How to build a data product – faster than ever before

In our recent webinar, “Build your own data product with Calibo,” hosted by Octavio Martin, Senior Solution Architect at Calibo, attendees gained in-depth insights into the capabilities of Calibo’s platform and how to leverage it to create robust data products.  

This session gave a hands-on demonstration of building a data product from scratch, highlighting Calibo’s role in streamlining development processes.  

Couldn’t attend? Here’s a summary of the webinar content.

For more details, watch the full webinar here. 

Current challenges faced by enterprises 

In the webinar, Octavio Martin shed light on the common hurdles faced in today’s software development, especially when teams are working in silos. Often, different teams use a variety of tools and tech that don’t easily talk to each other. This can lead to a lot of back-and-forth and mountains of paperwork to get things done, which isn’t just frustrating and slows everything down.

With technology changing so fast, it’s tough for everyone to stay on the same page, sometimes causing the end product to suffer. Bringing new engineers on board becomes a real challenge, too, as they have to wade through the complex jungle of tools before they can start making a real impact.  

All these hiccups don’t just slow down innovation—they can also affect a company’s ability to keep up with the competition. When teams aren’t working together, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture, which can hurt productivity and even the company’s bottom line. But, understanding these issues is a step towards creating smoother, more coordinated workflows that benefit everyone. 

Webinar objectives  

Octavio went through the end-to-end process of building a data product. The demonstration includes building a data product that will forecast weather metrics, using the metric of precipitation volumes.

During the presentation, Octavio switched across different roles that are presented in the SDLC to show how the platform can be used for all of these roles.  

He showed the architecture required to set this up (see below). 

The webinar included setting up portfolios within the Calibo platform, configuring cloud resources on AWS and Snowflake, establishing data pipelines, and deploying user interfaces (UIs) and APIs.  

Creating a data product with Calibo 

Setting the stage 

In setting the stage for the demonstration, Octavio Martin introduced a compelling example: a data product aimed at forecasting weather metrics, with an emphasis on predicting precipitation volumes in Central Africa.  

This example was not just chosen at random; it represents a real-world application where timely and accurate data predictions can have significant impacts, from aiding agricultural planning to preparing for adverse weather conditions. The demonstration unfolded with the creation of an entire data product ecosystem using Calibo’s platform, illustrating how different stages of the software development lifecycle can be integrated to work seamlessly together. 

Octavio began by explaining the initial steps of project management, where the business objectives were clearly defined, and a digital portfolio was created within Calibo. This stage involved gathering all necessary components—be it data sources or feature requirements—into a cohesive plan that sets the roadmap for development.

Each team involved in the lifecycle, including data engineers and data scientists, was then equipped with specific roles and responsibilities, helping to break down silos and encourage cross-departmental collaboration. 

For the data engineering phase, Octavio showcased how to use Calibo to manage and process data efficiently, setting up data sources and constructing data pipelines that channel raw information into a Snowflake data lake for further analysis.

By integrating tools like AWS, Snowflake, and Databricks, Calibo enabled a streamlined approach to data handling and transformation, eliminating the need for extensive coding and reducing the time professionals spent on such processes. 

Finally, the demonstration highlighted the data science aspect, where sophisticated data models could be applied to generate more accurate and actionable insights. This stage not only involved technical tasks but also emphasized collaboration among team members through the shared Calibo platform, ensuring that the predictive models developed were in line with the project’s initial goals and could be easily updated as new data became available. 

Through this comprehensive walkthrough, Octavio illustrated that with Calibo, every step from conception to deployment can be managed more effectively, ensuring that the development of data products is not only efficient but also adaptable to changing needs and environments. This holistic approach, leveraging Calibo’s capabilities, underscored the platform’s ability to bring all the necessary elements together, simplifying complex workflows, fostering innovation, and ultimately producing robust and reliable data products. 

Architecture overview  

During the webinar, Octavio Martin provided an in-depth look at constructing a comprehensive data framework using a variety of AWS services, showcasing the real potential of Calibo in orchestrating these complex elements into a cohesive system.  

Central to this framework is AWS Kinesis Streams, a powerful tool for ingesting real-time data from multiple sources. This capability is critical for applications that require up-to-the-minute insights, such as predicting weather patterns in specific regions like Central Africa. By capturing streaming data effectively, Kinesis ensures that no critical piece of information is lost in the flow. 

Complementing the dynamic nature of Kinesis Streams, AWS RDS with MySQL was used to handle structured data storage needs. This service provided a reliable database platform for maintaining historical records or user-generated data input, which is essential for creating a comprehensive dataset that supports more nuanced analysis and feedback loops. 

The use of AWS S3 buckets was another significant aspect of the data framework, serving as a flexible and cost-effective solution for storing large volumes of raw data. S3 is particularly advantageous due to its seamless integration with other AWS services, allowing easy scaling and retrieval for various processing tasks. 

Once this raw and real-time data was securely gathered and stored, the next step involved transferring it into a Snowflake data lake.

Known for its robust data warehousing capabilities, Snowflake allowed for efficient organization and querying of vast amounts of data, readying it for deeper analytical processing.  

To transform and refine this data within Snowflake, Databricks was employed to conduct complex data transformation tasks. Leveraging Spark, Databricks offered an optimized environment for processing large datasets, enabling the creation of clean, structured data from the initial raw inputs. This transformation is crucial as it translates disparate data points into actionable insights, which can be utilized for predictive modeling and reporting. 

Calibo’s platform came into play by significantly simplifying these intricate processes. Users could build and manage these data ecosystems without needing extensive coding knowledge, thanks to Calibo’s intuitive interface and powerful automation tools.  

By abstracting the underlying complexities, Calibo empowers professionals from diverse backgrounds to develop sophisticated data workflows, reducing the reliance on specialized developers and streamlining project timelines. This accessibility ensures that organizations can deploy, manage, and iterate on their data products swiftly, opening the door to broader innovation and continuous improvement. 

For Platform Engineers  

Building the data product 

Octavio demonstrated the platform’s capabilities from a product manager’s perspective, showing just how intuitive and strategic the platform can be in initiating and managing a data project. He began by illustrating how product managers can use Calibo’s sophisticated interface to kickstart a project with the creation of business models. This initial phase is crucial as it sets the foundation for the entire project, encapsulating the vision and strategic goals that the team aims to achieve. 

Through Calibo, product managers have the ability to aggregate all necessary components into a structured digital portfolio. This includes everything from identifying and setting up data sources to defining the product features and assembling the right team members. The platform’s straightforward interface enables managers to visualize and organize these elements efficiently, ensuring that each crucial component fits seamlessly into the overall project strategy.  

For Data Engineers  

Octavio also demonstrated the meticulous configuration process within Calibo that helps in aligning the disparate parts of a project. Data sources are defined in a way that clarifies their roles within the workflow, ensuring consistent and reliable data intake. Features are catalogued according to their development stages and priority, allowing the team to focus on critical areas that align with business objectives. Teams are configured with specific roles and responsibilities assigned to ensure clarity in task execution, bridging any gaps between management and technical tasks. 

This structured approach not only fosters a well-coordinated environment but also facilitates a smooth transition between the various stages of product development. Calibo enables product managers to easily blend management oversight with technical execution, creating a unified workflow where each team member can effortlessly collaborate regardless of their professional background. The platform removes typical barriers, allowing for real-time adjustments and enhancements to the project as new insights or changes in market conditions arise. 

By leveraging these capabilities, product managers can maintain a clear bird’s-eye view of the project while delving into the granular details as needed. This dual-level management is key to ensuring that projects not only start strong but also stay on track, maintaining alignment with both short-term deliverables and long-term strategic goals.

With Calibo, product managers are well-equipped to drive innovation and productivity, leading their teams towards successful and impactful data product development. 

For Data Scientists  

Deployment and integration 

Once Octavio had outlined and established the necessary resources and cloud structures during the webinar, he shifted the focus to the crucial process of deploying these components. This was accomplished using TerraForm scripts, an integral feature curated within the Calibo platform. TerraForm, known for its Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) capabilities, automates the setup and management of cloud infrastructure, thus simplifying what could otherwise be a labor-intensive and error-prone task. 

He illustrated how Calibo leverages TerraForm’s robust scripting functionalities to automate the creation of vital cloud resources, including data lakes, streaming tools, and other essential infrastructure components. These scripts provide a consistent and repeatable process for deploying and managing cloud environments, minimizing manual intervention and reducing the risk of configuration errors. 

The real magic, however, lies in how Calibo brings this technology to life through its intuitive user interface. Octavio demonstrated how users, even those with limited technical expertise, could engage with TerraForm scripts via Calibo’s platform to make rapid configurations. The platform simplifies the process, breaking it down into user-friendly steps that guide the deployment of resources from the ground up—whether it’s setting basic parameters like instance sizes or configuring the intricate technical specifics required for sophisticated data architectures. 

The instantaneous configuration and deployment capabilities offered by Calibo mean that teams can quickly and efficiently spin up environments tailored to their project needs. This agility is crucial, particularly in dynamic business landscapes where delays in infrastructure deployment can hinder project timelines and business responsiveness.

By abstracting the complexities of cloud setup, Calibo empowers teams to focus their energy on higher-level strategic objectives rather than getting bogged down in the nitty-gritty of infrastructure management. 

Moreover, this seamless integration with TerraForm scripts ensures that the deployed environments are not only fast and efficient but also aligned with best practices in cloud resource management. Calibo’s approach facilitates scaling and adjustments as projects evolve, providing a flexible foundation that can adapt to new requirements or changes in scope. This adaptability is key to maintaining momentum and ensuring that data projects continue to align with overarching business goals. Through this demonstration, Octavio made it clear that with Calibo, deploying and managing complex cloud architectures can become a streamlined, user-friendly process that enhances productivity and innovation across teams. 

Data engineering and pipeline configuration 

Data engineers benefit from Calibo’s integration with Databricks, expertly setting up data pipelines. These pipelines transport data from AWS buckets to Snowflake while leveraging machine learning models to enrich data analytics with prediction capabilities.  

Octavio detailed the pipeline configuration, aligning each stage with relevant roles and tasks to exemplify realistic application scenarios. 

Software engineering innovations 

An interesting aspect of the webinar was exploring how software engineers could develop APIs and UIs within Calibo. By leveraging Kubernetes for deployment, Calibo provided pre-built CI/CD frameworks, enabling swift and reliable iterations from development to production environments. This not only maintained context for engineers but also integrated audiological tracking to ensure transparency and accountability. 

For more details, watch the full webinar here. 

For Software Engineers  

Conclusion: leveraging Calibo’s full potential 

Through Octavio’s thorough demonstration of the platform the participants gained a good understanding of building data products efficiently and effectively. Octavio showed how Calibo’s strength lies in its capacity to automate convoluted processes, integrate diverse tools, and normalize data production workflows. 

By the end of the session, viewers were equipped with the knowledge to leverage Calibo for their own projects, leveraging its comprehensive capabilities to create cutting-edge data products.  

This insightful session highlighted not only Calibo’s technological prowess but also its strategic approach to simplifying and enhancing collaborative development efforts across varied enterprise ecosystems. Whether you are a data engineer, software developer, or product manager, Calibo’s platform offers essential tools and strategies to refine your digital endeavors. 

For more details, watch the full webinar here.