Narayan Shanku

Software Engineer · Data Analytics · Business Intelligence

Hi, I'm Narayan Shanku

I’m a pragmatic software engineer who believes that once you understand how a system works, you can play with it. Right now I’m exploring the full end to end lifecycle, from building web apps and deploying them to the cloud, to collecting, analyzing, and visualizing the data they generate so it becomes clear metrics, BI dashboards, and decisions teams can actually act on.

BI-first mindset
KPI design + storytelling
Cloud deployment
Narayan Shanku smiling while working on a laptop.

I

About

I like the part nobody glamorizes: build the app, deploy it to the cloud, instrument what users do, and turn that data into metrics and dashboards teams can trust.

The system view

I don’t separate “software” and “analytics.” A product is a pipeline. Features create behavior, behavior creates data, data becomes models, and models drive decisions. I enjoy connecting those layers end to end, from .NET and Azure to SQL modeling and BI dashboards, so the story stays consistent from database to boardroom.

My Forte : .NET, Azure, SQL, Databricks, Tableau.

How I work

I start with the decision, not the chart. First I define the question and KPI like a contract, including edge cases and filters. Then I work backwards through the system, capture the right events, shape the data into a clean model, and finally build a dashboard that explains what changed and why.

II

What I do

Three pillars, on purpose. This is not a random pile of skills.

Data modeling

I design analytics ready data models that keep metrics consistent. Clear grain, clean keys, and reliable relationships so reporting stays fast and “the KPI” means the same thing everywhere.

SQL · ER modeling · normalization · ETL

Analytics and BI

I turn raw data into decision ready insights. I define KPIs with clear logic, validate edge cases, and build dashboards that answer business questions quickly, without chart clutter.

Data Cleaning · Tableau · Power BI · KPI design · EDA

Engineering that makes BI real

When the data product needs an app layer, I build the plumbing: .NET services, APIs, cloud deployment, and telemetry. If it cannot be measured reliably, it cannot be improved.

.NET · Azure · APIs · Telemetry

III

Featured projects

Proof beats promises. These are structured like case studies, not screenshot dumps.

F1 Driver Performance Profile Dashboard

A performance intelligence dashboard that converts a decade of F1 data into decision-ready driver insights.

Tableau KPI Engineering Data Modeling Analytics

Engineered a complete performance evaluation system for F1 drivers using 1950–2024 qualifying and race data. Designed custom KPIs for qualifying strength, reliability, points efficiency, and race-day execution, supported by clean trend visuals that reveal consistency, season momentum, and grid-to-finish behavior.

Case study metrics, logic, analytical structure

Problem

F1 performance data is dense, inconsistent across seasons, and hard to compare. Managers need a unified view that answers one question fast: How well is a driver actually performing across qualifying, races, and entire seasons?

Approach

Built a multi-year data model; standardized fields for race results, finish flags, and position deltas; and defined statistical KPIs such as Race Consistency (STDEV-based). Structured the dashboard with a top KPI strip, mid-layer diagnostic charts, and season-level summaries to guide decision-making in seconds.

What it proves

I can translate a real-world competitive domain into measurable performance metrics, model the data for accuracy, and design dashboards that support fast, high-stakes decisions without overwhelming the viewer.

House Buddy – Inventory & Food Insights

Azure-deployed household inventory app with UPC lookups, health and eco scores, and a single-screen “manage items” flow.

C# ASP.NET Core Entity Framework Azure App Service Azure SQL

Built a household inventory system where users add items by UPC, enrich them with Nutri-Score and Eco-Score from external APIs, and track quantity, expiry, and storage locations on one page. Deployed to Azure App Service with an Azure SQL backend so it runs as a real, live web app rather than a local demo.

Case study UPC lookup, scores, Azure deployment

Problem

People track pantry and household items with scattered notes, photos, or memory, and have no easy way to see what they own, where it is stored, or how healthy and sustainable their food choices are.

Approach

Designed a schema-first data model for products, inventory, places, and categories, then built a “Manage Items” page that drives everything. Users enter a UPC, the app calls Open Food Facts and a backup UPC API to pull product details, Nutri-Score, and Eco-Score, and then add quantity, expiry, and storage in-place. The inventory grid, place-wise counts, and success states update immediately without leaving the page.

What it proves

I can ship a small product end to end: model the data, integrate external APIs, build maintainable Razor Pages with validation and clean UX flows, and deploy the full stack to Azure App Service with an Azure SQL Database in a way that is stable enough to share as a live link.

BuildMate - Architectural Management App

A multi-entity .NET system with schema-first design, clean CRUD flows, and cloud-ready deployment.

C# ASP.NET Core EF Core Azure SQL

Designed the relational schema, implemented multi-level CRUD across related entities, and configured the app for Azure hosting with an Azure SQL backend.

Case study problem, approach, what it proves

Problem

Manage architecture domain entities with consistent CRUD, stable relationships, and deployable persistence.

Approach

Schema-first modeling, clear entity relationships, validation and error handling, deployment-ready configuration patterns.

What it proves

I can design a database, build the app layer, and ship it like a real system.

More projects

Netflix Usage Dashboard

Usage patterns, segmentation, and trends turned into a clear, scannable story.

Tableau Analytics Storytelling

Modeled the dataset for consistent metrics and built a dashboard that highlights behavioral trends and segment differences.

Case study metrics, insights, design choices

Problem

Explain usage behavior in a way that helps decision-makers spot trends and outliers quickly.

Approach

Defined KPIs, validated filters, and designed the layout for fast scanning with supporting breakdowns.

What it proves

I can turn a dataset into a narrative dashboard with consistent KPI logic.

Databricks Big Data Integration Project (Upcoming)

Pipeline-first thinking: ingest, transform, validate, and shape data for downstream BI.

Databricks PySpark Delta Lake ETL

Built repeatable transformations and quality checks, producing clean outputs suitable for KPI computation and reporting.

Case study pipeline, validation, outputs

Problem

Prepare large datasets for analytics without manual, fragile steps.

Approach

Defined inputs and outputs, applied transformations with validation, and produced consistent schemas for BI use.

What it proves

I understand the system behind BI: pipelines, structure, and quality.

IV

Skills

Grouped for scanning. Focused on what I use to build, deploy, model, and measure systems.

Analytics and BI

SQL Tableau Power BI KPI design Data storytelling Dashboard UX Excel Access

Data engineering and modeling

Data modeling Dimensional modeling Star schema Normalization ETL/ELT Databricks Delta Lake Spark SQL PySpark Data quality checks

Software engineering

C# Python ASP.NET Core Razor Pages Entity Framework Core REST APIs CRUD design HTML CSS JavaScript DSA

Cloud and tooling

Azure App Service Azure SQL Deployment basics Git GitHub VS Code Visual Studio Automation (n8n/Zapier) API integration

Strongest edge: I bridge product engineering and BI, so KPI definitions stay consistent from app events to dashboards.

V

Experience and education

A quick timeline for cross-checking. The real proof is the projects above.

Graduate Teaching Assistant

University of Cincinnati · Lead hands-on labs for 120+ students, turning messy business problems into clear, repeatable workflows.

Python · Data Analysis · Excel · Access · mentoring · lab design · analytical thinking

MS in Information Systems

University of Cincinnati · Expected Dec 2026 · Building depth in analytics, data platforms, and applied AI for business decision-making.

Data Warehousing & BI · Data Modeling · Big Data Integration · Data Wrangling · Data Visualization · Data Mining · Generative AI

Software Engineer

HCL Technologies · Built and supported enterprise applications with cross-functional delivery and stakeholder-facing releases.

.NET · APIs · Razor Pages · SQL · EF Core · UAT

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Contact

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Send a message

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Fast channels

Icon-only, because subtle works better than shouting.