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Looker: The Powerhouse of Business Intelligence

Overview:

Looker is a self-service business intelligence (BI) platform designed to unify SQL and Big Data management for enterprises. It offers a unique approach to data analysis, focusing on understanding data structures and relationships through SQL.

Ease of Use:

While Looker provides a deep dive into SQL modeling, it requires a solid understanding of SQL to harness its full potential. However, for those familiar with SQL, the platform is intuitive and offers a seamless experience.

Features:

SQL Modeling: Offers in-depth SQL modeling capabilities.
Git Integration: Uses Git for version management and collaboration.
Data Dashboards: While visualizations are secondary, Looker does provide data dashboards for insights.
LookML: Looker’s proprietary query and model-building language.
Integration Blocks: Supports integrations with popular web products like Salesforce, Snowplow, and Zendesk.
Analytical Patterns: Preprogrammed patterns for various analyses, such as A/B testing and transaction sequences.

Pricing:

Looker’s pricing starts from $3,000 per month for 10 users, with additional users costing $50 each per month. Given its comprehensive features, it’s positioned at a premium price point.

Customer Support:

Looker offers a range of learning tools, including a video channel on Vimeo with over 100 lessons and live recordings. They also have online documentation and a discussion forum, Discourse, where users can suggest features and access tutorials.

Popularity:

While Looker is relatively new in the BI world, it has already made its mark, being used in large installations with hundreds of seats consuming vast amounts of data.

Pros:

Deep SQL modeling capabilities.
Collaborative features with Git integration.
Extensive learning resources and community support.
Powerful integrations and analytical tools.

Cons:

Might be expensive for smaller teams.
Requires solid SQL knowledge for optimal use.

In Practice:

For businesses that generate significant amounts of data and have SQL expertise on board, Looker can be transformative. It not only allows for in-depth data analysis but also promotes collaboration across teams. By focusing on understanding data at its core, businesses can derive actionable insights and make informed decisions.

Overall Rating:

4.5 / 5 – Looker stands out for its deep dive into SQL modeling and its collaborative features. It’s a top choice for businesses that prioritize understanding their data at a granular level.