techBytes #14: Outsmarting problems with data

[in-person event]
Please sign up on our registration list
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Hello everyone,

We’re excited to invite you to our next techBytes meetup @Ocado Technology. This time, we’ll explore two sides of the same coin: how to make better decisions when dealing with complex data challenges.

First, Tomasz Stradomski takes us behind the scenes of our Data Intelligence Platform (DIP), showing how a handful of smart optimisations in BigQuery and workflow orchestration led to major cost savings and performance gains. You’ll discover how small changes like table partitioning, clustering, or Table Valued Functions translated into big impact across our analytics ecosystem.

Next, Rob Backhouse will explore how simulation fills the gaps where typical analytics is not enough. Drawing on Ocado’s journey with On-Grid Robotic Pick (OGRP), our robotic arm system for grocery fulfilment, he highlights the many ways simulation can support decision-making - from proof-of-concepts and product strategy, to optimisation and sales - and what it really takes to run a successful simulation project.

If you’re into data engineering, large-scale analytics or just love hearing how small tweaks and creative tools unlock massive value, this edition of techBytes is for you.

Key event details - Kraków

• Date: Tuesday, October 14th, starting at 18:00 (6:00 P.M.). Please arrive a bit earlier to grab your seat (around 5:50 P.M.)
• Location: Ocado office, Pawia 21 Street, next to the Main Train Station. Find us on Google Maps.
• Venue: Dedicated event space, 4th floor.

***Agenda***
18:00 - Grab a drink and take a seat

18:05 - Intro

18:10 - 18:50
Speakers: Tomasz Stradomski, Senior Staff Software Engineer
Topic: Small changes - big impact. Optimisation of Ocado’s Data Intelligence Platform

Abstract:
Sometimes the biggest improvements come from the smallest tweaks. In Ocado’s Data Intelligence Platform (DIP), a handful of smart optimisations have delivered major cost savings and performance boosts, unlocking more analytical use cases without increasing the budget.

In this talk, Tomek will take us behind the scenes of DIP:

• how we collect and process data at scale,
• the role of our in-house toolkit
• and how tools like Google BigQuery power our analytics.

From there, we’ll explore the practical changes that made the biggest difference such as table partitioning and clustering, replacing views with TVF to solve partition pruning issue, and even building our own autoscaler for BigQuery.

If you’re working with large-scale data, want to squeeze more value out of BigQuery, or are curious how Ocado keeps its platform both powerful and cost-efficient, this session is packed with hands-on lessons you can apply to your own projects.

18:50 - 19:00
BREAK

19:00 - 19:40
Speaker: Robert Backhouse - Senior Staff Simulation Research Engineer
Topic: Beyond analytics: how simulation turns ‘What If’ into real value

Abstract:
Have you ever thought about how to A/B test a system that doesn’t exist yet? Or how to explore “what if” scenarios that are too complex to reason about through analytics alone? That’s where simulation comes in - leveraging models to uncover insights, align stakeholders, and make better decisions.

At Ocado Technology, we use simulation across the whole online grocery platform: from stock flows and delivery routing to lots of warehouse automation. In this talk, Robert will share the story of simulating On-Grid Robotic Pick (OGRP) - our robotic arm system for grocery fulfilment.

The story illustrates the variety of ways in which simulation can be used, extracting lessons along the way for running a simulation project and how to think about simulations and model-based insight.

Please sign up on our registration list
(this greatly helps us with organizing the space and catering for you)