The Spotfire Mods Mission

Jan 4

Over 5 million apps are available for download on the Google and Apple App Stores. If it were a standalone company, Apple’s App Store would rank #64 in the Fortune 500. In 2021, we aim to do the same for analytics. Spotfire Mods is a concept inspired by the gaming community—game modifications, or Mods, make it easy for developers to add characters, worlds, and behaviors to their favorite games.

Here’s an example of a game Mod: a fire-breathing Randy “Macho Man” Savage character was added by a “Modder” to the Skyrim game. The game itself works as usual, but 35 seconds in on this clip, Macho Man makes his appearance, complete with his trademark “yeahhhhhh” whoop.

Spotfire Mods allow anyone to modify our analytics engine in a similar way. With a very simple Javascript framework, Modders can alter Spotfire however they want. In a few hours, everything that makes Spotfire special is inherited by the Mod: brushlinking with other charts, mapping, data access, real-time data, SaaS, IoT…

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For Spotfire users, you just select a Mod and go. It’s like installing an app on your phone.

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The possibilities are endless. Visit our Spotfire Mods Hub here for the latest, or check out these posts about Mods as they come along.

Hugh MacLeod reminds us that you do your best work by getting people to do theirs. We designed Mods with this idea in mind. And we’re dreaming big. Maybe we won’t reach the 5 million mark like mobile apps, but we’re excited to see the creativity we may unlock.

We hope our best work helps you do yours.

Today’s post is inspired by the art of Gapingvoid

In 2021, every Monday on this blog will be Mods Monday. I’ll announce the Mod-of-the-Month. We’ll spotlight our Mods Masters Hall of Fame, and feature innovations from the community.