Fear and Loathing at a Data Conference (Part II)

Tuesday morning was the pinnacle of, “but wait, there’s more,” for this data thirsty crowd.  

The Tableau developers took the stage to unveil all the new features they had been, well, developing.  New features like union for csv and Excel sheets along with the ability to join disparate data sources had the audience excited.  The addition of search highlights and improved map data gave the audience an apparent wide eyed excitement only seen in a child's eyes on her birthday.  But wait, there’s more.  Advanced analytical capabilities will identify outliers automatically in a data set!  There were honestly so many new exciting features I’ve passed over several because I can’t remember them all!  Tableau 10 can’t come soon enough.

But wait, there’s more!  A demonstrated iPad application for data analytics called Vizable.  Bringing analytics to the tablet is groundbreaking, I’d looked before and never seen anything like this. Truly Tableau is changing the way we do data, remind me to buy more stock.

But wait there’s more!  It’s free!

But wai.. you get it.  The iPad app is available today, right at this very second, in the app store.  This had been a secret product launch, Steve Jobs eat your heart out.  I don’t remember any turtlenecks though.  I was waiting for it and then it happened: the thud of jaws hitting the floor simultaneously.  I think I saw a couple seizures from the excitement.  

Reeling from excitement, the conference goers dispersed to various lectures and breakout sessions.

An unfortunate aspect of the conference is the conflicting sessions.  With something like ten per timeslot an analyst has a difficult time selecting sessions.  After conferring with my lawyer and handy DATA15 app, our game plan was set.

One favorite session from the first day included a play featuring two Tableau software employees in a ruse.  Charles and Dustin act out an all too familiar situation in which a Excel guru is introduced to Tableau.  This hilarious session is worth the time, providing light hearted and unexpected entertainment along with insight to help others embrace the amazing tool.

After composing myself from the chuckle fest.  I went to see what Anya Ahern, Allen Walker, and Charles Schafer had been tweeting about for the last few months, the creation of a “Minority Report” user experience.  I had to see what the fuss was all about so I would finally be able to get a good night's rest.  Folks were definitely geeking out on and off stage about what was about to be shown as I waited in anticipation ready to be let in on the secret.

The presentation began with the integration of javascript and Tableau, which was quite neat.  I scribbled a few ideas down to take back to my day job.  The presentation advanced to “Skyfall” like maps (built in Mapbox) for law enforcement and fire departments with live police scanner audio.  

This was very cool, but then it got weird.  Theses wizards started using their hands and voice to control data visualizations.  Perhaps these were the Jedi’s I was looking for.  After a facial recognition demonstration and a bit of showing off with dragging and dropping visualizations there was something I really didn’t expect.

These voodoo practitioners had created an operating system using Tableau and were using machine learning to predict crimes in San Francisco!  Though the predictions have yet to be confirmed, this group had taken the concept to an incredible level.  I’d like to see this as a keynote next year in Austin, incredible.

“Data Night Out,” as it was called, was not memorable... for some reason.

Fear and Loathing at a Data Conference (Part I)

Fear and Loathing at a Data Conference (Part I)

We were somewhere around Tableau Conference on the edge of the desert when the data began to take hold.  I remember saying something like “I feel a bit light headed.  Maybe you should drive,” to the cab driver.  I had arrived at McCarran International moments prior.  In the time from the flying metal tube to my yellow chariot I stopped only twice. Once to take a photo of the Las Vegas sign as proof of my location and second the restroom for obvious reasons.  There had been somewhere between 8 and 10 previous data meetups depending on who you asked, this was my first.  Tableau, built the best data analytics tool and in doing so created a lifestyle, a community, or a cult?

My chauffeur was quick in delivering me to the largest hotel in Las Vegas and site of Tableau Conference 2015.

After queuing for a moment I had a thin piece of plastic which would grant entry to my home for the next five nights.  Upon arrival I swiftly stowed my stuff and it was time for important business.  I made my way, of course, to the sports book.  As a devout The National Football League fan, I needed to see a sports book up close on a Football Sunday.  After what I can only guess was five miles my eyes glazed over as I saw an entire wall papered with football.  The crowd roared with every exciting moment on each of the screens.  How were these people paying attention to all five games at the same time?  Am I missing something or were they missing something?

Excitement and exhilaration from my winnings eclipsed the fact it was now time to receive my conference pass and complimentary lanyard.  Walking another eight or so miles past what seemed to be one billion slot machines and tables, I gathered my pass compete with tracking RFID and a few pieces of what these people call flair. Undoubtedly in tribute to Office Space, a movie that I’d been amused with more so these days since joining a technology environment.

That night I discovered a fun surprise via the windows in my room.  Wonderful lights that provide the brilliant green glow to the MGM Grand also provide and equally brilliant green glow to the rooms behind that glass.  A person scared of the dark or a goblin would appreciate the green hue of this cave.

 

The next day, Monday, had a simple itinerary of Jedi Training.  Through an eight hour session, I would learn new and strange ways to bend the Force at will to make interesting and helpful data visualizations.  The training had overflowed into two additional rooms, it would seem the world was to be filled with Jedi masters.

After bidding farewell to my Jedi instructor, who remarkably looked nothing like Yoda, I headed back the way I’d come, another four miles to meet my lawyer who had just arrived.  We embarked on another eight mile trek to the welcome reception... and expo.

A wave of data analysts had been barreling over the desert hills speaking their own language.  Arriving from all corners of the globe and descending on one conference center.

And this company, Tableau, certainly knows how to welcome them.  The convention center was filled wall to wall with data enthusiasts and/or salivating monsters looking for something called swag.  There were a variety of activities and attractions to keep these people occupied.  Voting stations, donating areas, bicycle phone chargers, a  photo booth, a delicious spread of interesting foods, and of course what conference would be complete without booze.  Yes, they were feeding these geeks a social lubricant for obvious or not so obvious reasons.  The company even brewed a beer specifically for the conference complete with label that said the same.  Impressive and the beer wasn't bad either.

My lawyer and I made our way outside where the data had been turned up to eleven.  Floating balls of illumination, decorative ‘DATA’ themed exhibits, yard games, more food, and of course more booze.  Live DJ’s sprinkled throughout the event provide not quite techno music to encourage creativity, or something.  Off to the side was the Expo Hall, I had a feeling we would be getting into that nasty place soon.  There is nothing more depraved than technology vendors trying to sell their products to drunk data analysts.

The Expo Hall was covered in the same blue green colors as the rest of the conference.  One might wonder if the MGM was selected because its colors are very similar to that of the company's colors.  But one might also think they were reading too much into it.

My lawyer and I came up with an ingenious plan to harvest the “swag” these swill merchants were trading in exchange for prospecting sales leads.  Halfway through our bountiful harvest of t shirts and “flair” there was a loud almost deafening noise.  It can’t be good, not sure if I said that out loud.  “It” turned out to be a flash mob, a cute idea but ultimately destructive.  The flash mob not only coordinated an attack on unsuspecting conference goers but also delivered a remixed version of a more or less popular song which would undoubtedly be stuck in everyone's head for the remainder of the conference and beyond.  Yes, as I recount the events of the week the “Watch me Viz,” song still echos in my head.

Stuffed full of “swag” my lawyer and I headed back to the green room.  I would later find out the green glow stops at exactly three in the morning.


To be continued...

Las Vegas!!! #DATA15

In preparation for #DATA15 I took a look at some Las Vegas data.  The visualization is designed to replicate a drive down the neon filled streets of the Las Vegas strip. In other words the painful color choices were done with purpose.