Raw Data By P3 Adaptive

Simon Peyton Jones, educator, researcher, and information guru, discusses programming languages and their impact. He also explores Excel as a programming language and introduces computer science to children. The value of using Excel in education is highlighted, as well as the relationship between board games and programming. They also discuss developing a programming language for virtual reality and the intersection of opportunity, passion, and talent.

Today we bring in the big guns, a Microsoft MVP and Power Platform advocacy team lead, and a true Power Platform aficionado: April Dunnam. In the realm of social media, April is known as the Woman who Codes, the SharePoint Siren, and the Karaoke Queen with a passion for all things Power: Power BI, Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Virtual Agents, and Power Pages. In this episode we get April’s origin story, starting with the moment she was the intern tossed into the deep end of the SharePoint pool, all the way to her personal discovery of the better way. April shares her philosophy on bringing people to the dark side of app building: First, find someone who has a certain level of curiosity and knows there has to be a better way. Those are the future Power Apps Citizen Developers. Hook those people with the polished side by showing them a functional app, then reel them in through the backend drag and drop, no code, low code magic that is the Power Platform. April explains that people tend to have a short attention span; they need the finished product before you show them how simple the build process can be. Later on, Rob and April discuss the biggest opportunity for improvement in the Power Platform, the lack of a consistent programming language. With the build-by-example function in Power Apps, the technology is growing and, April suggests that one day there may be a unified Power language. Until then, Rob will continue to hate M and use his phone-a-friend card for help in Power Query. All this and more in this episode. And don’t forget, if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform to help others find our people-centric data podcast. Also in this Episode: April Dunnam’s Youtube Paul Giamatti Le Café de Balzac The Evolution of SharePoint w Denise Traboona and Adam Harmetz The Man of a Thousand Jobs w/ Kevin Overstreet Lego Mindstorms InfoPath Into the Dataverse w/ James Oleinik Power Virtual Agents GitHub CoPilot and GPT-3 Power Users Microsoft Site April O’Neil - TMNT

In today’s episode, we welcome Eric Vigesaa of Microsoft to the show. This special guest has a decades-long relationship with our host.  According to Rob, Eric can always be counted on as a partner in cynical observations. Rob describes Eric as one of the rare breeds that enjoy the excitement of building an emergency solution. Someone who prefers a shorter distance between the software and the problem. The closer he is to impact, the more satisfying the solution becomes to him. Sardonically, Eric is also like the groundhog of Microsoft, emerging from IT, looking around, seeing the shadow, and returning back to IT: empowered, passionate, and skilled. Eric describes his non-IT time as an evolutionary course that allowed him to explore and grow his aptitude. Also in today’s episode, Rob and Eric describe the beginning phase of Microsoft’s shift to computing in the cloud and the project carnage in its wake. Promising projects suddenly found themselves on the road to nowhere and are now, nowhere to be found . . . with one popular exception: streamlined conditional formatting. That simplistic innovation not only made it out of the darkness to see the light of day but also became Rob’s gateway drug to audience participation. Other innovations weren’t so lucky. Eric and Rob describe what happened to a multitude of promising projects that were sliced, diced, julienned, and unable to survive cloud modernization at Microsoft. The history might pull you in, but it’s the dry wit that will keep you through the end. As a bonus, today you also get at least one bad Star Wars joke . . . and don’t forget, if you enjoyed this episode or the joke, please leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and be sure to subscribe to get new episodes delivered to your inbox. Also in this Episode: The Software Hall of Fame, w/ Microsoft's Conor Cunningham Queen’s Gambit Mike Tomlin Interview - Your teaching is failing Kill Bill Relief or Regret Power Pivot and Power BI: The Excel User's Guide to DAX, Power Query, Power BI & Power Pivot in Excel 2010-2016 - by Rob Collie The Cloud is Powered by People w/Jeff DeVerter The Evolution of SharePoint w/ Denise Trabona and Adam Harmetz Winchester Mystery House A Most Generous Mentor w/ Microsoft's Dany Hoter Skynet becomes Self-Aware Blade Runner - Tears in Rain

On this episode, we are bringing in a true leader in workplace diversity, Sadie St. Lawrence from Women in Data! Be prepared to be surprised when you learn that Sadie’s idea of diversity is more of a value-driven balance that benefits all people regardless of gender. Improvements, she points out, made in the workplace under the guise of removing gender disparity enhance the workplace for all employees, not just for a single demographic. Sadie is an incredible person with an incredible story that started in a male-dominated career where she spent her early years working on improvements within the industry. Her persistence and determination to make the industry more diverse led to her becoming the Founder and CEO of Women in Data. Sadie’s career journey centered around providing support and guidance to those around her and she certainly found her calling: empowering and mentoring women to find success in the world of data. This episode is 100% about the human side and, through the recording process, Sadie indirectly contributed to a recent change in P3 Adaptive’s own job descriptions. The conversation highlighted the disproportional labor divide in homes that was exacerbated during the pandemic. This led to a discussion on why so many women left the workforce during the pandemic and didn’t return, often to provide care for children and other family members. It even highlighted how women seeking a job, might see expected travel as a requirement that, due to family responsibilities, might cause them to not apply, even if they are more than qualified for the position. That change has been reflected in our current career opportunities and can be found on the P3 Adaptive Career Page. Here’s a hint, our travel policy has been updated. Thank you, Sadie, for the insight! As always, if you enjoyed the show, be sure to hit the subscribe button below to have new episodes delivered to your inbox. You never know who the next guest will be on the Raw Data by P3 Adaptive podcast! Also in this episode: Scantron tests Web 3.0: decentralized blockchain introduction Data Careers in the Military Dark Dashboards

Occasionally described as “Addictive, stupidly addictive,” this episode delves into the insanity that is Pokémon Go and is dedicated to the people and the technology behind mapping and catching Pokémon. Shortly after its 2016 release, Pokémon Go became the most successful game in history and, at one point, surpassed both Tinder and Twitter growth with usage time beating other social media apps.   Why does this “Got to Catch Them All!” mentality transcends technology? Is it the nostalgia? The family bonding time? Meeting new people and raiding gyms? Or is it maybe a little bit more? In today’s recording, you get to hear anecdotes on family bonding, date nights, and even meeting complete strangers to talk Pokémon. Most importantly, though, you get to meet the man behind IndyPokemap.com, Mike Ellis, and learn how he turned his Poké-hobby into a greener way to play in a globally supported community! Don’t worry, this episode is teen friendly, no hacking techniques are discussed, just data personalization with gentile manners. After all, no honest mapper wanted to scan another mapper’s territory.   And forget server farms, this episode includes all the details of iPhone farming with a shout-out to the suffrage that occurred during the downtime when mappers were forced to switch from Python to cellphones. A few of the Interesting inside data facts on Pokémon you will learn today include: How many Poké Stops in Indy? The logic behind spawn points. The how to on submitting poké spots. And, don’t forget, if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with a friend. Just like Pokémon Go, Raw Data by P3 Adaptive is better when shared. Also in this episode: Pokémon Go! Pokémon Raids Pokémon Map shut down by Niantic Pokémon Go-tcha! Pokémon Red Ball Niantic Harry Potter and the Wizards Unite Fan Fest IndyPokémap.com Dog Attack Episode: A Mechanical Clutch Isn't a Steampunk Purse, w/Bill Sundwall Traveling Salesperson problem Pivot table sorting The Software Hall of Fame, w/Microsoft's Conor Cunningham Datel Go-tcha Ranger Ingress by Niantic VMWare Explorer Pokémon pronunciation Niantic Wayfarer Fisher’s Nickel Plate Boss Battle

Have you ever been curious about what moving to the cloud really means? Is it a one-and-done move or is it more? Today’s guest, Jeff DeVerter, Chief Technology Evangelist of RackSpace, breaks down the cloud, cloud-based services, and how it can impact your business. From an engineering point of view to the creation of a supply chain for data, Jeff describes the trends and implications facing ingress, egress, and utilization of the ever-growing volume of data that companies curate. He even shines a light on the often hidden or disguised cost of doing business in the cloud, the dreaded egress fees, and shares tips for lowering your cost of data utilization. After all, Jeff considers moving to the cloud as a change of business, not a change of processes. Don’t worry, this episode isn’t just about the cloud. Rob and Jeff share a backstory of server farms and negative scaling that is sure to entertain. Since cloud services didn’t always exist, the original stop-gap method to run models for Power Pivot was on a SharePoint server. We learn from their experience that when you have an issue, it can’t always be solved by throwing hardware at it. While the additional hardware was ineffective, this method did lead to discoveries that were eventually shared through the user experience and directly led to a more robust Power BI Cloud Service. Finally, Jeff, Rob, and Tom discuss the successful evolution of a company’s data strategy and the 4 phases: Data Aware, Data Literate, Data Fluent, and Data Affluent. Discover where your company falls and how to move to the next phase of development. Don’t forget, if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to help others find our show by leaving us a review on your favorite Podcast Platform. Also in this episode: Rackspace Acquires SharePoint911 ML Ops ML & Algorithms Hit the Bigtime, w/DataRobot's Diego Oppenheimer Data Robot FinOps.org CloudReach Seinfeld: Jimmy's Jumps High Silver Fox Advisors Parenthood – TV series Keebler Tato Skins Facts of Life Theme Song Different Strokes Theme Barney Miller Theme A Most Generous Mentor, w/ Microsoft's Dany Hoter Raiders of the Lost Ark – warehouse Crossing the Chasm - book Speak Softly but Pack a Mean Elbow, w/ Jen Stirrup City Slickers - One Thing

Today we welcome David McKinnis of Tech DNA to the show. David is Microsoft alumni from the days before the development of Darwin, the software that revolutionized install, uninstall, and repair for Windows-supported programs. Prior to Rob and Dave’s work on Darwin, software installation was a long and cumbersome project that often-included multiple floppy disks and the patience of a saint and Windows uninstall was rarely considered. Post Darwin, those tasks are often taken for granted. While the development process was bug-riddled, the result was reliable performance, seamless integration, and several great stories. This episode isn’t all about software and development though, we already did our first Software Hall of Fame episode. This is about the people behind the process and their trials and tribulations. To understand those stories, we must pull back the curtain on the ever-evolving internal development process of Microsoft and shine a light on what goes on behind the conference room doors. Also today, David and Rob reminisce about how Rob was ambushed in a meeting by a rival development team. That team came prepared with multiple handouts explaining why Rob’s project sucked. Don’t worry, they also share the resolution of the story and how fate (and the Fed) intervened on Rob’s behalf to salvage the program . . . and Rob’s credibility.   That is a story you won’t want to miss, and it is only found here, on Raw Data by P3 Adaptive.  As always, if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and subscribe to have new episodes delivered straight to your inbox. Also on this episode: Gartner on the cost of Windows Fed sues Microsoft Mitch Hedberg - Picture when I was younger TEALS Program– Microsoft Technophobes Make Amazing Technologists, w/ Kerry Kolosko A Single Complete Leader, w/ P3 Pres and COO Kellan Danielson Orange Theory Fitness

Today, we bring you a little something different, in this episode, we focus not on people, but on the software itself. Today, we create the Software Hall of Fame, set the rules, and get down to building the inaugural class with special guest Coner Cunningham. Coner’s multi-decade software skill set combined with his fun personality makes him a perfect fit to be the final member of the initial tribunal of software critics. This tribunal will step up to fill a long-standing void in an episode that will run the gamut of emotions: Joy, anger, exasperation, and maybe even a little zen. Shockingly, this episode may even set a record for the most words spoken during an episode by co-host Thomas LaRock due to the sheer volatility of the topic at hand.   The rules are simple, to be approved the nominees must be a product (can be free but cannot be a protocol), be software, and be judged on three criteria: Novelty, Difficulty, and Impact. To be inducted, the product must achieve an overall score of four points or higher. As a bonus, we have compiled the software and have curated a special website just for this episode. It is a work in progress and you should be able to submit your feedback on our choices by leaving comments, questions, concerns, and/or character assassinations. Since no Hall of Fame episode would be complete without a sports reference (or two) Rob also includes sage wisdom concerning what constitutes a sport . . . or what SHOULD constitute a sport worthy of watching on TV. Some of those choices are sure to be more controversial than the software picks so be sure to listen to the end and see if your favorite sport made the cut and which could make the cut by implementing paintball snipers. It is sure to be surprising! As always, if you enjoy this episode, connect with us on social media to be a part of the conversation and to recommend future guests and topics. Also in this episode: The Software Hall of Fame Toward the Sounds of Chaos: 30 Clerks, The movie Leaders Need Not be Flashy, w/ Microsoft VP Dave Gainer Leisure Suit Larry Red Dead Redemption

Today, we welcome to the show the most transparent international man of mystery, Dany Hoter. Working on his 5th stint with Microsoft and living his best life in his 8th decade, Dany brings both wisdom and fun to those around him. He brings a passion and joy for teaching to his training sessions and always manages to create a connection between people and technology. Of course, he also has a long-storied past with Rob, and together they share the responsibility for what some view as the most expensive trip billed to Microsoft by non-executives. From luxury accommodations to indulgent automobiles, they expensed it all. It wasn’t all global jet setting, however, as these two comprised the Dream Team that put the polish on Power Pivot and laid the groundwork for Power Query. Their hard work and dedication paid off as Dany and Rob banded together in their shared time at Microsoft to save the world from an error-filled, rushed incarnation of bi-directional relationships. In retrospect, however, the conversation about this brought up a story that many may prefer to never hear. It seems that amidst all the jet setting, our dear host, Rob Collie, was busy launching a cruise missile with the sole purpose of pissing off the advanced pivot table users. What heinous act did he commit? Rob was directly involved in changing the default of pivot tables to compact.  While it did enlarge the user base by helping people feel more comfortable with pivot tables, advanced user rage is still alive and well on Twitter. All of this and more on this episode of Raw Data by P3 Adaptive, where data meets the human element. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to leave a review on your favorite platform to help others find us! Also on this show: Tinkering is a Way of Life w/ Darinee Louvau Yoda Chong and the Treehouse of Wonder, w/ Donald Farmer The Italians – Marco and Alberto Ikigai Venn Diagram Silicon Valley: Movember clip - mustache filter Kusto v SQL KQL - Kusto Query Language Cube Functions in Excel Rob on Twitter – to allow more bashing on the compact view

Hello friends! On the show today, we have a special treat for you. Straight from the Outback, recorded past midnight, and punny as hell, Kerry Kolosko, freshly minted, accidental Microsoft Data Platform MVP. An avid fan of JIT learning (Just In Time) and a follower of the teachings of Google, Kerry is a self-professed technophobe whose desire to remove redundancies just won’t let her disconnect. She has a storied past of chasing answers and creating solutions. She truly is living the dream by dabbling in every interesting technology that comes her way. From Array formulas to Deneb, learning on the fly to save time and frustration is Kerry’s superpower. That’s not all! Today, we also dig into the age-old question of what hidden fear do many Power BI users share? That great shared doubt when someone asks for the .PBIX file. The irrational trepidation.  The spurt of adrenaline. What one small, inconsequential fear do most OG Dax pros share? BADAXAPHOBIA: The fear of being judged for less attractive DAX coding. Well, friends, we are here to tell you that it is an unfounded fear is. OG DAX was more readable, easily digestible, and inherently more interesting before it was streamlined into mere code. Rob and Kerry agree that bad DAX should enjoy a comeback, and nobody should fear embarrassment for writing human-style DAX. All this and more on today’s episode. Don’t forget, if you enjoyed this episode, send a link to a friend. Friends don’t let friends miss Raw Data by P3 Adaptive where we celebrate data, with the human element. Also on this episode: "MVPness" Doesn't Sound Quite Right w/ MS MVP Ed Hansberry Deneb - Declarative Visualization in Power BI What is Data May Never Die w/ Scree Kerry Kolosko Blog - Visualisations Leaders Need Not Be Flashy, w/ Microsoft VP Dave Gainer LetterKenny: Power BI Workout Abbey Road Paint.net Mullet Man - Dax The Way