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Alexander Arvidsson

I make data matter, as only data that matters can inspire change.

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Hey there and welcome! I am Alexander.
The intersection of people and information shapes everything.

I work as a consultant helping organizations make their data matter, and I enjoy sharing my thoughts and knowledge at conferences, in blog posts, and in my podcast Knee-Deep in Tech. Microsoft has recognized these contributions with the MVP award in the Data Platform category since 2018.

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Recent

Stop Opening Presentations with Your Credentials

Stop Opening Presentations with Your Credentials

·659 words·4 mins
The ‘30-second rule’ for presentations is based on a misunderstood study, but the principle of starting strong still matters. Learn why leading with credentials fails, how to open with value instead, and why I memorize every word of my first five minutes.
Resurrecting the Blog

Resurrecting the Blog

·229 words·2 mins
It is time to resurrect the blog, almost exactly 10 years after its inception.
Focus on what is relevant

Focus on what is relevant

·297 words·2 mins
Southwest Airlines’ December scheduling collapse exposed the dangers of deprioritizing both people and technical debt, as 90s-era systems designed for 300 daily operations failed under 20,000+ operations following a leadership shift from operational focus to profit-driven management.
Fightning with .NET - 'unable to resolve' nuGet package errors

Fightning with .NET - 'unable to resolve' nuGet package errors

·168 words·1 min
Encountered cryptic NuGet package errors while setting up a .NET test environment. The fix: remind NuGet where to find packages by re-adding the source with dotnet nuget add source. A simple solution to a confusing problem.
Retiring a session

Retiring a session

·529 words·3 mins
Retiring my most successful session after 20 presentations. Not because it failed, but because it exploded beyond what one session can hold. Splitting the original ‘The Untruthful Art’ into multiple new talks, with the final bow at DataMinds Connect in October.
Conference equals party! - or does it?

Conference equals party! - or does it?

·1721 words·9 mins
Conferences aren’t the party most people think they are. The hidden reality: spending 10-100 hours preparing a single session, the mental exhaustion of networking, and why professional conferences are about career growth, not celebration.
Speaking at the Global Power BI Summit and SQLBits

Speaking at the Global Power BI Summit and SQLBits

·312 words·2 mins
One virtual session at Global Power BI Summit, then straight to the airport for SQLBits in London. Two talks, three countries, five days. The European data conference scene doesn’t stop, and neither do I this week!
Speaking at DataMinds Connect

Speaking at DataMinds Connect

·215 words·2 mins
Pandemic killed 2020’s plans. Now finally back on stage at DataMinds Connect in Belgium with a new session on something technical speakers ignore: emotions. First in-person conference travel since the world stopped. I’m so ready to teach again!