The Clearly Podcast

Send a text In this podcast, the team discusses common data horror stories in IT consulting. They highlight the issue of hiding bad data with filters in reports instead of fixing errors at the source, leading to bigger problems during system migrations. Another problem discussed is trying to use tools like Power BI to mimic Excel functionalities, which leads to alignment and maintenance issues sin...

Send a text Today's discussion focused on the ethics of AI and managing customer data. There is a growing concern about how AI models, both internal and external, handle sensitive information. The conversation aimed to clarify what actions are acceptable, the conditions for those actions, and what should be avoided. It emphasized the importance of understanding the ethical implications of upl...

Send a text Today's discussion revolves around whether ChatGPT could potentially take over jobs, particularly in the field of BI and Power BI modeling. ChatGPT is a generative AI that creates text-based outputs by analyzing large amounts of text data from the internet. While it can generate code, it might not always function correctly and can produce errors if not carefully reviewed. In pract...

Send a text Microsoft Fabric is a new data analytics platform from Microsoft that consolidates various Azure tools, including Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Factory, and real-time data streaming, under a single architecture called OneLake. OneLake allows these tools to operate on the same underlying platform, simplifying collaboration across teams and enhancing productivity. The consolidation is si...

Send a text The discussion centers on the temptation to import all data into a system during a data project, highlighting several key issues with this approach. Importing all data can create clutter, making it difficult to find relevant information, especially in systems like Dynamics 365 F&O that have thousands of tables. This complexity can lead to inefficiencies and challenges in data retri...

Send a text This week's discussion focuses on recognizing when it's time for a rebuild in Power BI or data analytics models. Changes in business needs, data inaccuracies, performance degradation, and the introduction of new systems are common reasons to consider a rebuild. Rebuilding should not be seen negatively; it's an opportunity to improve and adapt to new requirements. Key ind...

Send a text Today, the discussion focuses on breaking bad Excel habits when using Power BI. A common issue is emailing versions of Excel spreadsheets, leading to confusion about the correct version. This same problem occurs with Power BI files (PBIX) on SharePoint, where multiple versions create uncertainty about which one is the latest. Emailing PBIX files leads to version confusion and outdated...

Send a text Today's episode is about venting frustrations related to development and architecture challenges. By the end, we aim to feel better after discussing these issues. One major frustration is unexpected updates from Microsoft that change settings, like multi-factor authentication, making management difficult. Another key issue is developing without a proper design, where people jump i...

Send a text The discussion begins with light banter about the weather before shifting to the main topic: change control in projects. Change control is essential to keep projects on budget and on time. Uncontrolled changes can lead to an unlimited budget and indefinite timelines, ultimately preventing project completion. Many clients don't fully understand the importance of change control, esp...

Send a text In a recent discussion, three IT consultants explored the necessity of having an internal project manager (PM). They began by discussing the importance of coordination between internal teams and external partners, noting that without an internal PM, managing resources and time becomes challenging. The signs indicating the need for an internal PM include having numerous stakeholders and...

Send a text In this podcast, the discussion centers around the importance of soft skills for IT consultants. The conversation begins by noting that their least polished podcast on Power BI is the most downloaded. It then shifts focus to the topic of soft skills versus hard skills, highlighting that while technical skills are often prioritized, soft skills are crucial and make up about 75-80% of jo...

Send a text The discussion focused on the evolution of business intelligence (BI) and reporting within the Dynamics ecosystem. The guests included experienced professionals who have witnessed the progression from basic transaction-based reporting to advanced real-time analytics. Initially, reporting in Dynamics used proprietary databases and was primarily for transactional data like purchase order...

Send a text The podcast features a discussion with James Burke from Wembley Park, focusing on the company's urban redevelopment project in Northwest London. Quintain, the owner of Wembley Park, is building and managing rental apartments, currently with over 4,000 units and plans to reach 10,000. James explains his role in project management and data strategy, highlighting how they built a dat...

Send a text In this podcast, three IT consultants discuss how to find the perfect partner in the context of business and IT partnerships. They emphasize the importance of building long-term, trust-based relationships that are mutually beneficial. Key points include the need for partners to understand the client's industry and speak their language, the value of vendor certifications and tiers,...

Send a text Today's episode is all about the daily routines of IT consultants. Their days are diverse, but common themes include frequent meetings, project management, and client interactions. In the initial weeks of a project, much time is spent discussing goals and methods. Basic tasks only require minimal computing power at first, but as projects progress, more powerful equipment becomes n...

Send a text The podcast discusses the importance of understanding client and user motivations in IT projects. The consultants talk about how motivations can significantly impact project approaches and outcomes. They highlight common motivations such as reducing costs, unlocking new opportunities from data, and less valid motivations like individuals furthering their own careers. The latter can lea...

Send a text In this podcast, the hosts discuss the importance of matching implementation methodology to client culture. They reflect on the prevalence of agile methodology and its suitability for different types of organizations, such as government bodies, high-growth companies, and traditional commercial organizations. They note that while many organizations claim to practice agile, they often re...

Send a text Welcome to the podcast! Today’s episode focuses on the hosts' origin stories in the BI and analytics field. They reminisce about their early careers, starting with one host's experience at Navision, which was acquired by Microsoft in 2002. Another host joined Microsoft in 2004, where they bonded over a trip to Fargo, ND, and other shared experiences. A third host began with A...

Send a text This week's podcast focused on the long-term costs and maintenance of analytics platforms, comparing cloud and on-premises solutions. The discussion highlighted key differences in cost management, emphasizing that cloud solutions offer greater flexibility in scaling up or down based on current needs, unlike on-premises infrastructure which requires upfront investment for future ca...

Send a text The discussion highlights the importance of data quality and the frequent issues surrounding it. Often, data quality is poor due to user laziness or lack of consequences for incomplete data entry. The conversation emphasizes that data quality should be prioritized because it saves time and effort in the long run. Regular monitoring and addressing issues at the source are crucial. Incom...

Send a text The podcast discusses the importance of the four levels of data analytics: descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive. The hosts emphasize that descriptive analytics, often considered basic, is fundamental because it answers "What happened?" without which further analysis is impossible. Diagnostic analytics answers "Why did it happen?", predictive analyti...

Send a text The podcast discusses the concept of being seduced by technology and its impact on projects, client interactions, and consultants. The conversation begins with light-hearted remarks about a recent haircut before diving into the main topic. The first example given is an OLAP Cube implementation from 15 years ago that failed because it didn't address a real business need. This leads...

Send a text In this podcast, the hosts discuss the concept of best practices in IT consulting and why they often need to be debunked. They highlight that clients frequently seek a definitive list of best practices, expecting these to be universal guidelines for tasks such as building databases or setting up environments. However, the hosts argue that best practices are highly situational and can b...

Send a text This season, we're aligning our podcast with the structure of our upcoming book, "BI Confidential." Our goal is to create material that will directly contribute to the book, addressing real-world practices in BI and analytics. We'll start by debunking the myth of "best practice." Best practice can often lead to paralysis, as people get stuck on whether som...

Send a text In the last of our Machine Learning Trilogy and final episode of Season Two, we talk about applying ML in the context of Power BI. We once again try to trick the algorithm with mentions of Excel, and end with a summary of our thoughts on Machine Learning. Artificial Intelligence in a more general sense is also the topic of this year's Reith Lectures .  Just to prove how important...