In this blog post will take a look at building a simple dashboard to track the Dow Jones, NASDAQ, NIKKEI, FTSE, Hang Seng, and TSX as well as several commodities and currencies. Our app will be based on Python and Flask with some Beautiful Soup thrown in to handle data collection. For the purpose of this exercise we'll pull data from the online version of the Wall Street Journal so it will be current and most importantly, easy to access.
To get started, you may need to consult http://flask.pocoo.org/ to get the basics of Flask, otherwise just create a Python virtual environment in your development directory and pip install Flask. The source code for the Simple Market Dashboard can be found at My GitHub Repository.
Have you ever wanted to automate some of life's more mundane tasks? Well you and me both, and one of those tasks is searching for some product on the web. Usually it's for a particular item withim a set price range and I always want the best deal. The search could be on Craigslist, eBay, Kijiji, or a whole slew of regular retailers. In this post we're going to build a simple Python program to automate the search for an iPhone 6S on Craigslist but the idea is the same for any marketplace.
The application will use both the Requests and Beautiful Soup libraries - Requests to gather the data and Beautiful Soup to parse it. The cleaned data will be stored in a SQLite database from which we'll generate an email notice to ourselves every 30 minutes with new listings. If there aren't any new items fitting our criteria we'll put a hold on that email until there is something to report.
I am Principal Consultant at Cooper Bragg, founder / CEO of Stomp and an experienced software engineer. I help businesses improve margins by way of analysis and automation. If your business is ready to improve efficiencies, gain insight, and increase profits, we should talk.
For many organizations automation represents a largely untapped or underutilized opportunity, one that can quickly be capitalized upon. Together we'll develop a strategy and deliver a solution to do that. It's time to look at what robotic process automation and intelligent IoT can do for you.
It may come by way of a web or mobile app, a real-time analytics dashboard, the automation of a critical process, or something else entirely. However it happens, it will be good for your bottom line.
Data is a tremendous opportunity and it represents a fundamental shift from business as usual. Today's organizations need to streamline existing data processes and quickly develop emerging opportunities or risk getting left behind.
We're living in a data-concious world and your customers have come to expect that of you as well. If you can't deliver that real-time and interactive experince they will notice, and quickly move to a competitor who does.
How much valuable time has been lost building reports that should be automated? Or lost within an array of spreadsheets in an attempt to extract that key datapoint? Are you able to adjust to your customer preferences and provide them with a memorable experience? Is your customer data fragmented and often inaccessible?
Are your core business systems so outdated that you can't get real-time access to your own data? Are you left waiting for infographics rather than viewing up-to-the-second KPIs on a web dashboard? What about accessing live Excel data while out of the office at a client meeting? If any of this rings true, and hurts, we should talk.
Software robots automate repetitive tasks, be they simple or complex. They are accurate, fast and cheap. Leverage technology to do more with less, free precious resources for strategic tasks that grow profits and increase service levels.
Adding IoT technology to your automation stack is an advantage you can't afford to pass up. You don't have to start big, iterative advances can make a huge difference. The ability to process and act upon critical information before your competition can is often the difference between success and failure. It is often said that process optimization is imperative to success but even more fundamentally, it is essential to one's ability to compete.
Information is transforming how people and businesses interact. The ability to access critical information on the road, to visually track key performance indicators, to analyze collected data in an effort to predict future events are disrupting the businesses of today and shaping the giants of tomorrow.
I can help you implement an energized strategy from the ground up. Don't worry if you're just getting started, the time has never been better to do so. I work with companies to develop strategy plans and enact solutions that are completely unique to their needs. I can do the same for you.
Free Strategy Session
We'll get together in person, on the phone or over Skype and talk about your business and how automation can be used to positively impact your bottom line. At the end of the session we will have outlined a plan of action with which you can hit the ground running.
Data Training
There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to implementing a data solution and customized training helps. Held over a 1 or 2 day span participants learn to access, manipulate, transform, and analyze data in ways that will have a direct impact on business.
Software Development
I am available for short to mid-term consulting engagements with organizations implementing data strategies or building digital products. I can work with your existing team or bring in specialists to get the job done right, on time and within budget.
Building cutting-edge systems to automate processes and energize data requires an extraordinary supporting cast; some of these tools and services are listed here:
Stomp is revolutionizing the in-store customer experience by equipping retailers with powerful tools to manage media and sensors on a global scale. Our easy to use products allow companies to craft unique brand experiences through sound and vision.
Web, Mobile, Realtime Monitoring, IoT
Python, Redis, Postgres, NodeJS, React, iOS, Android
Datapir is a digital content store providing subscribers with licensed content for DOOH and digital signage. An easy to use API delivers freshly curated content that attention.
Data ETL, Machine Learning, NLP, REST API
Python, Django, PostgreSQL, Nginx, Pandas, Scikit, NLTK
Rumbleboard is a real-time analytics dashboard that merges raw data with beautiful visuals. Targeting multiple clients, this application delivers unique visualization experiences and comes equipped with 65+ common (and not so common) connectors for easy data integration.
Web, Mobile, JSON, REST API
JS, React, Redux, CSS, NodeJS, iOS, Android
Looking for help in getting to the next level?
I can be of assistance. I'm a seasoned technology architect and software developer with significant experience gained through a wide range of projects and industries.
If you are just starting out, I can play the role of a consulting CTO as project prototying and proof of concepts are ironed out. If you are further down the road, I can lead you dev team, provide training, or simply deliver bespoke components that can be integrated into your core process.
I've built a wide variety of enterprise-grade applications and always enjoy the challenge of working on new ideas. At times I've worked with teams where we've had to dig deep to deliver on-time and within budget, so don't hesitate to drop me a line, you'll be glad you did.