Alteryx Grand Prix Recap

[TaraM]

Last week, SRC held its annual Extend user conference at the Omni Resort in Broomfield, Colorado. This year we put on an Alteryx Grand Prix to showcase the product and some of our brightest Alteryx users. The Grand Prix was designed as a developer contest but was structured in such a way that provided interactive entertainment and learning for a greater audience. The event was well-attended and very exciting to be a part of. We weren't sure of what to expect with this inaugural event but given the positive feedback we received, we'll be improving upon the format and holding it again next year.

The Alteryx Grand Prix was structured into 3 Business Problem Exercises. Each exercise was split into 3-5 smaller problems called "Pit Stops." The contestants had to solve each Pit Stop in a specific amount of time. If the contestant could not solve the problem in the specified amount of time, they were assessed a penalty for that Pit Stop while we presented the acceptable solution. If the contestant was the first to deliver the correct answer of a Pit Stop, they received a time bonus of a minute for that Pit Stop. The event comprised of 12 Pit Stops and the contestant with the lowest cumulative time was the Alteryx Grand Prix Winner.

We had 10 contestants participate in the event: Damian Austin from Experian, Joshua Chlapek from SRS Real Estate Partners, Scott DiGiacinto from Primus Geographics, Ron House from Sprint, Jeremy Kane from Accudata, Jim McConihe from AT&T, Andy Moncla from VF, Gene Rinas from Mapping Analytics, Andrew Schuster from Environics, and Cameron Steele from Buxton. Each contestant was assigned an SRC Associate who served as their Pit Stop Support, logging their times and verifying the contestant arrived at the acceptable solution in the allotted time.

Over the course of the 3 hour event, there were 4 lead changes and the top three contestants changed positions 8 times!

The 3 Business Problem Exercises were chosen based on an overall understanding of the product so that it would give contestants with diverse expertise an equal opportunity to compete in, complete each Pit Stop and win the race. We have posted these exercises, along with their Pit Stop problems, solutions and the data necessary to build the modules to our Share Point site. They can be downloaded here.

I would like to thank everyone who competed in, supported, and attended this event. You all contributed to its success and set the expectation for an improved format for next year. Congratulations to all the contestants for putting yourselves out there and finishing the race. I am not sure I could have competed so well under the pressure!

Congratulations to Scott DiGiacinto of Primus Geographics, our first place finisher and winner of a weekend trip for two to Las Vegas and the chance to drive at the Mario Andretti Formula One Racing School. Hope you enjoy your trip and I look forward to seeing you defend your title in 2010.

Lastly, if anyone has any feedback on this event, wants to compete next year, or offer suggestions for next year's race, please feel free to contact me.

Tara