5 ms·

You just described most SQL analysts I've worked with

ellisv 4y ago
I think that's because most SQL analyst who can understand the data model, assumptions, quirks, etc. usually get promoted into other positions.
- fifilura 4y ago
  Unless they actually like what they do... It can actually be pretty rewarding to be the person who knows most about the data in the company, while solving logic puzzles during the day. PS. i do hope most analysts solve more interesting problems than the ones in TFA.
  - clbrmbr 4y ago
    Is that TFA as in RTFM?
    - fifilura 4y ago
      Yes, maybe that acronym was in fashion a decade ago. And maybe on another forum like /. But yes, similar meaning, but replace M with A = Article https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28436632 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28436632
- minsc_and_boo 4y ago
  Yeah, IME the good business savvy SQL analysts get sucked into non-SQL assigned roles and nailing it because they write their own scripts.
  - fifilura 4y ago
    Why so. Why do you mean scripts are better than SQL?
    - dzamo_norton 4y ago
      A file of SQL code is commonly referred to as a script.
    - minsc_and_boo 4y ago
      *SQL scripts
jeltz 4y ago
Yeah, that is an issue a friend of mine has right now with his team. He randomly ended up as the manger of the data analytics team despite no analytics background (or really much programming background either). And one of his main frustrations is that the analysts do not understand the data model or the business. Before he became their manager his team just took report requests and then wrote some SQL and delivered some numbers. Without understanding what those numbers were supposed to mean or the quirks of the underlying data.
- ep103 4y ago
  Clearly, the correct move here is to replace the entire team with Looker and let every department head create their own dashboards to track arbitrary kpis with no understanding of the product or underlying data model. /s
  - adrianN 4y ago
    The correct move seems to be to replace the team with a set of oracle bones. From the very limited information we have it seems to me like the team was used to justify whatever conclusions were already made before consulting them.
    - TeMPOraL 4y ago
      The whole practice is kind of a proof-of-work scheme for credibility and liability laundering: even if you intend the team/company to follow your conclusions regardless of what anyone else thinks or says, getting some analysts or outside consultants to burn non-trivial amount of time and money evaluating the situation before rubber-stamping your proposal, is what may be necessary for you to sell your ideas to the rest of the team/company. Such exercise may be especially important if you want to protect yourself from having your head served on the platter after your hare-brained idea fails spectacularly.
  - shubb 4y ago
    Who needs a data model when you can just dump a bunch of excel sheets and database dumps in a shared folder, call it a data lake, and encourage anyone who has a report to just throw it together in the free version of power bi?
satisfice 4y ago
Except now with no accountability whatsoever. Just a magic box that you get to worship.

I think that's because most SQL analyst who can understand the data model, assumptions, quirks, etc. usually get promoted into other positions.

fifilura 4y ago
Unless they actually like what they do... It can actually be pretty rewarding to be the person who knows most about the data in the company, while solving logic puzzles during the day. PS. i do hope most analysts solve more interesting problems than the ones in TFA.
- clbrmbr 4y ago
  Is that TFA as in RTFM?
  - fifilura 4y ago
    Yes, maybe that acronym was in fashion a decade ago. And maybe on another forum like /. But yes, similar meaning, but replace M with A = Article https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28436632 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28436632
minsc_and_boo 4y ago
Yeah, IME the good business savvy SQL analysts get sucked into non-SQL assigned roles and nailing it because they write their own scripts.
- fifilura 4y ago
  Why so. Why do you mean scripts are better than SQL?
  - dzamo_norton 4y ago
    A file of SQL code is commonly referred to as a script.
  - minsc_and_boo 4y ago
    *SQL scripts

jeltz 4y ago

Yeah, that is an issue a friend of mine has right now with his team. He randomly ended up as the manger of the data analytics team despite no analytics background (or really much programming background either). And one of his main frustrations is that the analysts do not understand the data model or the business. Before he became their manager his team just took report requests and then wrote some SQL and delivered some numbers. Without understanding what those numbers were supposed to mean or the quirks of the underlying data.

ep103 4y ago
Clearly, the correct move here is to replace the entire team with Looker and let every department head create their own dashboards to track arbitrary kpis with no understanding of the product or underlying data model. /s
- adrianN 4y ago
  The correct move seems to be to replace the team with a set of oracle bones. From the very limited information we have it seems to me like the team was used to justify whatever conclusions were already made before consulting them.
  - TeMPOraL 4y ago
    The whole practice is kind of a proof-of-work scheme for credibility and liability laundering: even if you intend the team/company to follow your conclusions regardless of what anyone else thinks or says, getting some analysts or outside consultants to burn non-trivial amount of time and money evaluating the situation before rubber-stamping your proposal, is what may be necessary for you to sell your ideas to the rest of the team/company. Such exercise may be especially important if you want to protect yourself from having your head served on the platter after your hare-brained idea fails spectacularly.
- shubb 4y ago
  Who needs a data model when you can just dump a bunch of excel sheets and database dumps in a shared folder, call it a data lake, and encourage anyone who has a report to just throw it together in the free version of power bi?

satisfice 4y ago

Except now with no accountability whatsoever. Just a magic box that you get to worship.