A data analyst is optimizing query performance for a large reporting dashboard that accesses a Snowflake table 'SALES DATA' with millions of rows. The dashboard includes several complex calculations and aggregations based on 'SALE DATE and 'PRODUCT ID' The analyst observes that the dashboard load time is unacceptably slow, even after implementing standard query optimization techniques. Considering Snowflake's caching mechanisms and query profile, which of the following actions would MOST effectively improve the dashboard's performance while minimizing cost?
Correct Answer: C
Materialized views offer a significant performance boost by pre-calculating and storing the results of complex aggregations. This reduces the computational load during dashboard refreshes. While increasing virtual warehouse size (A) provides more resources, it's often more cost-effective to optimize queries. Result caching (B) is automatic but depends on query determinism and recent execution. Partitioning (D) is not directly applicable to Snowflake. Query tags and history (E) are helpful for analysis but don't directly speed up dashboard load times.