty fountain of learning.

Behold, my Top Ten list for the SQL Saturday (SQLSat118) this past weekend in Madison, WI.

10. Carpooling

CarpoolWhen I indicated that I was headed out to SQLSat118, a fellow member of PASSMN messaged me on Twitter to ask if I wanted to carpool. That fine fellow was Mr. Mike Donnelly ( b | t ). I didn’t know Mike much at all. We had just seen each other at PASSMN meetings, and such. It turns out that he didn’t try to sell me to any drug cartels or anything. He is a very cool guy and I had a lot of fun driving with him and hanging out with him in and around the event itself.

 

9. New Presenter

Mr. Donnelly was giving his first full length presentation at SQLSat118. It was the first session of the day for me, called SSIS: Figuring Out Configuring. He talked about the use of xml configuration files in SSIS 2008 R2 and also discussed some of the new configuration options in SSIS 2012. He also demonstrated how to easily convert a solution from “package deployment” to “project deployment” in SSIS 2012. Mike really did a fine job. I honestly could not tell that he was really new to presenting as he stayed relaxed and had fun with it. Bravo, Mike.

8. SSIS 2012 New Features

Ever since I attended my first SQL Saturday (in Chicago) a few years ago and met Norman Kelm ( b | t ), I have made it a point to attend his SSIS sessions. I find his knowledge of SSIS to be impressive. This time around he discussed new features in SSIS 2012. There was some great discussion in that session, for sure.

7. Minimal Processing For Large Cubes

I attended this session by Ross McNeely ( linkedin ) being a bit of a newbie to SSAS. I am really glad I did. Ross has created a very cool framework that assesses each partition in your cube to determine the what type of processing it needs. Partitions that can be processed using Process Add are done that way. Only partitions that NEED Process Update get that more intense treatment. I haven’t had to deal with any processing headaches yet, but I found his framework to be really flexible and robust. Great session.

6. Performance Monitoring and Tuning in SSAS

I attended this session by mighty Steve Hughes ( b | t ) directly after my own session (which I will get to later). This was a bit of an advanced session, particular with my being pretty new to SSAS. Steve’s relaxed and fun delivery style is always a good time, though. And I didn’t come away empty handed. I learned how to monitor when MDX queries are hitting the cache and when they’re not, letting me know what queries need a little help. But the biggest thing I learned in that session was that I have a lot to learn before I can even begin approach the level of experienced SSAS folks like Steve. But don’t tell him I said that; I’ll never hear the end of it…

5. Data Visualizations in Reporting Services

I spent the last session of the day with MVP Stacia Misner ( b | t ) and Reporting Services. Indicators, Data Bars, and Sparklines, Oh My. Stacia demonstrated the configuration of each of these as well as maps. She also covered some visualization design practices, including what NOT to do. Can you say 3D? I agree totally that 3D visualizations defy the basic tenet of a report: Above All, Show The Data. It’s great to learn from experts like Stacia that I don’t get to see very often.

4. Life is Like a Box Of Chocolates

While hanging out a bit before the speaker dinner on Friday night, the great Erin Stellato ( b | t ) opened up a box of chocolates and offered me one. I immediately popped it into my mouth all in one piece. Apparently, that was a breach of protocol. I learned that you MUST bite the chocolate in half and share info about what kind of chocolate it is. I had never encountered this law of the universe. From now on, whenever I have myself a chocolate, I shall think of Erin (and furtively pop the whole dang thing into my mouth, probably).

3. Coffee

We don’t have Dunkin Donuts here in Minnesota. Having grown up in New England where they are EVERYWHERE, I miss their coffee big-time. On the drive back, Mike and I hit a DD just outside of Madison. So good. (sigh)Dunkin Donuts Coffee

2. SQL People

I have said this before and I will say it again. The people of the SQL community are JUST AWESOME. I spent a lot of time hanging out with really excellent folks. Just sitting around chatting with people I respect and like was just such a great part of the experience. If you find yourself attending a SQL Saturday or other similar event, I IMPLORE you to go introduce yourself to people. You won’t regret it.

1. MDX Trek: First Contact

I have to mention my own session here. I have been overwhelmed with how well-received my MDX Trek: First Contact session was. The comments I received on the evaluations, on Twitter, and face to face, have all been amazingly positive. I worked very hard on preparing that presentation, so the fact that it has had such an impact is just really uplifting. Thanks to everyone who attended.