Inspire 2016 Grand Prix – A Behind the Scenes Look

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From behind closed doors, you hear the roar of engines, screeching tires and a blast of Deep Purple. People in the crowd, grabbing coffee and a quick bite between sessions, turn their heads. Does this seem like a strange occurrence for a data analyst conference?

Those who have attended an Alteryx Inspire conference know what is going on. The excitement is building and the annual Alteryx Grand Prix is almost here! In just a few days, hordes of fans will be cheering for five Alteryx masters as they compete for the Grand Prix Cup!

For the last 4 years, I have had the honor of presiding as the MC and play-by-play announcer for the Alteryx Grand Prix. Each year the event grows, with even more energetic crowds and tougher competitors. This year will be the largest yet, and with an ever growing pool of talent from the Alteryx User Groups, it promises to have the most formidable contestants to date. Look out @Jarrod!

In 2013, I was attending my third Inspire conference as an Alteryx employee in my hometown of Phoenix, AZ. I had seen the Grand Prix event the last two years and the energy that it generated with our community. This time I was asked to host the big event. Now, I have had more than my fair share of time on stage through the years. I was a professional musician, performing with many groups, and I spent four years doing the rounds as a stand-up comedian. I was still a bit rattled, though, having no real idea of what to expect. You see, back then the Grand Prix was really good, but with the smaller size of the conference, not quite as honed as you see today. I even forgot to announce one of the competitors, who stood behind the crowd waiting for his name to be called. It was a blast, once I started feeling comfortable, channeling my inner sports announcer and Michael Buffer.

But what really goes into pulling off the greatest analytics competition of the year -behind the closed doors with the rumbling of cars, blaring of rock ‘n’ roll and smell of fumes? We are working all day to pull off one of the most entertaining and gripping events of Inspire - a massive production, to be sure. Getting all of the lighting, timing, video and audio to work just right isn’t easy. (And yes, I have asked for pyrotechnics this year, but we’re still waiting on the venue for the ‘okay’.)

For those of you who have been to past Inspire conferences, you have seen the Grand Prix grow: from our infamous inner track and grandstands; to the hated racer, T-Ryx; to the dreaded hot seat, which allows anyone to test their skills against the best in the world, and the unbridled enthusiasm of our competitors.

Be sure to join us at Inspire 2016 in San Diego, CA, and at the Grand Prix, held opening night, June 6^th.

I hope you are as excited for the 2016 Alteryx Grand Prix as we are. We want YOU to be part of the action, and your time to be a competitor is running out – nominations end Friday, April 15th. Get nominated or nominate yourself to compete through your local Alteryx User Group. Details can be found on the Alteryx Community.

The crowd will chant “i.am.analytics”, but you may end up chanting “i.am.champion.”

PS – If you haven’t registered yet, you can do so here.