User Experience and Data: Bridging the Gap
by Themis Mavridis, Booking.com, Netherlands
Abstract
Booking.com is the world’s largest virtual two-sided marketplace with multi-dimensional, diverse and rich inventory. It aims to provide optimal shopping experience for our guests even with minimal user interaction. In this talk, I will discuss about the various unique and complex business cases, and the challenges that we face while we strive to bridge the gap between user experience and data. Finally, I will describe how we successfully utilize Machine Learning validated through rigorous Randomized Controlled Experiments in every step of the user journey.
About the speaker
Themis Mavridis is a Senior Data Scientist at Booking.com. In his work, he loves to apply machine learning, software engineering and statistics to customer-facing products. He leads the Machine Learning on Search at Booking.com. He is usually handling out-of-core / online algorithms for search, ranking and recommendations. Themis really enjoys “eating” Big Data with Vowpal Wabbit.
Furthermore, he used to do applied research on search engines, crawlers and topic modeling. His background is in Electrical & Computer Engineering. Themis studied at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) in Greece and at the Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam in the Netherlands.