Roundtable with Advanced Analytics Staff: What Does SAS Get Out of It?
How do customer interactions at SAS Global Forum impact us?
Rodriguez: In the early days of SAS/QC, we had lots of suggestions about the graphics that we implemented. They were small things, often, but they were practical ideas and we got them into the next release.
Anderson: I talked with some customers about current development work, and I got some really good ideas. Hearing about how people are using the product, ways in which I could never imagine, really helps me as I develop more software. I also made some great contacts. I visited two customer sites to meet with their statisticians as a result of these contacts, and they provided us with some great input.
Rick, I heard that you got the idea for the SAS® Press book you're developing at SAS Global Forum.
Wicklin: Right. The idea actually came from talking with attendees. I found myself telling many people about SAS/IML and how they could write their own routines with its matrix-oriented language. I was asked for a good book about it to get them started, and I really couldn't recommend one. So I decided to write my own! It's a book about SAS/IML for statistical programmers. I'm trying to target the practicing statistician, so there's a chapter on getting started, how to use the graphics in SAS/IML Studio, how to call the statistical procedures from SAS/IML Studio, and so on. I include lots of tips and techniques to show people how to do things efficiently.
What are you most looking forward to in Seattle?
Rodriguez: I really enjoy meeting users and hearing about their use of our software. I always hear about an application that I hadn't anticipated.
Little: I'll second that. Finding out how people are using your software to perform their daily work is very rewarding.
Anderson: I was completely invigorated last year, even though there was non-stop activity all day. I know you said we'd be tired, but I was just plain invigorated at the end and I look forward to feeling that again!
Wicklin: I'm looking forward to the sushi in Seattle.
Which you will be enjoying with customers, right?
Wicklin: Absolutely.
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