The problem
TrueLayer was relying on AWS QuickSight, which had become a technical debt and lacked the feature parity required for a modern data platform.
With a highly lean analytics team of just six people supporting a company of 300, they desperately needed to enable less-technical business users to self-serve their own data.
While their technical team had built an initial semantic layer in Looker using DBT and GitHub CI/CD, they lacked deep Looker expertise.
They urgently needed a "sense check" on their implementation choices to ensure they were following best practices, alongside a comprehensive training framework to onboard business users seamlessly.
The solution
We delivered a structured Looker Enablement Programme, funded by Google, built around the order TrueLayer actually needed things.
1. A LookML audit
LookML is the language Looker uses to define how data is modelled and structured for reporting. We reviewed TrueLayer's existing setup, specifically checking their GitHub and dashboards-as-code configuration for issues and anti-patterns.
2. Developer-heavy training, front-loaded
We delivered advanced LookML training early, so the technical foundations were solid before a wider rollout. Alongside it, we ran a sensitive data access control workshop. We also fine-tuned LookML specifically for conversational analytics (natural language querying, where users can ask questions of the data directly rather than building queries manually), making sure the underlying data models were structured to support natural language queries and intuitive data exploration.
3. Structured end-user training
With the technical layer in good shape, we rolled out training tracks for TrueLayer's roughly 200 Viewers (users who view and interact with existing dashboards) and 70 Explorers (users who can build their own queries and reports), including specific modules on using conversational analytics with confidence.
4. Ongoing support
Weekly office hours and role-specific clinics ran throughout the engagement, giving both developers and business users a place to ask questions as they adopted the new environment.
The outcome: a governed, self-service Looker environment
TrueLayer successfully transitioned away from technical debt into a highly governed, self-service Looker environment. The enablement programme validated their semantic layer architecture, ensuring it met industry standards.
TrueLayer provided exceptional feedback regarding the quality of Cobry's delivery, noting that the consulting went well beyond Looker into valuable, general data modeling insights.
By upskilling both developers and general users, the lean analytics team successfully shifted the analytics workload to the broader business.
Why our approach worked
A critical success element was the tailored, phased delivery approach: adapting the schedule to audit the environment and upskill developers first, before rolling out comprehensive end-user training aligned with TrueLayer's own internal licensing waves.
Leveraging Google funding significantly lowered the barrier to specialised partner support.
Furthermore, Cobry’s technical expertise in reviewing advanced CI/CD and DBT integrations ensured TrueLayer's foundations were robust and built upon industry best practices.
Customer testimonial
"Cobry's expertise helped us deliver a robust, governed Looker environment quickly, and, crucially, enabled our business to become far more self-sufficient with data. Their support went beyond Looker, bringing valuable discussions around data modelling and best practices that strengthened our analytics proposition."- Joseph Al-Kadhimi, Data Analytics Lead, TrueLayer
What is a LookML audit?
A review of an existing Looker implementation, in TrueLayer's case checking their GitHub and dashboards-as-code setup for issues and anti-patterns before further development.
What is conversational analytics?
Querying data using natural language rather than building manual queries. We fine-tuned TrueLayer's LookML specifically to support this, then trained users on how to use it
What ongoing support will I get after rollout?
Weekly office hours and role-specific clinics, giving developers and business users a consistent place to get help as they adopted the new environment.
Cobry is a Google Cloud and Google Workspace Premier Partner based in Glasgow. Get in touch to talk through a Looker enablement programme for your own team.