Data Engineering Podcast

Aligning Business and Data: The Essential Role of Data Modeling

34 snips
Sep 1, 2025
Serge Gershkovich, Head of Product at SQL DBM and a Snowflake data expert, dives into the socio-technical aspects of data modeling. He emphasizes that effective data modeling is crucial for aligning business needs with technical structures, debunking myths about its importance. The discussion explores challenges in complex environments and the evolving role of AI in data management. Serge advocates for collaboration between business teams and data professionals, highlighting how clear communication can enhance trust and mitigate issues related to data quality.
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ANECDOTE

From SAP Intern To Product Lead

  • Serge stumbled into data work via a technical internship and a long career in SAP landscapes.
  • He later moved off SAP after discovering Snowflake and shifted into product management.
INSIGHT

Modeling Is A Shared Conversation

  • Data modeling is a conversation between business stakeholders and data teams to encode semantics accurately.
  • It creates shared visual, verbal, and technical semantics so everyone speaks from the same reference point.
ADVICE

Model Before You Build

  • Do model before you build to catch alignment issues early and avoid wasted engineering effort.
  • Use an ERD and get business sign-off to dramatically reduce downstream mistakes.
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