January Meetup

We're delighted to welcome you to our first meetup of 2026!

Pizza and soft drinks will be provided on a first-come-first-served basis from 6pm as usual. There will be no pre-event workshop at this meetup, so please do not arrive before 6pm.

Schedule

1800--1825h: Refreshments

1825--1830h: Welcome

1830--1900h: Roy Ruddle @ Leeds Institute for Data Analytics

1900--1905h: Intermission

1905--1950h: Barry Smart @ endjin

1950--2000h: News & Announcements

Talks

Professor Roy Ruddle @ Leeds Institute for Data Analytics
How should I investigate data quality?

Do you know that there are more than 100 ways in which data can be of “low” quality? That is one reason why data preparation often takes more than half of a data science project’s time. In this talk, Roy will show you how to investigate data quality in an efficient yet rigorous manner. He will demonstrate the approach with an openly available six-step workflow (https://doi.org/10.5518/1481) and associated Python package (https://pypi.org/project/vizdataquality/).

Bio: Roy is a Professor of Computing and LIDA’s Director of Research Technology. He has worked in both industry and academia, and is an expert in data visualization and data quality. Major outputs from his work include open source Python packages, the Leeds Virtual Microscope (commercialised by the healthcare company Roche) and Petriva (a spin-out company that provides specialist visual data analysis and data mining software).

Barry Smart, Director of Data & AI @ endjin
No-Compromise Data Apps: Why Streamlit is the Missing Piece in Your Analytics Stack

Ever found yourself wrestling with traditional reporting tools (such as Power BI) or implementing complex workarounds for what should be simple user requests? Enter Streamlit – the Python package that's transforming how we deliver value from data.

In this session, you'll discover how Streamlit enables you to build beautiful, interactive data applications in minutes, not months – all without front-end development expertise. We'll showcase real-world applications we've built for clients that let users manipulate model parameters and instantly visualize impacts, delivering a level of engagement traditional BI tools simply can't match.

By the end of this talk, you'll have everything you need to create your first Streamlit app, along with practical guidance for taking your prototypes from desktop to cloud deployment. See firsthand how this transformative technology is helping organizations move users from passive dashboard consumers to active participants in the data experience.

Bio: Barry has spent over 30 years in the tech industry; from developer to solution architect, business transformation manager to IT Director, and CTO of a £100m FinTech company. In 2020 Barry's passion for data and analytics led him to gain an MSc in Artificial Intelligence. He has a passion for simplifying the complex, and helping organisations use technology to transform and amplify their impact. He is Director of Data and AI at endjin, a small technology consultancy based in the UK, but with clients around the world.

News and Announcements

Have a news item or announcement you'd like to make about upcoming data events or job opportunities in the North East? Comment below or email us at neds@jumpingrivers.com and we'll do our best to circulate this information during the session.

Please also get in touch if you'd like to volunteer yourself for a talk at a future meetup!