My AI and Web Development Journey

I’ve recently embarked on an exciting journey into AI and web development, leveraging my experience as a product manager at Ooredoo to explore new technical frontiers. Having successfully managed digital products and led cross-functional teams throughout my career, I’m now building the technical skills to complement my business expertise.

The Beginning: From Product Management to Code

My background in managing digital content and new verticals at Ooredoo gave me firsthand exposure to technology implementation, but always from the business side. I worked extensively with development teams on product specifications, feature prioritization, and user testing, which sparked my curiosity about the technical underpinnings of these digital products.

After completing my Bachelor’s in Business Management with Marketing (achieving First Class Honors with a 3.91 CGPA), I decided to pursue a Master’s in Business Analytics at Sunway University. This program has become my gateway into the technical world of data science and AI.

Current Skills: Building the Foundation

I’m currently in the early learning stages, focusing on:

  • Programming: Learning Python and R for data analysis and model building
  • Web Development: Getting comfortable with HTML, CSS, and basic JavaScript
  • Data Visualization: Practicing with Tableau and PowerBI to create meaningful insights
  • Machine Learning: Understanding fundamental algorithms and their applications

My product management experience has proven invaluable in this learning process. Concepts like user requirements, feature prioritization, and solution testing have direct parallels in the development world, helping me maintain a practical perspective on technical implementation.

First Projects: Applying What I’ve Learned

I’ve started working on several small projects to apply my emerging skills:

  • Currently building a website for a local company called FoiyFoshi, which I’ve taken on pro bono to gain practical experience while helping a business establish their online presence
  • Built a basic portfolio website using HTML and CSS to practice web development fundamentals
  • Created data visualizations of telecom customer behavior using Python and Matplotlib
  • Developed a simple predictive model to analyze patterns in service adoption rates

These initial projects are modest in scope but have been crucial for cementing my understanding of core concepts. The FoiyFoshi website has been particularly valuable as it involves real client requirements, content management, and responsive design considerations – challenges that textbooks alone couldn’t provide.

Challenges and Learnings

The learning curve has been steep, particularly in areas like:

  • Debugging Code: Learning to troubleshoot errors systematically rather than through trial and error
  • Algorithm Selection: Understanding which machine learning approaches fit different business problems
  • Technical Terminology: Mastering the vocabulary of development to communicate effectively
  • Balancing Theory with Practice: Finding the right mix of conceptual learning and hands-on application

I’ve learned to embrace these challenges as growth opportunities. Each obstacle overcome strengthens my technical foundation and builds confidence in tackling more complex problems.

The Road Ahead: Bridging Business and Technology

My goal isn’t to become a full-time developer but rather to become a more effective product leader by understanding the technical aspects of digital product development. I envision creating innovative AI-enhanced solutions that leverage both my business acumen and technical knowledge.

In the near term, I plan to:

  • Learn how to create the basics of website development and AI augmentation
  • Explore how AI can enhance digital content experiences for better user engagement

As I continue this journey, I’m excited to bridge the gap between business strategy and technical implementation, creating solutions that deliver genuine value while being technically sound.

What’s been most rewarding is seeing how my product management experience provides unique perspective on technology applications. Understanding user needs, business requirements, and market dynamics helps me focus my technical learning on solutions that solve real problems rather than technology for its own sake.

I look forward to continuing this journey of growth and exploration at the intersection of business and technology.