We're excited to announce the launch of the Observable Data Table Cell. Data Table Cell is a visual data analysis tool that allows you to quickly explore and analyze your data directly in the UI.
With the Data Table Cell, you can connect directly to a live data source, such as a database, and start to analyze your data immediately, right there in your notebook.While Observable already has table-based UI, such as the table input, available on the platform, Data Table Cell is unique in that it's a scannable, tabular display that supports direct manipulation of data, with automatically generated summary charts for the data columns. This means that it's now possible to see a quick overview of your data in a few clicks without even writing a single line of SQL, or having to hop through multiple tools.
In addition, you can use the UI-based functionality to quickly filter, hide/show columns, sort, and slice the data. With Data Table Cell, the time-to-insights is greatly reduced so you can act faster for better business outcomes.
One of the most exciting parts of the Data Table Cell is that you can eject to SQL any time. This means that you can convert the table to a SQL cell, which converts the UI manipulations into executable SQL statements.
So, if you want a deeper analysis of the data, you can jump to SQL and continue your data analysis right from that point onwards: UI when you need it, and code when you need that — all in one place.
Observable’s 2021 research report found that over 180 unique data tools are used by cross-functional teams for analyzing data and communicating insights. With the Data Table Cell, you can go from live data to insights all in one tool.
Staying in one tool, and in flow, has a number of advantages for data teams:
Faster, with less errors. In Future of Data Work: Empowering Data Practitioners in One Place, we addressed how current data tools don't allow a team of people in different roles, (e.g. Data Scientists, Business Analysts, Business Leaders and more) to collaborate on the data. Instead, people are wasting time and resources wrangling several tools. Data is moved
from one tool to another, with some people never even working in the same tool. The result: long lags between analysis and action, error-prone workflows, and a lack of transparency and trust. Enabling the end-to-end data journey in one platform allows teams to work faster and with more trust in the insights.
Collaboration among people of diverse expertise. A Product Manager has different strengths and areas of expertise than a Business Analyst, a Data Scientist, or a Decision Maker. Yet each of their skills are required for making the best possible data-driven decisions for the business, holistically. Data Table Cell lets people with complementary knowledge collaborate on a dataset.
Democratization of the cross-functional data analysis workflow. Collaborative data analysis in one tool among people with distinctive skill sets democratizes the process of uncovering data insights. No matter the competencies that make up a team, each person can now be in a relay race together, and get to the end goal faster. Having the SQL expert pick up the baton from where the Decision Maker left off in the Data Table Cell and gain deeper insights, with the Developer visualizing the exact data view from the SQL output – that’s priceless!
Competitive advantage. When an entire cross-functional team can work together seamlessly in one canvas, decisions are made faster, and with more confidence, which leads to better business outcomes.
At Observable, our mission is to help everyone make sense of their data, together. This means building a data collaboration platform that allows for simplified, faster workflows. One that enables teams with diverse skill sets and expertise to get their data work done fast, and in one place, from analysis to insights to actions.
Today, with the launch of Data Table Cell, we've taken a significant step towards fulfilling that mission in service of our users and our community.As always, we would love to hear your feedback.
If you’d like to hear about our latest product and community updates, subscribe here. Another great way to connect with the Observable community: please join an upcoming Meetup.