Automate Your Metadata, Deliver a Data Catalogue (by accident)
Description
Have you ever caught yourself saying this? "How was that calculated again?" "I'll document that later…" "I swear we built this metric... What's it called again?" If you're nodding.. you're not alone. Many data teams wrestle with fractured documentation, last-minute governance, and the endless game of chasing down definitions.
Abstract
This talk is about breaking that cycle by investing upfront in automation for your configuration and extra benefits you could reap along the way. We'll explore how building your metadata and data configs as code early on doesn't just save time; it powers your data governance portal, feeds your BI tools, and keeps definitions consistent end to end. It's not perfect, but it's honest progress and a big step up from the duct-taped reality most teams are working with. We will talk about the practical patterns and tools we have built as a team at Pet Circle that could help your engineers and business users finally speak the same language; by using a living, breathing Data Catalogue that becomes an essential part of your data ecosystem.
Key Takeaways
- Learn how to automate metadata and data configuration as code
- Understand how metadata automation powers data governance portals
- Discover practical patterns for building living data catalogues
- Explore tools that help engineers and business users speak the same language
- Gain insights into breaking the cycle of fractured documentation
Speaker
May Hu
Senior Data Analytics Engineer at Pet Circle
May Hu is a Senior Data Analytics Engineer at Pet Circle who took an unconventional path into tech—starting her career as an accountant before pivoting into data. After going back to university to complete a Master of Data Science, she built her career across the full data stack: from analytics to modelling to engineering. Her experience across the entire data lifecycle gives her a unique perspective on how teams collaborate (or don't), and a deep empathy for the pain points of every role—from analyst to stakeholder to engineer. She's passionate about building systems that work not just in theory, but in the messy reality of business.