The modern data stack, minus the hype

The modern data stack diagram has fifty logos. You need about five of them. Complexity is a cost, not a feature.

Start from the decision you're trying to support, work backwards to the metric, and only then choose the pipeline and storage. Most reporting needs far less real-time machinery than vendors imply.

Govern from the beginning — ownership, definitions, and access — because a single trusted number beats ten dashboards nobody believes.