In our second Meet the Team blog, we introduce our Head of Consulting Services, and recently accredited Qlik Luminary, Chris Lofthouse.
How would you describe your job role and what does your average day look like?
I’d describe my role as inconstant. One day I’ll be parachuted into a prospect, given data for the first time with the aim to turn it into something insightful within several hours. The next I’m exploring and testing the latest features of the Qlik platform and blogging about it, before delivering a training course to new Qlik users later in the week. No day is like the other. Each customer, and their data, is unique and challenging in its own right and that’s what I love about my role. It keeps me fresh and up to date with Qlik and data!
What’s your favourite thing about working for Ometis?
The reality is we are a bunch of geeks with a very niche common interest – a passion for data and working with what we believe to be the best data platform there is: Qlik. We may be a relatively small company, with less than 50 people, but our knowledge of the Qlik platform is unrivalled. We live and breathe Qlik every day. My favourite thing about Ometis is although I’ll go on a client site alone, I know there is a team of specially-trained individuals who I can rely on to answer those 1% of questions that I may not know off hand – we are the SAS of Qlik partners! That gives me the confidence that I can go to any company knowing we can deliver on transforming them into a data-driven organisation with Qlik. I also love having the freedom to work on a product that I enjoy. Whether that be writing new content for blogs, building add-on capabilities or enhancements to scripts.
How did you get into this industry?
I actually fell into it, to be honest. I’ve always liked computers, programming, all computer-related things really. I’ve built my own PC in the past as well as creating websites and programmes.
After finishing an ICT-related university degree, I was keen to join a graduate scheme as I knew I wanted to work in IT, but I wanted exposure to the reality of different areas. I actually applied for a position that got filled, but was asked to apply for the BI graduate role instead. In my second year on the job and after working with several BI tools, I came across a tool called QlikView. While working on a project with another BI tool which took months, in a single evening of my own time I was able to mock something up in Qlik, before showing it to a couple of people who were blown away by it. The speed with which I built it and the ability to drill into the data was far superior. Next thing I knew, I was moved onto a Qlik project. I decided I didn’t want to work with other BI tools so I joined a dedicated Qlik partner – Ometis. The rest, as they say, is history!
What’s your most embarrassing work moment?
When I first started out in data visualisation, I naively admitted to liking pie charts. Yeah, let’s move on!
What’s your worst habit at work?
My worst habit is being too fussy when I get bothered by indentations and capitalisations in code!
What’s your go-to work snack?
Has to be honey-coated nuts!
Do you have a hidden or unusual talent?
I’m trying to think what my party trick is, but nothing springs to mind!
If there’s one music artist you could choose to never hear again in your lifetime, who would it be?
Rebecca Black!
Follow Chris Lofthouse on Twitter.