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Today’s user group leader spotlight is @ramesh_neel. Keep reading to learn more about Ramesh and his experience with user groups!
Tell us a bit about your professional background.
I started my career as a programmer and later switched over to business intelligence and have worked on a variety of BI tools mostly in the banking and financial service industry. I was introduced to Alteryx in 2018 and was drawn to it instantly. Part of my job is to help businesses derive insights and help them in their analytical journey and while stopping them from falling in love with Excel spreadsheets ;)
What is one fun thing about you that community members might not know?
Oh well, there are many, not just one 😊. I have made my own wine a couple of times; I love hiking and the mountains. So much that I even have a mountain tattoo on my arm. Oh, wait, did I also tell you that I am big into plants and have a collection of around 50 + plants in my apartment in Sydney?
What is your favorite Alteryx feature?
The ability to cache data - popularly known as ‘Cache and Run workflow.’ I am not sure if a lot of people are aware of this feature. I often work with large datasets and complex workflows, and this feature has been a lifesaver as it saves a lot of time during the development/ testing cycle when we must run the workflow multiple times, and the caching feature reduces the wait time drastically.
Why did you become a user group leader (UGL)?
I was already part of the innovator program and initially looked at it as an opportunity to amplify my advocacy, only to realize that becoming a UGL is much more than that. It opens a whole new world of opportunities to connect with peers, lead sessions, share best practices and learn how Alteryx is used in other organizations and have fun at the same time! It also helps hone my interpersonal skills.
What is the easiest and the hardest part of being a UGL?
To me, the hardest part is coming up with a balanced agenda in every user group meeting to cater to a wide array of audiences ranging from newbies to Alteryx gurus. There must be something for everybody.
But the best part is knowing that being a UGL gives you plenty of opportunities and resources to have a direct and positive impact on the growing Alteryx community.
What was your best experience during a UG Meeting (professional networking, personal development, career evolution, etc...)?
I really enjoyed my first UG meeting (when I was not a UGL), which took place a day before Inspire 2020 in Sydney, where I happened to meet user group managers and a lot of people from Alteryx. This was also the very first time I ever attended any user group meetings in my life. The energy and enthusiasm were so infectious that I so wanted to be part of every user group meeting.
Do you prefer Virtual UGs or in-person UGs? And why?
I became a UGL when the covid pandemic hit, and everything turned virtual including UG meetings. So, in my very first UG as a leader, we managed to bring all Australia and New Zealand Alteryx enthusiasts together for the first time ever. But it was hard to keep that momentum going so personally I prefer in-person meetings as I love all that energy and enthusiasm that in-person meetings brings and there is a lot more networking opportunity.
If you were an Alteryx Tool, which one would you be?
The Data Cleansing tool definitely! Given that I am not a fan of anything messy—including messy data!
Tune in next week for another spotlight article!
