Schlagwort: Personal development

Thank you Tableau and farewell!

Farewell to Tableau: A Reflective Goodbye - Alexander Loth with Tableau Data Rockstar t-shirt
Farewell to Tableau: A Reflective Goodbye – Alexander Loth

10 years ago, I started using Tableau.

4 years ago, I started working at Tableau.

Today is my last day with Tableau.

As I pen down my farewell to Tableau, it’s hard not to look back at the incredible journey that began 10 years ago. I reflect on a decade-long connection that began with using Tableau and culminated in four amazing years as an employee. This journey has shaped my career, leaving me filled with gratitude. Read about my 10-year blogging anniversary here.

These last four years have been the most inspiring of my career, what a ride it has been! It’s been a great opportunity and an amazing experience, joining this unique Seattle start-up as one of the first employees in Tableau’s Frankfurt office. Watching our DACH team grow to 120+ people is far more than I had imagined at the beginning, it is simply amazing!

As for my next phase, I’ll take on a strategist role at a leading cloud & AI company. I am excited to continue creating an impact in the digital age.

I’m very grateful to have worked alongside talented people both in Tableau and in our greater #datafam community — people who are brilliant and freakishly friendly. I am immensely grateful for the guidance of my mentors, Nate Vogel and Andy Cotgreave. Their wisdom and support have been instrumental in my growth at Tableau. I have many lifetime memories and made lots of great friends. I wish all of you at Tableau all the best for your next chapter, joining the Salesforce Ohana.

This farewell to Tableau is filled with gratitude, memories, and excitement for the future. Thank you, Tableau, for the incredible ride. So long, and thank you for everything!

— Alex

Watch my 4-years-in-2-minutes clip here:

Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn for updates on my farewell to Tableau and new ventures.

It’s My 10 Year Blogging Anniversary!

10-year blogging anniversary: 2007 Hampi, a temple town in South India recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Site
10-year blogging anniversary: 2007 Hampi, a temple town in South India recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Site (Flickr)

A Milestone Blogging Anniversary

It’s hard to believe, but I’m celebrating my 10-year blogging anniversary! I’m filled with gratitude for those who have read, encouraged, and inspired me throughout this adventure. Without you, blogging would be only half the fun. Now, let’s take a moment to reflect on this incredible decade…

The Early Years: SAP and India (2007-2009)

It all started in 2007 when I decided to explore an internship abroad in India. I was studying Computer Science and decided to go for an internship abroad. China and India were on my shortlist. I decided for India, applied for a scholarship, and asked some companies for interesting project work. Before starting the adventure, I published my very first blog post to keep family and friends in the loop.

For the next seven months, I lived in Bangalore and worked for SAP Labs India to develop prototypes for mobile BI apps. I spent plenty of weekends exploring India and surrounding countries. After returning from India, I continued to work for SAP at their headquarters while finishing my degree in Karlsruhe.

CERN: Data and Discovery (2009-2012)

Surrounded by snow-capped mountains and Lake Geneva, CERN grabbed my attention at the end of my studies. CERN has tons of data: some petabytes! Challenge accepted. CERN is known for its particle accelerator Large Hadron Collider (LHC). We applied machine learning to identify new correlations between variables (LHC data and external data) that were not previously connected. This chapter was all about embracing the challenges of big data.

Capgemini and MBA: Expanding Horizons (2012-2015)

Back in Germany, my focus shifted to bringing Big Data Analytics to companies. To one company? No, to many companies! So instead of getting hired as Head of BI for an SME, I started to work for Capgemini. I had fantastic projects, designed data-driven use cases for the financial sector, and gave advice for digital transformation initiatives.

In order to keep in balance with all the project work, I dedicated many of my weekends to studies and got enrolled in Frankfurt School’s Executive MBA program. During my studies, I focused on Emerging Markets and visited a module at CEIBS in Shanghai.

Tableau and Futura: Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2015-201?)

I knew Tableau from my time as a consultant. It is an awesome company with a great product and a mission: help people see and understand their data. That’s me! Joining Tableau allowed me to assist organizations in transitioning from classic BI to modern self-service analytics by developing data strategies so that data can be treated as a corporate asset. This includes education, evangelism, and establishing a data-driven culture.

In the evenings I’m working for Futura Analytics, a fintech startup, which I co-founded in 2017. Futura Analytics offers real-time information discovery and transforms data from social media and other public sources into actionable signals.

What’s Next? A Glimpse into the Future

Currently, I’m excited to present my Data Strategy talk on TC17, accompanied by a TensorFlow demo scenario. I’m also learning Mandarin, the predominant language of business, politics, and media in China and Taiwan, for quite a while. Let’s see if that is going to influence my next steps… 🙂

Follow my ongoing journey in data analytics and more on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Joining Tableau: My First Impressions and Journey with a Seattle-Based Analytics Startup Company

Joining Tableau: my Tableau bootcamp buddies, ready to conquer the world of analytics together
Joining Tableau: my Tableau bootcamp buddies, ready to conquer the world of analytics together

Joining Tableau has been an exhilarating step in my career. As a data enthusiast and very early adopter of Tableau, I was excited to join Tableau, a Seattle-based startup company that is coming up with the next level of self-service data analytics software – compared to classic BI software.

A New Chapter: Tableau’s Frankfurt Office

After my transition from academia to Capgemini, I joined Tableau’s newly opened Frankfurt Office. My first weeks have been nothing short of amazing, with an incredible opportunity to contribute to company building and be one of the first employees in Tableau’s new Frankfurt Office that was just recently opened to ramp up Tableau’s Europe business.

Being part of a startup company is an incredible experience, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work on such an innovative and disruptive product. It is a privilege to be involved in building a company from the ground up, especially in such an exciting industry as data analytics.

Tableau’s new Frankfurt Office has brought exciting opportunities, especially for me, who just earned my MBA degree. I have been able to apply my newfound knowledge to contribute to the growth of the company. I am honored to be part of the team that is bringing this new product to market and to be able to learn from some of the best minds in the business.

Bootcamp Experience: Learning the Culture

Tableau’s bootcamp in Seattle is nothing short of awesome. The three-week program is intense, but the wealth of knowledge and experience that I have gained from it has been invaluable. I have learned a lot about the company’s culture, the product, and the industry as a whole. The bootcamp has given me a great foundation for my work at Tableau and has helped me hit the ground running in my role as one of the first employees in Frankfurt, Europe’s hub for finance and technology.

Tableau is known for its unique company culture that encourages creativity, innovation, and collaboration. From weekly hackathons to Tableau’s famous Data Night Out events, there’s always something exciting happening at the company. As someone who is passionate about data and thrives in a collaborative environment, I couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of this culture.

Career Opportunities: Why You Should Consider Joining Tableau

Being involved in company building is a great thing when you’re in a startup, and I am honored to be part of this exciting journey. I look forward to continuing to contribute to the growth of the company and to be part of a team that is making such a huge impact in the world of data analytics. If you’re looking for a challenging and rewarding career in data analytics, Tableau is definitely the place to be.

Interested in a career in data analytics like mine? Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn to stay connected.

And yes, we all get these awesome DATA hoodies:

Joining Tableau: Awesome DATA Hoodies

Transition from Academia to Capgemini: A New Chapter in Data and Analytics

CERN Main Auditorium: my transition from academia to Capgemini
CERN Main Auditorium: my transition from academia to Capgemini

After enjoying research for the last four years, especially during my time at CERN, I have made a significant decision. I have decided to resign from my postgraduate position and make a transition from academia to the exciting world of Capgemini. My passion for Data and Analytics remains strong and will be the core focus of my new role.

Capgemini: A New Adventure After Academia

Capgemini, one of the world’s largest consulting corporations, has caught my attention. Unlike many other consulting companies, Capgemini does not yet have a dedicated team to offer effective strategies and solutions employing Big Data, Analytics, and Machine Learning. This presents an exciting opportunity for me to contribute and innovate.

My Vision: Building a Data-Driven Future at Capgemini

I love these technologies and am confident in my ability to elaborate a business development plan to drive business growth. Through customer and market definition, my plan includes new services such as:

  • Data Science Strategy: Enabling organizations to solve problems with insights from analytics.
  • Consulting: Answering questions using data.
  • Development: Building custom tools like interactive dashboards, pipelines, customized Hadoop setup, and data prep scripts.
  • Training: Offering various skill levels of training, from basic dashboard design to deep dives in R, Python, and D3.js.

This plan also includes a go-to-market strategy, which I’ll keep under wraps for now. Stay tuned for a retrospective reveal in the future!

Reflecting on My Transition from Academia

Making this transition from academia to a corporate role has been a considered decision. As I previously shared in my reflection on my software engineering internship at SAP, the blend of technological challenges and team collaboration has always intrigued me. Joining Capgemini allows me to continue pursuing my passion for data in a dynamic business environment.

Conclusion: Exciting Times Ahead

This transition from academia to Capgemini marks a thrilling new chapter in my career. I look forward to leveraging my expertise in Data and Analytics to contribute to Capgemini’s growth and innovation.

Follow my journey as I explore the intersection of data, technology, and business. Connect with me on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Reflecting on my Internship in Software Engineering and Project Management at SAP

I recently completed an internship in the software engineering department of SAP, a large international software manufacturer, where I had the opportunity to work as a software engineer and project manager. Looking back on my experience, I am proud of the exceptional performance I was able to achieve in both of these roles and the great success I had in leading a team of 12 developers.

Leading a Complex Project: Developing Mobile BI Infrastructure at SAP

One of the main responsibilities of my internship was to lead the development of a mobile BI infrastructure. This was a complex and challenging project, but I was able to effectively manage it by using my project management skills to ensure that everything was completed on time and within budget. I was also able to contribute to the development of the infrastructure by using my software development skills to create high-quality code.

Collaborative and Inclusive Work Environment at SAP

One of the things that I enjoyed most about my internship was the opportunity to work with such a diverse group of developers. Each person brought their own unique skills and perspectives to the table, which made the experience all the more enriching. By fostering a collaborative and inclusive work environment, I was able to create a positive team dynamic that made it easier for everyone to work together effectively.

Top Learnings in Software Project Management

These are some of my top learnings in software project management:

  1. Setting clear goals and objectives: It is important to have a clear understanding of what the project aims to achieve, as well as specific goals and objectives that need to be met. This will help to guide the project and ensure that it stays on track.
  2. Managing resources: A software project manager must be able to effectively allocate and manage resources, including budget, staff, and equipment, to ensure that the project is completed on time and within budget.
  3. Communication: Effective communication is crucial in software project management. The project manager must be able to communicate clearly and effectively with team members, stakeholders, and other stakeholders to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that any issues or concerns are addressed in a timely manner.
  4. Risk management: It is important to anticipate and mitigate potential risks to the project, as well as have contingency plans in place in case something does go wrong.
  5. Adaptability: A successful software project manager must be able to adapt to changes in the project and the industry, and be able to pivot as needed to ensure the project’s success.
  6. Leadership: A software project manager must be able to effectively lead and motivate the team to ensure that everyone is working towards the common goal.
  7. Attention to detail: A software project manager must have strong attention to detail to ensure that all aspects of the project are properly planned and executed.
  8. Time management: Managing a project requires effective time management skills to ensure that tasks are completed on schedule and that the project stays on track.

Conclusion: A Rewarding Internship at SAP

In conclusion, my internship at SAP was a valuable and rewarding experience that has helped me to develop my skills in software development and project management. I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with such a talented team and am confident that the skills and knowledge I gained during my time at SAP will be invaluable as I pursue a career in the software industry.

Want to know more about my journey in the software industry? Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn for more insights.

This blog post is an excerpt from the Personal Development section of my internship report written for my university.