Data News - November

Hi there,

If you are in the US, I hope you had the most wonderful Thanksgiving time ?

I am a big fan of this time of the year, which is all about coziness and family. For this year’s edition, we also had a dash of OpenAI scandal. What’s not to love?

On this festive note, let’s dive into what happened in the data world this November. As always, this edition includes:

• One?data?tool that we believe is worth digging into as a data person. We will also provide where it fits in the data ecosystem. For Thanksgiving, we decided to take a twist on this one!?
• A selection of the?key articles?we read this month along with a quick teaser.
• Show and Tell: some news from the CastorDoc team.
• A data meme to make you smile.

Data Tool

While this newsletter typically shines a light on a specific data tool, this Thanksgiving, we're taking a different turn. We're excited to present an updated version of our Data Catalog benchmark.

Remember our benchmark from three years ago? It sparked vibrant discussions and helped hundreds navigate the Data Catalog ecosystem with ease. Now, it's time for an upgrade. Here's why:

1. New Players on the Field: The data tool landscape has expanded significantly since our last benchmark. We've included these new tools to give you a complete picture.
2. The Evolution of Data Catalogs: Today's data catalogs are not what they used to be. They've undergone a transformation in terms of features and vision, prompting us to introduce a 'fourth generation' category in our benchmark.
3. AI's Impact: The advancement in AI has revolutionized data catalog functions, simplifying tasks for data teams and fostering closer ties between data and business units.

We hope you enjoy this new benchmark, allowing us to put the spotlight not just on one tool, but on a full category. You can find the detailed benchmark here.

Data News

• Everyone is a CDP now. If you are not 100% comfortable with what a CDP is, or if you are still wondering about the difference between a CDP and a Data Warehouse, this piece is for you. In this article, Tim Dechau discusses the different types of CDPs, and how they have evolved. He also makes some bold predictions about the future of the CDP market, including the possibility of acquisitions and increased integration with other tools. We hear a lot about CDPs these days, yet it’s not always clear what they are. This is one of the clearest and most comprehensive posts I read on the topic, so it was worth including in this newsletter.
• Why you need a Data Catalog to build Data Products. Hugo Lu, the founder of Orchestra, presents a thought-provoking theory: Data catalogs are pivotal in driving the adoption of data products. But why? Hugo describes catalogs as an “Opinionated BI tool." Their straightforward design is what makes them the ideal meeting point for business and technical users to understand available data, its location, and how to extract value from it. As a data catalog ourselves, we find this perspective a refreshing way to talk about our vision.
• What I learned after one year of building a data platform from scratch. We always appreciate insights from someone who has hands-on experience building a data platform from scratch, and this article by Jeremy Surget is no exception. Here are some of the key takeaways:1) Keep It Simple and Stupid (KISS):?Start with a simple data stack and add complexity only as needed. 2) Data quality is the root of all your problems:?Make sure your data is accurate and consistent before using it. 3) Tech is easy, people are challenging:?It's important to get people on board with using data and understand its value. Building traction around data takes time:?Don't expect people to start using data immediately. Be patient and persistent.

Show and Tell

• Feature of the month: the Conversational AI Assistant – a game-changer in SQL query generation. Users can now select the context of their queries, specifying exactly which tables to work with and engage in a fluid, back-and-forth conversation with an AI assistant. This interaction leads to the creation of optimized SQL queries, tailored to their precise requirements. This feature is now available across multiple platforms, including Snowflake, BigQuery, Metabase, Hex, Count, and dbt Cloud. Get in touch to try it out.

• Understanding Data Catalog Pricing. A lot of people ask us about data catalog pricing, so we decided to write a piece to explain how it works. This includes the 5 strategic levers you can play with to influence the price of your data catalog, and also the discount levers in the process of buying a catalog. If data cataloging is on your agenda for 2024, this article is essential reading to guide your pricing talks.
• CastorDoc December events: As the festive season draws near, we have lined up several exciting events that are a must-attend. Join us next week for our webinar with Fivetran “Data Governance Beyond the Data Warehouse”. The week after, we are hosting another session for the grand reveal of our partner program. For a complete overview of what's in store, be sure to visit our full event calendar.

Data Meme

• Naturally, we haven’t forgotten to serve the monthly data meme!

Until next time,

Louise from CastorDoc