Tag: Presentations

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.

Upcoming Presentation: PASS DW/BI Virtual Chapter May 9th

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I am elated to announce that I will be delivering my MDX Trek: First Contact presentation on May 9th (at 4PM Central Time) to the PASS Data Warehouse and Business Intelligence Virtual Chapter. I have presented to local groups and at SQL Saturdays before (with a few more coming in the next two months) but never for such a geographically diverse audience. I am really excited for this opportunity and hope it will be a great step in establishing myself as a quality presenter in the SQL community.

No Presenting, Please

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When I walked into class on the first day of Acting II at the University of New Hampshire, the chalk board at the front of the room was empty except for three words: “No acting, please.” Yeah. This was an acting class. At first, this made no sense to me, but soon it was crystal clear. Our teacher, David Kaye, taught us if you are truly connected to your character and the scene, then “acting” gets in the way. The key is to be so open to your character that you don’t need to act. If your character is terrified, and you are fully committed to what you are doing, then you ARE terrified. This is achieved through researching the material/character/setting and rehearsal: homework. I didn’t know it at the time, but I learned a great deal about presenting in that room.

When I present, I try to keep a conversational tone. I don’t want to talk at my audience. I want to connect with them. If I’ve done my homework and know the material, if I have rehearsed, then I can focus on sharing the material instead of reading it from my slides. Rehearsal also helps you stay comfortable and avoid speaking too fast due to nerves (done that one). It can be hard, but it is totally worth it when your audience sees how relaxed you are and how much fun you are having. This audience comment from an evaluation of a presentation I did shows that this effort makes a difference:

Good presentation skills – like the "breezy" style

Keeping things relaxed also allows me to pepper in some humor here and there. That can help a lot, too. Sitting through overtly serious, monotone presentations can be painful. I don’t want to do that to anyone. Now, for me, planned humor is a real challenge. I did Improvised Comedy in college and it was perfect for me. I can’t tell jokes to save my life; I would be horrid on Last Comic Standing. But, what I can do is come up with one liners off the cuff. That works for me. But whatever works for you, be it funny images in your slide deck or a well timed rubber chicken, try to work some humor into your presentations if you can. It can pay off, as this audience comment shows:

Good sense of humor!!   Very nice presentation.

Another aspect of the “No acting, please” lesson has to do with honesty. If you really commit to your character, then you show the audience that you believe in what you are doing and they are far more likely to come along for the ride. In terms of presenting, for me that means being open about what I know and what I don’t know. Nothing wrecks credibility like making sh!t up. When I don’t know the answer to a question, I am honest about that. But I don’t just say “I don’t know” and move on. If I don’t know, then I make the effort to point them in the right direction or have them contact me afterward so I can try to track down their answer. This helps a lot, in my opinion, as this audience comment shows:

Let us know what he did and did not know about the subject!

Whether I am presenting at clients or at a user group, etc, I try to keep keep the above in mind. The feedback I have gotten from clients has been great. My presentations at the Minnesota chapter of PASS have gone over really well, too, both averaging 4.4 our of 5 on the audience evaluations. This success is not because I have presented humteen million times or because I wear bright yellow pants, but rather because I have a strategy that works for me.

My advice to new presenters is to find a strategy that works for you. If any of the above work for you, do it. If bright yellow pants work for you, wear them. If it helps you to picture your audience in their Fruit of the Looms, go for it (but, take my word for it: don’t stare). Whatever you need to do to keep things relaxed and fun, bring it.  Share what you have to say like you are showing something really cool to a friend. Above all though, don’t force it. No presenting, please.

My PASS Summit Submissions

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Alrighty then. For the first time in my career, I tossed up some submissions for the PASS Summit. Both are topics I have a passion for and I would absolutely LOVE that chance to present either one…or…dare I say…both? Well, here they are. Here’s looking at you, PASS.

Empowering Your Users With Report Models

Who really knows your data better: You or the marketing manager that spends a lot of time tracking sales from yesterday, last week, etc? How much quicker could that marketing manager get the information she needs if she could create her own reports? With the power of Report Models, she could do just that without having to write a single SQL statement. This presentation will discuss how to create, maintain and secure SSRS Report Models. It will also show some tips and tricks learned through real-world experience implementing and supporting report models for clients.

Where Do You Want To Go Tomorrow?

You dress differently for a wedding than you do for baseball game, right? …Right? Even with mundane, everyday tasks like getting dressed, your future destination has an impact on your current behavior. Whether you realize it or not, even the simple act of getting dressed in the morning involves a little planning. Doesn’t your professional future deserve some planning, too? This presentation will discuss the power of Professional Development Plans and the building of your very own brand through blogging, presenting and effective use of social media like Twitter. I will show you how you can use all of the above to take ownership of your future and turn your job into a career.