I think sometimes encouraging business people to make SQL queries themselves can be beneficial if the database schema is well-defined.
When I worked for an ad-tech company, we built an ETL system to convert our messy, complex, and technical debt-ridden application database into a well-organized analytical database. The main purpose was to make the jobs of data scientists and machine learning engineers easier.
However, it also helped business people with some technical knowledge create the dashboards they wanted. Although some queries were a bit messy, it made it easier for them to organize their requirements and communicate effectively with the tech team. Unfortunately, it also resulted in a lot of half-baked and unused dashboards, but overall, it brought positive change to the company.
That said, I don't think it's worth developing an ETL system just for business people. It requires multiple dedicated devs, whereas writing SQL for dashboards occasionally only takes a few days per month for a single dev. I agree that the most important part is fostering a good relationship between tech and business people. If business people have a mental barrier, it becomes challenging to create new dashboards and update or fix existing ones.
When I worked for an ad-tech company, we built an ETL system to convert our messy, complex, and technical debt-ridden application database into a well-organized analytical database. The main purpose was to make the jobs of data scientists and machine learning engineers easier.
However, it also helped business people with some technical knowledge create the dashboards they wanted. Although some queries were a bit messy, it made it easier for them to organize their requirements and communicate effectively with the tech team. Unfortunately, it also resulted in a lot of half-baked and unused dashboards, but overall, it brought positive change to the company.
That said, I don't think it's worth developing an ETL system just for business people. It requires multiple dedicated devs, whereas writing SQL for dashboards occasionally only takes a few days per month for a single dev. I agree that the most important part is fostering a good relationship between tech and business people. If business people have a mental barrier, it becomes challenging to create new dashboards and update or fix existing ones.