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KNIME Data Connects: Meet your local low code community

The events for and by your community to learn, connect and share all things data science

The idea that data geeks are shy, introverted, Sheldon Cooper-like characters who know it all, and prefer the company of their PCs is mostly a Hollywood invention. The truth is that the complexity of the modern data science life cycle requires the experience and expertise of several data professionals.

As technological breakthroughs accumulate at an unprecedented speed, the need for dynamic, collaborative spaces where new and expert users can share knowledge about machine learning algorithms, data science techniques, best practices, open-source tools, and case studies has exploded. The proliferation of forums, online magazines, e-books, video tutorials, social media groups is a testimony of that need.

And yet, live interactions where you have the chance to talk with others, either online or in presence, are just a whole different thing. It’s simply easier to seek help, share your data stories, discuss the latest technologies, and get instant feedback from your listener. To build stronger ties, users often prefer to meet with their local communities as cultural and linguistic proximity facilitate exchange. And the KNIME community is no exception.

KNIME Data Connects: Let’s Meetup

In October 2021, KNIME heard the call of its community and organized the first ever KNIME Data Connect event.

KNIME Data Connects are events designed to bring together KNIME communities across the world. The events are organized around local KNIME groups on Meetup with the help of a board of community volunteers. KNIME Data Connects are usually hosted in the majority language of the local community, but everybody is welcome to join any event regardless of the community of origin!

Check where and when the next Data Connects are happening!

The KNIME community in India was the forerunner. Data professionals gathered on a virtual map on Gather Town for a couple of hours to join a Learnathon in codeless data science: from data ingestion and preparation to model deployment. A few months later, in February 2022, Data Connect: Italia introduced attendees to neural networks and applications in Computer Vision, and Data Connect: North America was the perfect occasion to learn about the different phases of a data science project.

In spring, KNIME met its local community in Spain to kick-start users’ journey towards codeless data analytics with a collection of use cases in times series analysis, text mining, Big Data, and much more. In April, Data Connect: DACH (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) and Data Connect: France illustrated the basics behind deep learning and how to define, and train a deep neural network in KNIME.

Data Connect: France was the first ever event of the series to be hosted completely by a community member!

As summer approached the northern hemisphere, a second round of Data Connects were celebrated in Italy, North America, Spain, and India. The topics? They came from community discussions, and event feedback surveys. From dimensionality reduction to geo-visualization, from outlier detection and data extraction from PDFs to use cases in finance, public administration and life sciences, this time the community took the lead and co-hosted/co-presented the events together with KNIMErs. What a beautiful synergy!

Get a feeling of KNIME Data Connects

KNIME Data Connects (online) are usually hosted in a Gather Town virtual map that offers plenty of interactivity and gamification opportunities. If you haven’t joined a KNIME Data Connect yet, here is what you can expect.

Main Hall

Here is where the show starts. Upon entering Gather Town, you’ll land in the Main Hall of the map. It looks and feels like the hall of any hotel or conference center. Here, the master of ceremony of the event will welcome you and illustrate the agenda. You’ll also find chill-out areas, a bar, and people to talk to. The Main Hall is usually accessible 15 minutes before the event starts.

Conference Room

Here is where the magic happens. After the welcome speech, the core of the event takes place in the Conference Room. Here, you’ll find a stage for the speakers, the slides of the talks, and chairs for the attendees. Mute your microphone and enjoy the talks!

Beach

You got a good injection of codeless data science, what’s the best way to relax and connect with other community members? Explore the beach, browse the KNIME Press library, meet the event organizers, or join one of the dedicated corners!

• KNIME Library. You’ll have access to the whole book catalog of KNIME Press. Whether you’re a KNIME beginner, you’d like to read about text mining, or how to import data from different sources, you’ll have the chance to get a free copy using the promo code of the event.
• Data Connect Board. Do you want to meet the event organizers? Ask questions to the speakers, give your feedback, or suggest new ideas for future Data Connects? This is the right place for you! Most likely, the idea for the talks you’ve just attended came from a previous Data Connect Board.

Dedicated Corners

During networking time, we open dedicated areas to match specific interests and topics. What dedicated corner you can visit in the event may vary. Check the Data Connects’ agenda to stay up-to-date on the available dedicated corners. Here are some of the most requested:

• Beginners’ Corners. Are you a KNIME newbie? Are you seeking help with your KNIME workflows? Bring your questions and get support from passionate community members and KNIMErs.
• Educators’ Corners. KNIME offers educators an open source low code platform for teaching data analytics, data engineering, data science, and AI to students in any discipline. If you would like to join the KNIME Educators Alliance, access exclusive content for teaching, share your experience and tips to improve data science education together with other educators in your community, don’t look any further, and stop by for a chat!
• Job Fairs. If you’re interested in new job opportunities, take the chance to meet recruiters from different industries looking for professionals with experience and expertise in KNIME Analytics Platform.

…If during networking time, you would rather play around with the map, don’t miss to join one of the KNIME Quests!

Next stop?

Any travel plans for your next vacation? Are you visiting France, India, Spain or the US? If so, why not get in touch with the local KNIME community to keep the conversation going? Check where the closest KNIME group is and experience a new way of traveling!

If you don’t have any travel plans yet, don’t worry. Pack your suitcase, KNIME Data Connects are back and, whenever possible, they will be held in hybrid format with a live stream connection from the in-presence Data Connect location, and in a virtual Gather Town map. See you there!