Technical Story: Create rankings table

Context and Problem Statement¶

We want to present data from various different sources into a cohesive report. The data is mostly stored in CSVs or Google Sheets.

We haven't created database tables to store this data because it's an MVP that we want to get out as cheaply and as quickly as possible so we can iterate.

Our goals for the Report Card V1 are:

• The data must be consolidated so that users don't need to view multiple different sources.
• Users should be able to sort & filter so they can compare different destinations.

Decision Drivers¶

• We need a way to pull data from various different sources.
• Shipping quickly & iterating is important for us to build a better understanding of the problem.
• Users should be able to play around with the data (e.g. sorting or filtering)

Considered Options¶

• Looker Studio
• Integrating with the Adventure Manager

Decision Outcome¶

We chose Looker Studio because:

• We can easily integrate the data that we already have without further investment. (Directly from Google Sheets & CSVs, without needing to update our database schemas and import the data)
• Sorting & filtering works out of the box.
• We can prototype, add more columns and quickly apply user feedback.
• This will likely help us shape the report up to a good point without investing significant resources in developing a UI or backend for this. If we do end up developing it as part of the adventure manager, we will have more insights that will help us build the right thing. (Building in the UI would have slower feedback & implementation cycles)

Positive Consequences¶

• We can have a V1 version live that meets user requirements in a matter of days instead of weeks, meaning that we quickly deliver value to our users.
• We can quickly add new things based on user feedback, leading to shorter feedback cycles.
• There is lots of flexibility to include more data sources in the future (BigQuery, 3rd party tools, etc.)

Negative Consequences ¶

• There is room for errors, if users accidentally edit the underlying sheets (they should be protected, but mistakes can still happen)
• Looker Studio has certain maintenance issues. For example, parts of a report can break if a Google Sheet is moved or if the permissions change.
• If users ask for interactive or more advanced features we won't be able to build them.
• The work would probably be thrown away if we add the report inside the Adventure Manager.