Talking with your data: unlocking interactive data exploration with natural language processing

A few days ago, I shared insights on how we’ve harnessed the power of ETL tools to transform raw invoice data into actionable insights, stored meticulously in our database. If you missed it, you can catch up here.

Today, I’m excited to unveil the next step in our data journey: an interactive application that goes beyond static BI reports, bringing data exploration to life with the power of natural language processing.

From static reports to dynamic insights

Traditional BI tools have long been the cornerstone of data analysis, providing static reports and dashboards. While these tools are invaluable, they often require predefined queries and reports, limiting the flexibility and spontaneity of data exploration. This is where this application comes into play.

Our new app leverages a remote Vanna model to transform natural language questions into SQL queries.

This means you can ask:

“What were the top 10 cities by billing in May 2023 compared to May 2024?”

and instantly receive a detailed, interactive report with visualizations.

Key features of this application

1. Natural language processing: Send your questions to Vanna’s NLP model, which returns SQL queries seamlessly, without needing to write a single line of code.

2. PostgreSQL database connection: Directly query our ETL-processed data for real-time insights.

3. Interactive visualizations with Plotly: Visualize your data dynamically, allowing for deeper insights and understanding.

4. Logging system: Ensure every query and interaction is tracked for quality and troubleshooting.

5. Built with Streamlit: Our user interface is built on Streamlit, providing a seamless and interactive experience.

How it works

1. User query: Enter a natural language question into the app.

2. SQL generation: Vanna’s NLP model transforms the question into a tailored SQL query.

3. Data retrieval: The SQL query runs against our PostgreSQL database, fetching the relevant data.

4. Visualization: The retrieved data is displayed in an interactive Plotly chart, making data exploration intuitive and engaging.

Bridging the gap between data and decision-making

This application is more than just a technical advancement; it’s a leap toward making data truly accessible and usable for everyone in the organization. By enabling interactive and natural language-based data exploration, we empower users to derive insights quickly and efficiently, fostering a data-driven culture.

Imagine the possibilities: team members across various departments can now explore data independently, ask spontaneous questions, and get immediate answers. This speeds up decision-making processes and uncovers insights that might have been overlooked in static reports.

Join the conversation

I am thrilled to see how this new tool will transform the way we interact with our data. How will you use natural language processing to enhance your data exploration? Let’s discuss it!

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Together, let’s unlock the full potential of our data!

For those interested in the technical details, the code for the application is available on my GitHub repo here 👇

#DataScience #ETL #NaturalLanguageProcessing #Streamlit #DataVisualization #BusinessIntelligence #Innovation