Data architecture is more layered than an onion. Data, metadata, access, transform, virtualization, visualization. And with the modern data stack, we’re now talking more about semantics and metrics layers.

This week, Tim and Juan are joined by Nick Handel, CEO of Transform, to talk all things semantics and metrics and why enterprises need to be thinking more about more about relationships.

This episode will also feature:
Clear definitions for semantic layer and metrics layer and the relationships between them
How to design your architecture to take advantage of semantics and metrics
Cake, dip, or sandwich. What is the best layered food?

Data architecture is more layered than an onion. Data, metadata, access, transform, virtualization, visualization. And with the modern data stack, we’re now talking more about semantics and metrics layers.
This week, Tim and Juan are joined by Nick Handel, CEO of Transform, to talk all things semantics and metrics and why enterprises need to be thinking more about more about relationships.
This episode will also feature:
<ul><li>Clear definitions for semantic layer and metrics layer and the relationships between them</li>
 <li>How to design your architecture to take advantage of semantics and metrics</li>
 <li>Cake, dip, or sandwich. What is the best layered food?</li>
</ul>

Catalog and Cocktails is the honest, No-BS, non-sales-y podcast about data and analytics. This is your unfiltered chat about everything interesting in data and analytics. Join Juan Sequeda and Tim Gasper to explore emerging topics and hear from thought leaders, practitioners and executives across the data and analytics space.

Catalog and Cocktails is the honest, No-BS, non-sales-y podcast about data and analytics. This is your unfiltered chat about everything interesting in data and analytics. Join Juan Sequeda and Tim Gasper to explore emerging topics and hear from thought leaders, practitioners and executives across the data and analytics space.

Catalog & Cocktails: The Honest, No-BS Data Podcast

A layered approach to data meaning and measurement w/ Nick Handel

Can't believe it's already been 6 years. Thank you to our amazing guests and specially our listeners. In this season finale episode, Juan and Tim rant about the honest no-bs discussions they've had in 2026 and what are the topics they are looking forward to cover in the next season. 

Can't believe it's already been 6 years. Thank you to our amazing guests and specially our listeners. In this season finale episode, Juan and Tim rant about the honest no-bs discussions they've had in 2026 and what are the topics they are looking forward to cover in the next season.&nbsp;

6th YEAR SEASON FINALE: Juan and Tim Rant

Jason Doerr has spent years watching governance programs undermine themselves by cataloging everything without a use case, naming data stewards who have nothing to actually do, and building central teams that become blockers instead of enablers. In this episode, he walks through what pragmatic governance actually looks like: start with use cases, give stewards real work to action on, and let the central team set principles rather than police behavior. He also digs into PADU (Preferred, Acceptable, Discouraged, Unacceptable) as a practical roadmap framework, how LLMs can accelerate semantic layer creation without generating vanity metrics, and why the governance operating model is shifting toward agentic management ... whether the governance community is ready for it or not.

Jason Doerr has spent years watching governance programs undermine themselves by cataloging everything without a use case, naming data stewards who have nothing to actually do, and building central teams that become blockers instead of enablers. In this episode, he walks through what pragmatic governance actually looks like: start with use cases, give stewards real work to action on, and let the central team set principles rather than police behavior. He also digs into PADU (Preferred, Acceptable, Discouraged, Unacceptable) as a practical roadmap framework, how LLMs can accelerate semantic layer creation without generating vanity metrics, and why the governance operating model is shifting toward agentic management ... whether the governance community is ready for it or not.

Pragmatic Use-Case-Driven Data Governance with Jason Doerr

This is the takeaway episode with Jason Doerr who has spent years watching governance programs undermine themselves. He walks through what pragmatic governance actually looks like and digs into PADU (Preferred, Acceptable, Discouraged, Unacceptable) as a practical roadmap framework. 

This is the takeaway episode with Jason Doerr who has spent years watching governance programs undermine themselves. He walks through what pragmatic governance actually looks like and digs into PADU (Preferred, Acceptable, Discouraged, Unacceptable) as a practical roadmap framework.&nbsp;

A layered approach to data meaning and measurement w/ Nick Handel

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Catalog & Cocktails: The Honest, No-BS Data Podcast

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