Decoding the Data Labyrinth: Houseware's Winning Story at the Snowflake Conference

(0:00:01) - Houseware (7 Minutes)
We discuss Houseware, the 2022 startup winner at the Snowflake conference. Houseware provides a product analytics solution built natively on top of data warehouses, and the various data challenges this presents. Divyansh Saini⁠  co-founder of Houseware, and ⁠Nipun Jain⁠ share their experiences in building data platforms for CDPs and the problems they face when dealing with data chaos. We look at Houseware's approach to tackling data chaos, such as dealing with skewed timestamps and redundant names, and how to debug and root cause without access to customer data.

(0:07:08) - Timestamps and Benefits of Winning Startup Challenge (6 Minutes)
We explore how Houseware, the 2022 startup winner at the Snowflake conference, leverages the data from two timestamps- the local device timestamp and the server timestamp- to sequence events at a user level and analyze patterns across multiple users. We also discuss how Houseware was able to access the Snowflake team and utilize their picks and shovels in their product roadmap.

(0:12:56) - Building Applications on Snowflake Data (10 Minutes)
We examine how Houseware, the 2022 startup winner at the Snowflake conference, solves the challenge of building applications on top of data warehouses. We explore how the snowflake feature called external functions is the future of data warehouses, allowing customers to use the warehouse as a live source for applications. The biggest challenge of product analytics adoption is not the data but helping people understand it, and how Houseware competes with companies like Amplitude and Mix Panel who took the convenient approach of storing all customer data in their databases. Finally, we talk about how Chief Data Officers and Head of Products want to do more with data warehouses and how Houseware helps them understand the customer journey across different platforms.

(0:22:59) - Achieving Interactive and Collaborative Data Analytics (10 Minutes)
We explore the technical architecture of Houseware, the 2022 startup winner at the Snowflake conference. We look at the layers of the system, from the React-based UI to the query generation engine written in Golan, as well as the back-end components. We also examine how Houseware helps customers uncover the value of their data set with features such as granular access controls and admin features. Finally, we emphasize the importance of abstracting away the complexity of data for end-users so that they can easily comprehend their user behavior journey.

(0:33:11) - Customer Engagement and Product Impact (4 Minutes)
We explore the customer experience with Houseware, the 2022 startup winner at the Snowflake conference. We look at the process of observing customers as they interact with the product, and the opportunities this provides to the Houseware team. We also examine the aha moments customers experience as early as one or two days into an implementation, as well as the reactions to the user flows feature - a visualization of the user's journey throughout the product.

(0:37:41) - Data Visualization and Customer Value Importance (9 Minutes)
We look at how customers are empowered by the data collected by Houseware, the 2022 startup winner at the Snowflake conference. We hear how customers use the data to make decisions that translate into customer value, and how they identify and monetize cohorts of true fans. We also explore how data can uncover anomalies and dark stories that may need to be addressed.

(0:46:17) - Data Capture and Value Extraction Challenges (7 Minutes)

We examine the importance of discipline and thoughtful pruning when running an effective product analytics team. Auto instrumentation tools often lead to noise and confusion, and the cost of logging and data warehouses can be avoided with the right storage policies. We look at the value of the data being collected, and the importance of making sure the data is aligned with the tech stack and future vision of the enterprise. Software engineering teams must be willing to do the hard, unsexy maintenance work to keep businesses running and be frugal about it.

(0:53:00) - Data Challenges and Old School Systems (10 Minutes)
We discuss the challenges faced by a Fortune 500 company with a field force of 5000 people who were using an ancient data stack to manage their day-to-day operations. We explore how modern data stacks can be frugal, effective and not necessarily shiny while maintaining customer satisfaction. We also hear crazy tales of data from Nipun, including how one customer had 300 million digital identifiers due to data issues. Finally, we remind listeners to reach out to Houseware if they are struggling with collecting events and using them to drive meaningful value for their customers.