// Simulators
Learn data engineering by running it.
Hands-on simulators where you design pipelines, break them, and fix them — the way it happens in production. Start with Pipeline Tycoon, a free game, then design and price a real platform in Pipeline Architect.
// The simulators
What you can play
01 / free
Demo and game versions
Learn the building blocks by playing.
- Pipeline Tycoon: build a data platform from real tools, sprint by sprint
- Deliver stakeholder requests and survive production incidents
- Free with a demo account
02 / paid
Full simulator
Design and price a real data platform.
- Pipeline Architect: 100+ real tools priced at your workload
- An advisor flags gaps, risks and cheaper swaps
- Save, export and share your designs
// For individuals
Learn on your own — or with me
Every paid level includes full simulator access. Change or cancel any time from your account.
Free
Demo and Game Versions
Try it out.
- Demo and game versions of the simulators
$0
Paid
Full Simulator Access
Individual simulator access.
- Demo and game versions
- The full simulators
$49 / month
Mentoring
1:1 Mentoring
Includes 1:1 time with me.
- Full simulator access
- Two 60-minute 1:1 video sessions a month
- A personal roadmap with milestones
- Reviews of your real code, SQL and architecture
- Async support between sessions: 6 messages a month, answered within 2 business days
$325 / month
Students & recent grads
Early Career Mentoring
For students and recent grads (within 12 months of graduating, degree or bootcamp).
- One 60-minute 1:1 video session a month
- A starter roadmap for your first data engineering role
- Async support: 3 messages a month, answered within 2 business days
- Full simulator access
- 6-month program
$175 / month
// For teams & companies
Retainers
Senior data engineering judgment on call for your team — from advice and reviews to hands-on building. Retainers are by invitation and priced for your team. Book a free intro call to talk through what you need; if it’s a fit, I’ll send you a private sign-up link with your price.
Advisory
Advisory Retainer
Advice and review for your team.
- Full simulator access
- Up to 20 advisory emails a month, answered within 1 business day
- Two 60-minute meetings a month
- Extra emails and meetings billed at your agreed hourly rate
- Architecture and design reviews
- Hands-on work quoted separately
Priced for your team
Full
Full Retainer
A fractional principal data engineer.
- Full simulator access
- Up to 24 hours of working time a month: design, reviews, hands-on build and team guidance
- Weekly 60-minute meetings
- Priority direct email, same business day
- Meetings and email count toward the 24 hours; unused hours don’t roll over
- Extra meetings and hours billed at your agreed hourly rate
Priced for your team