Art of Data Engineering

Art of Data Engineering

Why Data Engineering Is Never 'Set and Forget'

The Job That's Never Done

Tim Webster's avatar
Tim Webster
Jan 24, 2025
∙ Paid
Photo by Joshua Rawson-Harris on Unsplash

Data Engineering is never done. It sits on a knife’s edge, somewhere between complete meltdown and calm serenity.

You may think you’ll skip into a company, build that little pipeline, and move on to your next grand adventure — the “set it and forget it” mentality.

You won’t. In my experience, that world is a myth.

Change Is Constant

The work, the data, the requirements — everything is always changing and evolving. Pipelines mature, grow, and become critical (or obsolete). What works well today may not work next month or next year.

User's avatar

Continue reading this post for free, courtesy of Tim Webster.

Or purchase a paid subscription.
© 2026 Tim Webster · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture