So Energy Case Study - Data Pipelines & Technical Debt

Discover how Understanding Solutions helped So Energy overcome technical debt and fragile data pipelines. Through expert-led discovery and a structured remediation roadmap, we stabilised critical systems, improved operational efficiency, and empowered their team with scalable, self-sufficient data practices.

The Challenge the Client Faced

So Energy had grown rapidly and, like many fast-scaling technology-led businesses, had accumulated a large amount of technical debt across its data pipelines. Critical systems that powered customer billing, reporting, and energy usage forecasting were becoming increasingly fragile - dependent on legacy scripts and undocumented processes.
The data engineering team was under constant pressure to keep pace with business demand, but their time was consumed by firefighting recurring issues and manual workarounds. This created a high-risk environment where even small changes could cause downstream disruption. So Energy needed clarity. They wanted to understand the scale of the technical debt, the true health of their data pipelines, and how to modernise them without halting day-to-day operations.

Understanding Solutions' Approach

Understanding Solutions deployed a highly experienced data consultant who immediately began a deep discovery phase, mapping out So Energy’s existing data ecosystem and identifying the core issues causing pipeline instability. The consultant worked closely with So Energy’s internal data engineering team to assess root causes - from dependency overlaps and inefficient scheduling to limited documentation and ownership gaps.
This discovery period provided the foundation for a structured remediation roadmap. Rather than simply replacing components, our approach focused on stability first, then optimisation. The consultant prioritised quick wins that reduced daily operational risk while simultaneously designing a future-state architecture that supported scalability and automation.
As the engagement matured, So Energy extended the programme to include broader data pipeline redevelopment - incorporating best practices in monitoring, alerting, and version control. Understanding Solutions also led knowledge transfer sessions with the internal team, equipping them to maintain and enhance the new environment independently.
Throughout the project, Understanding Solutions acted as a true partner - balancing immediate delivery with long-term sustainability, ensuring So Energy wasn’t just getting a technical fix, but a foundation for growth.

The Outcome

By the end of the engagement, So Energy’s data pipelines were no longer a bottleneck but a business enabler. The team gained full visibility of their data landscape, with clear documentation, ownership models, and automated checks that reduced error frequency and downtime.
Operational efficiency improved significantly - freeing up internal engineers to focus on forward-looking analytics and innovation instead of reactive support. This partnership demonstrated the value of rapid, expert-led discovery combined with practical, outcome-driven delivery - leaving So Energy in a stronger, more self-sufficient position than before the engagement began.