For Dremio's data lakehouse platform, should we prioritize expanding support for more data sources or improving query performance on existing integrations?

Introduction

For Dremio's data lakehouse platform, we're facing a critical trade-off between expanding support for more data sources and improving query performance on existing integrations. This decision will significantly impact our product strategy, user experience, and market positioning. I'll analyze this trade-off by examining our current product landscape, evaluating potential impacts, and proposing a data-driven approach to make an informed decision.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Based on our market position, I'm thinking this decision might be driven by competitive pressure. Could you share insights on how our current data source coverage and query performance compare to key competitors?

Why it matters: Helps prioritize based on market demands and competitive advantage. Expected answer: We're lagging in data source coverage but leading in performance. Impact on approach: Would lean towards expanding data sources if true.

• Considering our user base, I'm assuming we have a mix of enterprise and mid-market customers. Can you provide a breakdown of our customer segments and their primary pain points?

Why it matters: Ensures the solution addresses the needs of our most valuable customers. Expected answer: 60% enterprise with performance needs, 40% mid-market seeking broader integration. Impact on approach: Would influence the weighting of performance vs. integration in our decision.

• Looking at our technical architecture, I'm curious about the scalability of our current system. How much headroom do we have for performance improvements without major architectural changes?

Why it matters: Determines the feasibility and potential impact of performance optimizations. Expected answer: 30-40% performance gain possible with current architecture. Impact on approach: Would influence the potential ROI of focusing on performance improvements.

• Regarding our product roadmap, I'm wondering about upcoming features or partnerships. Are there any strategic initiatives in the pipeline that could be impacted by this decision?

Why it matters: Ensures alignment with broader company strategy and future plans. Expected answer: Potential partnership with a major cloud provider in Q4. Impact on approach: Might prioritize compatibility or performance based on partner requirements.