The Struggle of Data Modeling (Facts vs Dimensions)

Jan 28, 2026

If I had to pick one thing data teams struggle with most in 2026...  

It would STILL be data modeling. 

 

Despite the fact it's been around for decades, there's a ton of content and even AI tools...

It continues to be an area that gives teams a lot of trouble.


But this is also understandable.

Because it's one of the most custom aspects of data engineering.

Textbook solutions can only get you so far.


So in this video I'm going to take a slightly different approach to the subject.

The goal isn't to talk about data modeling in terms of raw tactics.

But rather just share different ways to think about Facts vs Dimensions at a high-level.

 

Because sometimes I find that just hearing things put a slightly different way can unlock some understanding.

And that's what I hope to do in this video.

Enjoy!

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