Preface

This book was written by a team of seven analytics engineers from Xebia, an international consultancy company in the Netherlands. As Xebians, knowledge sharing is a key part of our culture. In addition to helping our clients, we organize biweekly knowledge exchange sessions and monthly innovation days. As a result, our colleagues are always actively contributing to open-source software, organizing meetups, speaking at data conferences, and writing books.

While we are colleagues at the same company, each of us brings unique expertise and skills to the table. Analytics engineering is a diverse field, and mastering every aspect is not expected. In this book, each author contributed two or three chapters based on their interests and expertise. The same applies to you as a reader. Depending on your organization’s needs, certain chapters may hold greater relevance. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive overview of essential concepts, tailored to the varied demands of this profession.

Since its inception in 2019, analytics engineering has experienced remarkable growth. As its importance continues to be recognized by organizations worldwide, we firmly believe that analytics engineers will become indispensable members of every data team. Through this book, you have the opportunity to become a frontrunner in this evolving field, contributing to its advancement and shaping its future alongside us.