Leveraging Software Engineering Through Data Science

A Journey of Integration and Innovation

Ever since I was a kid, I was curious and adventurous, exploring different career paths felt as natural as trying new hats. As I grew older, the more I desired to pursue a career that would not only be limited to one industrial sector but pursue a cross-cutting career instead that transcended boundaries allowing me to contribute and learn from multiple industrial sectors. The desire to be a bridge between a diverse range of fields became my driving force.

“Life, my dear friends, is like sailing the treacherous seas. There are storms that rage, winds that howl, and waves that threaten to swallow you whole. But mark my words, it's not the calm waters that make a skilled sailor; it's how you navigate through the tempest” Captain Jack Sparrow

My fascination with technology and the thrill of untangling problems took root early on. This propelled me towards delving into the world of Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science during my high school years. Armed with a solid foundation in these subjects, I embarked on a journey into the realm of software engineering for my bachelor's degree. This journey was quite a whirlwind of learning, I honed my skills in coding, software development, and system architecture, laying the groundwork for what would become the cornerstone of my career and a passion that continues to drive me today.

Remember those epic high school parties?

In my class, we could always pour our hearts into planning them, from music, food, decorations, and more. Despite our meticulous planning, we consistently faced the challenge of accommodating more guests than anticipated leading to heavy complaints or wastage of resources and money. This is where my inner problem solver kicked in. I came up with the idea of using my computer science skillset to resolve the challenge that we were facing, I envisioned a platform that would allow hosts to post upcoming events and help students in booking beforehand if they will be attending the parties beforehand by using their student ID for entrance verification purposes. Coding this system marked my inaugural venture into addressing tangible challenges. It wasn't just about writing lines of code; it sparked my dedication to using technology as a tool for community solutions.

Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to delve into diverse projects across various sectors, from Healthcare, Education, and Agriculture to Inventory management. For now, I will focus on the projects in Healthcare and Inventory management because they marked a footprint in my career as a data scientist, significantly influencing my problem-solving and solution-development approach.

Healthcare:

One of the most impactful projects I've had the opportunity to undertake was the endeavor to streamline healthcare operations. This collaborative effort involved a diverse team comprising two brilliant full-stack developers, a talented UI/UX designer, a meticulous Q/A specialist, and a driven project manager. Our primary objective was to construct a system that would facilitate seamless collaboration between two private hospitals, enhancing their ability to deliver efficient and timely care to patients.

Our solution centered on the development of robust Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems for both hospitals, ensuring the continuous availability of critical medical information and security. Additionally, we focused on integrating these disparate systems to enable seamless access to patient records across hospital boundaries with respect to data privacy policies. By implementing this solution, patients seeking treatment at either hospital could seamlessly access their medical history using their unique identifier, thereby expediting the treatment process and eliminating the need for redundant assessments. The completion of the project was achieved through the team’s enormous efforts and with the help of the Agile way of working we were able to complete the task, The system had the server side which was developed using the famous Python framework “Django”, and the client-side built using a JavaScript library “React Js”, and MongoDB for data storage and management.

Inventory management system:

I also had the privilege of contributing to a project that revolutionized the day-to-day operations of a large institution. The aim was to develop a user-friendly, fully functional, and interactive system to replace the manual handling of files and stock within the institution. Previously, the institution relied on a paper-based approach, where employees filled out file templates and submitted them to their unit directors for approval. Approved files were then forwarded to the department heads, while rejected files required corrections from the employees. Finally, only after securing approval from the general director, were the files stored in folders.   

Key Features:

Worker Registration: We implemented a system for registering workers based on their roles in the institution, with permissions granted according to their assigned roles.

File Templates: All files now had templates in the system, allowing users to easily fill and submit them.

File Tracking: Every update or change in the file's status triggered notifications to the respective workers, ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the system.

Stock Management: We introduced features to add items to stock, check all items and their quantities in stock, and manage inventory efficiently.

Challenges:

We initially developed the system in Python using the Django framework. However, during the deployment stage, we discovered that the institution's servers only accepted PHP systems. This necessitated rebuilding the system in PHP. Fortunately, we already had the database configured, which eased the transition process. 

Despite facing tight deadlines, the project fostered my personal growth. I dedicated long hours to the task, focusing on achieving tangible results each day. Witnessing the system running seamlessly made the effort worthwhile.

This project taught me the importance of delving deeper into user requirements to truly understand their needs. It also underscored the value of embracing challenges as opportunities for growth and learning.

Epiphany and Career Transition: 

Working on these projects unveiled the vast potential of data generated by software solutions. Realizing the immense possibilities inherent in that data was a turning point in my career journey. This newfound understanding ignited a passion for data science within me, as I recognized its ability to unlock invaluable insights and drive innovation across diverse sectors.  Discovering the field of data science aligned perfectly with my childhood dreams of pursuing a cross-cutting career with a global impact. Without hesitation, my admission into a master’s program at the African Center of Excellence in Data Science propelled this journey forward. As Clive Humby famously said, "Data is the new Oil," emphasizing the invaluable role that data plays in shaping our modern world.

Transition to Current Role:  

As a data scientist with a background in software engineering, I find myself at the intersection of two dynamic fields, each offering its own set of challenges and opportunities. Reflecting on my journey so far, I am reminded of the childhood dreams that ignited my passion for a career path that transcends traditional boundaries. With three years of experience in software engineering under my belt and now a year immersed in the world of data science, I have come to realize the immense potential that lies in merging these two domains.

Navigating the Convergence:

With the hopes of being like the man in the red circle,

I am driven by a curiosity instinct to explore new horizons and push the boundaries of innovation. Fueled by this curiosity and a desire to leverage my software engineering skills, I seek to develop robust data pipelines, scalable architectures, and innovative solutions that bridge the gap between data acquisition and actionable insights. By harnessing the power of data science techniques such as predictive analytics, anomaly detection, and optimization algorithms, I aim to empower organizations across diverse industries to make informed decisions and drive strategic planning initiatives.

Continuous Growth and Gratitude:

With a deep commitment to continuous growth and a profound sense of gratitude for the opportunity provided by Pontem Analytics, I am enthusiastic about contributing my expertise to this transformative endeavor. Together, we will harness the power of technology and data-driven methodologies to drive progress and innovation in the oil and gas industry, shaping a brighter future for all stakeholders involved.

At Pontem Analytics, I collaborate with a team of exceptionally skilled, driven, and seasoned professionals in the ambitious pursuit of advancing data science applications within various sectors mainly the oil and gas sector. We are currently working on the development of a sophisticated Python parsing library tailored specifically to Pontem Analytics. This comprehensive library is meticulously designed to encompass a spectrum of functionalities, including robust data preprocessing and cleaning mechanisms. we ensure the integrity and quality of the data before analysis. Moreover, our library facilitates complex calculations essential for various analytical tasks within the domain and has the flexibility to be imported and used in Excel.

I am looking forward to expanding my horizons and diving deeper from machine learning which is essentially where the machine learns from a large volume of data to machine teaching with deep reinforcement learning we can build intelligent machines that can learn from their previous actions.