How we implement scalable conversational analytics with Databricks Genie

Data is now ubiquitous. But it’s not always accessible. Business users that need insights to make better decisions must rely on data engineers, even for rote requests, and this can limit the value of data. One solution to this is conversational analytics that enables the use of natural language to query services and data, and removes the dependency on data expertise to access insights.

We’ve seen the power of Agentic AI in making conversational analytics a reality that delivers business value. And that’s why we’ve developed an Accelerator, built natively on Databricks, powered by Genie, for enterprises to rapidly design, deploy, and scale this solution.

How does it work?

The accelerator combines a phased delivery model with a configuration driven architecture. This allows new Genie workspaces, Databricks tools, and other services to be onboarded without significant rework. It’s designed for iterative expansion, delivering measurable value within weeks while maintaining enterprise grade governance and security through Unity Catalog.

Built natively on Databricks through managed Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers and Unity Catalog, the accelerator connects to Genie Spaces and a Databricks Vector Search index containing Power BI report descriptions, enabling the agent to link relevant reports to user queries. Through these connections, business users can query governed, consumption ready datasets using natural language.

Delivering conversational analytics

The best approach to implementing any new solution is to understand the intersection between an organization’s goals and the technical possibilities. We start with a workshop to ensure stakeholders are aligned on the objectives, criteria for success and the use cases.

Once we’ve established the data sources, user needs and architectural direction, we move quickly to delivery. We have found that an iterative approach assures more value, wider adoption, and greater success. That’s why we quickly deliver a pilot, followed by iterative improvement cycles and production handovers.

I’m ready, now what?

Please reach out via our contact page or email me directly at jai.pradhan@thorogood.com. We can arrange a free consultation with you to explore how conversational analytics could make data insights accessible across your organization.