Looker BI has become an integral part of the foundation of the Google Cloud Platform. In the past, BI and data visualization solutions were initially designed to build reports and dashboards. Yet as big data and analytics continue to evolve and become more essential to business goals and objectives, the need to go beyond simple business intelligence solutions is evident.
Instead of focusing on traditional BI capabilities, Google Cloud has invested in Looker as a robust data platform that goes beyond just reports and dashboards. In 2021, Looker was enhanced with new features which extended the possibilities of Looker and business intelligence. Continuing into the new year, customers will be able to more than ever before.
Let’s take a look at the Looker Roadmap for 2022 and how these new features expand and enhance the Looker BI platform and beyond!
Enhanced Exploration
Successful data-driven companies recognize that different people will work with data in different ways. Self-service analytics plays a major role in empowering users to conduct analysis on their own, allowing for more freedom and agility.
In 2022, Google Cloud plans to expand the functionality of Looker BI’s Explore offering. That means a revamp of areas such as visualization configuration and workflow UX. For organizations, these new exploratory functionalities enable them to deliver customizable data experiences tailored to each person’s role.
Integration with Google Workspace and Beyond
Integration plays a major role in the functionality of business intelligence and data platforms like Looker. In the new year, Looker seeks to integrate Google Workspace applications (like Google Sheets) to provide a more unified interface. This opens up opportunities to explore data from LookML models in a familiar spreadsheet format to present an organized view of models.
It doesn’t just stop with Google Workspace. The capabilities of the Looker business analytics platform can become even more impactful when integrated with Google Marketing Platform and Google’s Contact Center AI.
These benefits organizations by giving people the ability to interact with data outside of the Looker interface. Again, these features are aimed at providing enhanced simplicity for all!
Security, Compliance, and Governance
The investment in security and compliance cannot be understated. Google Cloud aims to continually add to security certifications while integrating into the broader GCP infrastructure.
In terms of Looker, the data platform will achieve 508C compliance for embedded dashboards and self-service data exploration. This is important for organizations to allow for greater accessibility and usability of technology by individuals with disabilities.
Additionally, LookML dashboards will eventually be able to be organized in specific folders with permissions. The enhanced governance and security of these dashboards support version control and portability alongside the LookML data model.
Simplicity and Ease of Use
Google Cloud has always focused on making improvements to ensure all types of users, from analysts to developers, have the ability to work with Looker easily.
Building off of reimagined Looker dashboards launched in general availability in 2020, Google Cloud aims to bring GCP’s intelligence into Looker. Not only does this entail augmented analytics capabilities, but also simpler common administrative processes at scale with large deployments.
These new features, paired with improving the core explore experiences in Looker, make it easier for new users to get started and for everyone to gain valuable insights.
Looker’s Mission and Roadmap for 2022
Looker’s mission is to empower people through the smarter use of data. With enhanced features being rolled out in 2022, organizations can continue to solve complex reporting and self-service challenges with a more customized, simple, and secure approach.
At Pandera, we offer Looker solution and implementation services to ensure effective decision-making through the transformation of data into powerful dashboards, embedded analytics, drill-down widgets, self-service, and visual analytics.
We implement Looker solutions that are backed by technology know-how, many years of industry experience, and best practices. Contact us today to learn more about Looker’s BI solutions platform and how Pandera can help your organization make smarter data-driven decisions!