Engineering Excellence: Creating a Michelin Star Analytics Experience with SAS Viya

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The Productivity Leap: A Reflection on a Current Success

Reflecting on my earlier attempts to modify SAS Enterprise Guide paths directly in the application by manipulating the XML, I remember dedicating over 120 hours to the problem. Although I didn’t reach a solution at the time, the experience proved invaluable—it highlighted not just the technical hurdles, but also the areas where I could grow and strengthen my own abilities. Each challenge and setback added to my understanding and laid the groundwork for future progress.

Today, everything feels transformed. Thanks to the tools and approaches described in this article—SAS Viya, Python, intuitive GUIs, and digital copilots—the outcome was dramatically different. What was once a daunting, time-consuming process now became streamlined and efficient: in just 12 hours, I completed not only the coding but also thorough testing, custom step development, and a full suite of documentation, including a polished PowerPoint, a comprehensive technical manual, and a quick start guide.

In nearly two decades of engineering development, I’ve never been more productive. Embracing these modern tools and expanding my skillset across multiple languages and data types, supported by a strong deployment methodology, has unlocked remarkable new possibilities. SAS Viya is where all these benefits converge. The productivity gains are here to be taken and the move from SAS9 to Viya will see you transform your analytics and engineering teams.

You can read about the detailed technical approach, and how it succeeded in another blog; here, the focus shifts to the concept of the analytics kitchen, illustrating how these ingredients come together to create something exceptional.

The Michelin Kitchen of Analytics

Imagine sitting down to a Michelin star meal. Every dish is a masterpiece—not just because of the chef’s talent, but because of the precision, teamwork, and the perfect blend of ingredients and techniques. The chef isn’t working alone; there’s a brigade in the kitchen, each with a specialty, and the tools and timing are flawless. The result? An experience that’s efficient, repeatable, and extraordinary.

That’s what engineering excellence looks like with SAS Viya.

 

The Modern Analytics Kitchen

In the world of analytics, SAS Viya is your state-of-the-art kitchen. It brings together:

• SAS and Python: Like a chef using both classic French techniques and modern molecular gastronomy, you get the best of both worlds—robust analytics and flexible automation.
• GUI and Custom Steps: These are your recipe cards and prep stations, making complex workflows accessible and repeatable for the whole team.
• Digital Copilots: Think of these as your sous-chefs and expediters—AI-powered assistants who prep ingredients, keep the kitchen organized, and anticipate what you’ll need next.

The Secret Sauce: Teamwork and Tools

A Michelin star meal isn’t about one person doing everything. You might be a great cook, mastering your craft and producing excellent dishes, but to truly be a chef, you must lead and organise—bringing together people, tools, and processes to create something greater than the sum of its parts. It’s about the right people, the right tools, and the right process—all working in harmony.

SAS Viya orchestrates the flow, ensuring every step is governed, logged, and repeatable.

• Python and SAS code handle the specialised tasks—whether it’s a delicate sauce or a perfectly seared protein.
• GUI flows and Custom Steps let anyone on the team follow the recipe, so quality doesn’t depend on a single expert.
• Copilots (AI assistants) handle the repetitive prep, suggest improvements, and keep the kitchen running smoothly—so the chef can focus on creativity and quality.

What changed?

We expanded our pantry and our team. Instead of relying solely on a single “star chef” and one style of cooking, we now orchestrate a full brigade—where every tool and team member, human or digital, brings their unique strengths to the table.

There’s no need to grapple with a difficult command line interface, unless you specifically want to; the graphical environment puts powerful capabilities at everyone’s fingertips. With Viya’s support for modern data formats like JSON and Parquet, and seamless integration of open-source languages, we’re able to deliver faster, innovate more, and set a new standard for excellence.

Copilots: The Sous-Chefs of Analytics

Digital copilots are more than just smart gadgets—they’re trusted sous-chefs. They:

• Prep data, draft code, and summarize results before you even ask.
• Suggest next steps, flag issues, and help keep the workflow on track.
• Free up the lead analyst (the “head chef”) to focus on innovation, presentation, and the final flourish.

But just like in a Michelin kitchen, the chef’s vision and expertise guide the meal. Copilots amplify your skills—they don’t replace them. There is more to come from SAS Viya Copilot and you can see how it works with model studio here. If you prefer to code and like VSCode then look here and to see the general approach from SAS Innovate 2025 you can see it here. Its an exciting space with more to come!

 

Engineering Excellence Is a Team Effort

The magic of a Michelin star meal is in the orchestration—the seamless blend of talent, tools, and timing. With SAS Viya, Python, SAS, GUI flows, and digital copilots, your analytics team can deliver results that are not just faster, but consistently exceptional. You need something which brings all of this together in one comprehensive package with over four decades of innovation and a global support model. SAS Viya is your Michelin kitchen which allows you to create Michelin quality meals.

Ready to elevate your analytics from home-cooked to Michelin star? Bring together the right platform, the right tools, and a digital team that works in harmony—and watch your productivity and quality soar.

If you have any cooked up any great analytics or engineering meals using Viya and you are already experiencing the productivity gains then let me know in the comments. I'd be interested to exchange recipes!