Spotter is more than just the latest AI feature released by ThoughtSpot. It has been positioned as a paradigm shift in how ThoughtSpot approaches Natural Language Search.
The first release was Sage and whilst it was groundbreaking in converting Natural Language questions to SQL it did not allow for the ‘follow up question’ or ‘the follow up question’ after that.
This is where Spotter is different.
There are various areas where this new feature can now be integrated – ranging from Embedded Analytics uses cases and integration with chatbots and future AI workflows.
For the more prevalent use cases that most organisations need now it offers users a conversational approach to uncovering insights and engaging with the data, making it more accessible to everyone.
Our first article part of the series, will highlight key functionalities and features of Spotter, based on practical usage scenarios in a ThoughtSpot Analytics environment where your current BI tools won’t cut it.
What Is Spotter and How Do You Access It?
Spotter is an interface that enables users to interact with their data intuitively. You can access it in two main ways:
From the Insights Pane: Spotter is directly accessible via the top menu in the Insights section, allowing you to begin querying data instantly.
From a Liveboard: If a Liveboard has a Spotter-enabled data source, an icon will appear, granting direct access to the interface.
Asking Questions with Spotter
Spotter’s primary strength lies in its ability to interpret natural language intent and provide insightful answers like a new analyst in your team. For example, when analysing an insurance claims dataset, you can ask a question like, “Number of claims per city.” Spotter processes the query, breaks it into searchable tokens, and delivers a well-structured response.
Here’s what makes Spotter’s answers remarkable:
- It uses relevant metrics and dimensions to create accurate outputs.
- Answers are customisable — users can drill down, transform the visualisation into different formats, or edit the query for more tailored results.
- Data outputs can be saved, downloaded, or pinned to a Liveboard for ongoing reference.
Advanced Features and Interactivity
Spotter provides several advanced capabilities that enhance the user experience and gives assurance to the users for the provided answers:
- Previewing Data: If you’re unsure about the columns in a dataset, the preview feature displays them, helping you form the next question.
- Conversational Follow-Up: Spotter maintains context during a session. For instance, after asking about claims per city, you can refine the query with a follow-up like, “Just the top five,” and Spotter will adapt the response accordingly by remembering the previous questions
- Error Handling and Auto-Correction: Even if there’s a typo in your query, Spotter intelligently identifies and corrects it to provide the right results.
Visualisation and Dynamic Insights
Spotter can dynamically visualise data based on user requests.
For example:
- has a sentence been deleted from here as it was blank?
- Queries involving metrics like ratios or calculations are handled using Spotter’s formula generation capabilities. For example, asking for a “theft ratio” can generate a formula that divides theft claims by total claims, delivering a precise metric.
- A request to show data on a map will prompt Spotter to retrieve geospatial data, such as latitude and longitude, and render it appropriately
Why Use Spotter?
Spotter stands out for its ease of use and conversational approach, which allows non-technical users to interact with complex datasets seamlessly like speaking with an additional analyst on their team. Its ability to handle user intent, formula building, follow-up queries, auto-correct errors, and generate advanced visualisations makes it a highly effective tool for driving data-driven decisions.
Final Thoughts
Spotter transforms how users interact with data, making insights more accessible through natural language and intuitive visualisations. Its conversational approach and a head of the game capabilities empower businesses to unlock the full potential of their data without building a backlog for the analysts.
There is much more to Spotter than meets the eye, next time we will provide insight into what makes spotter accurate and how to train the ‘new analyst’ on the team.
If you're looking to enhance data exploration and streamline analytics, Spotter is a tool worth exploring.
Speak with the Xperts
At 7Dxperts, we specialise in uncovering the full potential of ThoughtSpot and the modern data stack. Our expertise spans across the most advanced data technologies, including:
- Accelerators for ThoughtSpot: Check out our Dbx2Spot and Snow2Spot solutions to fast-track your ThoughtSpot implementation and make Spotter more accurate .
- Geospatial Analytics: Unlock insights with geospatial data using our Map2Spot accelerator, designed for platforms like #Databricks, #Snowflake, #BigQueryand #Redshift.
- Data Readiness Expertise: We will support you through modernisation, augment with your organisation with a view to handover and partner as advisors over a longer period of time.
Whether you’re just getting started with ThoughtSpot or looking to optimise your analytics strategy, 7Dxperts is here to help you achieve your goals faster and more efficiently.
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