🗓️
2025
Obscura
Obscura explores a simple idea: data analysis should begin with a question, not a tool. It is an experimental product designed to turn complex datasets into clear, natural-language insights—allowing users to select variables, generate charts, and explore patterns without writing a single line of code.
Obscura was created to solve a simple but persistent problem: many researchers and students know the questions they want to ask, but struggle with the technical steps required to analyze their data. Instead of teaching users how to code, Obscura focuses on helping them define what they want to understand—and then handles the rest.
The system analyzes uploaded files, identifies meaningful variables, and proposes visualization options tailored to the user’s intent. Each step of the workflow reduces friction: variable selection, preprocessing, chart generation, and natural-language queries are all driven by a minimal-action design philosophy. Obscura acts less like a tool and more like a guide, translating curiosity into analytical output.
Building the project reinforced a core Builder principle: prioritizing which problem to solve before deciding how to solve it. Feedback from early beta testers (recruited through conference presentations) shaped the product’s direction and validated the need for a simpler, more intuitive analytical flow.
Obscura is an ongoing exploration into how AI can reshape the experience of working with data—transforming complexity into clarity, and enabling users to reach insights with confidence.
