Page 351 - Data Architecture

Chapter 9.1: Repetitive Analytics: Some Basics
processing in the standard environment is because of resource limitations. In the standard
corporate operating environment, there is a need to control the resources that are used for
processing by all analysts. That is because there is a need for high performance in the
standard operating environment. But in the sandbox environment, there is no such

restriction on the analyst. In the sandbox environment, there is no need for high
performance. Therefore, the analyst is free to do whatever analytic investigation that
he/she wishes to do.

But there is another reason for the sandbox environment. That reason is that in the
standard operating environment, there is a need for tight control of data access and
calculation. That is because that in the standard operating environment, there are security
concerns and data governance concerns. But in the sandbox, there are no such concerns.

The converse of processing in the sandbox is that because there are no controls in the
sandbox environment, the results of processing in the sandbox environment should not be
used in a formal manner. The results of processing in the sandbox can lead to great new
and important insight. But after the insight has been captured, the insight is translated into
a more formal system and is incorporated into the standard operating environment.

The sandbox environment then is a great boon to the analytics community.

Fig. 9.1.8 shows the sandbox environment.

Fig. 9.1.8 An analytical sandbox.

The “Normal” Profile

One of the most important things that analyst can develop is something that can be called
the “normal” profile. The normal profile is the composite of the audience that is being
analyzed.

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