Serving & Analytics
Getting data to the people and systems that use it.
Backend Engineer
Mid-level
Own a feature end to end without hand-holding.
- Data APIsServing data to applications through an API instead of direct database access.
- A/B TestingComparing two variants with real users to see which performs better.
- Product AnalyticsTracking how people use features to inform decisions.
Senior
Own a system, its failure modes, and its trade-offs.
- Materialized ViewA view whose results are stored and refreshed.
- Embedded AnalyticsShowing charts and reports inside your product to customers.
Staff
Shape how many teams build, across systems.
- Reverse ETLSyncing warehouse data back into operational tools.
Data Analyst
Junior
Write correct SQL, build trusted dashboards, ask good questions.
Core: start here
- Business Intelligence (BI)Dashboards and reports that help people make decisions.
- Metric DefinitionsPrecisely defining what a number means, so two dashboards don't disagree.
- BI DashboardA collection of charts answering a recurring business question.
1 more junior concepts
- Self-Service AnalyticsLetting non-engineers explore data safely on their own.
Mid-level
Own an analysis end to end, from vague question to recommendation.
Core: start here
- A/B TestingComparing two variants with real users to see which performs better.
- Data StorytellingTurning analysis into a narrative that drives action.
- Cohort AnalysisComparing groups who started together, tracked over their own lifetimes.
7 more mid-level concepts
- Aggregate / Summary TablesPrecomputed rollups that make dashboards fast.
- Semantic Layer / Metrics LayerOne place that defines metrics like revenue, so every tool computes them the same way.
- OLAP CubePre-aggregated data for fast slicing by dimensions.
- Retention AnalysisMeasuring whether users come back over time.
- Funnel AnalysisMeasuring how users move through a sequence of steps.
- Dashboard DesignBuilding dashboards people actually use.
- KPI DesignChoosing the few numbers that steer a team.
Senior
Own experimentation and metrics design; call out bad numbers.
- Materialized ViewA view whose results are stored and refreshed.
Data Engineer
Junior
Build and fix pipelines from clear specs; write correct SQL.
Core: start here
- Metric DefinitionsPrecisely defining what a number means, so two dashboards don't disagree.
3 more junior concepts
- Business Intelligence (BI)Dashboards and reports that help people make decisions.
- Data ServingMaking prepared data available for analysis, ML and applications.
- BI DashboardA collection of charts answering a recurring business question.
Mid-level
Own pipelines and models end to end, including their quality.
Core: start here
- Aggregate / Summary TablesPrecomputed rollups that make dashboards fast.
- Semantic Layer / Metrics LayerOne place that defines metrics like revenue, so every tool computes them the same way.
- Materialized ViewA view whose results are stored and refreshed.
7 more mid-level concepts
- Self-Service AnalyticsLetting non-engineers explore data safely on their own.
- Training DataLabeled examples prepared for machine learning.
- Data APIsServing data to applications through an API instead of direct database access.
- Reverse ETLSyncing warehouse data back into operational tools.
- Reverse ETL Use CasesSyncing warehouse data to CRMs, ad tools and support systems.
- A/B TestingComparing two variants with real users to see which performs better.
- Product AnalyticsTracking how people use features to inform decisions.
Senior
Design the platform's storage, processing and modeling choices.
Core: start here
- Feature StoreA shared store of ML features, consistent between training and serving.
2 more senior concepts
- OLAP CubePre-aggregated data for fast slicing by dimensions.
- Embedded AnalyticsShowing charts and reports inside your product to customers.
Frontend Engineer
Mid-level
Own a feature end to end without hand-holding.
- A/B TestingComparing two variants with real users to see which performs better.
- Product AnalyticsTracking how people use features to inform decisions.
Tech Entrepreneur
MVP
Ship the smallest thing someone will use or pay for, and set up the company properly.
- Product AnalyticsTracking how people use features to inform decisions.
Product-Market Fit
Get users who stay, pay and tell others; raise your first real round.
Core: start here
- Cohort AnalysisComparing groups who started together, tracked over their own lifetimes.
4 more product-market fit concepts
- A/B TestingComparing two variants with real users to see which performs better.
- Data StorytellingTurning analysis into a narrative that drives action.
- Retention AnalysisMeasuring whether users come back over time.
- Funnel AnalysisMeasuring how users move through a sequence of steps.
Growth
Make acquisition and revenue repeatable; hire, raise and build a board.
- Dashboard DesignBuilding dashboards people actually use.
- KPI DesignChoosing the few numbers that steer a team.