Alter.Nation
Community news, customer stories, and more!
Today’s ACE spotlight is @DawnDuong! Keep reading to learn more about Dawn and what makes her a unique Alteryx super user.
Tell us a bit about your professional background.
My professional background is a bit of a meander and definitely eclectic. I studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering for my Undergraduate degree. Initially, I wanted to pursue a Ph.D. in Engineering but changed my mind after about two years of doing research at the University. I ventured into Business Development, then switched to Professional Services, which took me to Valuation of derivatives and loan portfolios, and then to M&A due diligence, which I am still doing today. Along the way, I picked up an M.Sc in Financial Engineering, more linguistic skills, and of course, got to know Alteryx, which I still love today.
What is one fun thing about you that community members might not know?
I speak four languages (with various levels of proficiency). I also enjoy hiking! Here are two of my favorite photos:
What is your favorite Alteryx tool, and why?
Definitely the Join tool. My work involves a lot of data blending and reconciliations, and the Join tool makes it much more efficient and easier.
What has been your favorite Alteryx project?
I have used Alteryx in almost every work project in the last >5 years or so, mostly in M&A due diligence, and each project has a special memory. If I had to choose one most interesting project, I’d probably select one particular due diligence case where I used Alteryx extensively to construct the full accrual-based financials from bank statements. Unfortunately, I cannot share more details as this involves client-confidential data.
What is your favorite Alteryx memory?
My favorite Alteryx memory is when I was onboarded as an ACE. It is a great honor, and many of the ACEs are like “celebrities” to me. I am continually impressed by how knowledgeable and generous in sharing their knowledge my follow ACEs are.
What advice do you have for new community members?
The community is very helpful and responsive. But to learn the most, you should rein in the tendency to shoot any question to the community–do a simple google, and you may be surprised. The same question may have been answered a hundred times already. It is not cool to bring homework assignments to the community. On the other hand, it is cool to bring actual use cases or problems to the community and seek help when you have tried and still got stuck.
Also, the community user base is really diverse; you can see how others are using Alteryx, their use cases, their challenges, and their solutions… these are ways that can help up your Alteryx game significantly.
What is your favorite way to engage as an ACE? Also, what area of the online community do you spend the most time in?
In the community, Designer Discussion is my most frequently visited, followed by the Knowledge Base (although I’m more of a silent reader there). I also enjoy participating in User Group Meetings (Singapore/ APAC) and webinars on how to leverage Alteryx and other analytics tools for efficient gain (and also to make us enjoy our work more).
Silly question... if you were a kitchen appliance/utensil, what would you be and why?
A Chinese Wok—it is highly versatile and ideal for one-pot meals.
Ok, now finally, let’s do a quick “This or That” to get to know your Alteryx preferences!
Tune in next week to meet another amazing ACE!
Want to learn more about what ACEs do and how to become one? Check out this page to see details about the program.
