Project Pulse with Alok

(Agile Expertise | AI-Driven Insights | Coaching, Mentoring, Monitoring & Scaling | Azure & AWS Optimizer)

Summary of Experience

I am a versatile professional with extensive experience in project management, cloud technologies, and data analytics. Over the years, I have led cross-functional teams, developed scalable cloud architectures using AWS and Azure, and implemented AI-driven project solutions that have transformed business workflows. My journey includes guiding organizations through Agile transformations, leveraging Scrum and Kanban methodologies, and enabling data-driven decision-making.

I excel at building high-performance teams and fostering environments where innovation thrives. My expertise bridges the gap between technology and business needs, ensuring successful outcomes. Let's collaborate to drive your next project forward, delivering impactful results and sustainable growth.

Journey Brief

Personal Growth and Self Discovery

In the fast-evolving world, we can't simply rely on the work opportunities provided by our jobs. We must explore ourselves, especially when there are so many platforms available to enhance our skills and broaden our knowledge. This journey has been about self-discovery and pushing beyond the boundaries of my professional environment to reach new horizons.

Area of Excellence Summary
Excelled in Azure I gained extensive experience working with the Azure Portal, utilizing both free and paid services. From deploying Virtual Machines for testing to leveraging Azure Functions for serverless operations, I explored a wide range of Azure services. This included using Azure Storage for hosting and managing data, implementing Azure SQL Database for data persistence, and experimenting with Azure Machine Learning Studio to understand its potential for AI solutions.
Excelled in AWS My journey with AWS revolved around hands-on experience using the AWS Console. I worked with Amazon S3 for data storage and backup, used EC2 instances for deploying scalable applications, and explored AWS IAM to manage access and permissions effectively. Additionally, I engaged in using AWS Lambda to automate processes, creating serverless workflows that saved both time and resources.
Data Analytics and Data Engineering I embarked on several projects to hone my skills in data analytics and engineering. These included:
  • Customer Purchase Analysis: A project aimed at understanding customer purchase behavior using Power BI and Azure Synapse Analytics.
  • ETL Pipeline Creation: Built ETL pipelines using AWS Glue, transforming raw datasets into insightful reports for business decision-making.
  • Sales Dashboard: Created interactive dashboards in Tableau to visualize sales data, providing insights for strategic planning.
These projects not only enhanced my understanding of data pipelines but also helped me create visual tools for better business insights.
Python Python has been my go-to language for data analysis and automation. I used Python libraries like Pandas and NumPy to perform complex data transformations, Matplotlib and Seaborn for visualizations, and Scikit-Learn for building machine learning models. These projects ranged from analyzing customer sentiment in e-commerce reviews to automating repetitive tasks, which enhanced my productivity and provided impactful data insights.
Self-Learning To keep myself updated and certified in the latest project management methodologies, I successfully obtained PMP (Project Management Professional) and PMI-ACP (Agile Certified Practitioner) certifications. These certifications have enabled me to understand project management from both a traditional and agile perspective, applying best practices in various scenarios.
Generative AI Leveraging my growing interest in AI, I focused on Generative AI and its implications for project management. I completed the following courses from the Project Management Institute (PMI):
  • Data Landscape of GenAI for Project Managers: Understanding the key concepts and applications of generative AI in project data analysis.
  • Generative AI Overview for Project Managers: A broad overview of how generative AI can support project planning, execution, and risk management.
  • Talking to AI: Prompt Engineering for Project Managers: Learning effective communication with AI systems through prompt engineering, enhancing my ability to interact with AI tools to extract meaningful insights.
This self-driven learning helped me integrate cutting-edge AI technologies into my project management strategies, enhancing overall efficiency and effectiveness.

Now, it's my promise to myself: this Self Discovery will be my endless journey. Connect with me to be part of this innovative and satisfying journey.

Leading Strategic Initiatives and Driving Impact

In my tenure at Jabil, I've leveraged a blend of technical expertise and project management to lead pivotal IT initiatives, driving innovation and efficiency. I have managed IT programs for Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) and the Project Management Office (PMO), ensuring alignment with corporate objectives and achieving significant improvements in operational performance.

Area of Excellence Summary
Business & System Analyst Developed in-depth requirement analyses, aligning business goals with technical solutions to ensure impactful outcomes. Led requirement workshops, collaborated with stakeholders, and ensured the seamless implementation of systems that supported business growth.
Scrum Master & Agile Transformation Successfully transitioned projects from traditional methodologies to Agile-Scrum, significantly improving project efficiency and team collaboration. This transformation led to faster, more adaptable development processes, providing value to the business more rapidly.
Kanban Implementation Implemented Kanban methodology for production support (incident management), resulting in more effective issue resolution and reducing response times for critical support activities.
Agile Coaching & Scaled Practices Mentored four Scrum teams, grooming new Scrum Masters and fostering a culture of continuous learning. Scaled Agile practices by implementing the Tribe model, ensuring alignment of cross-functional units with overarching business objectives.
IT Program Leadership in EHS Owned and led the IT program for Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) for Jabil, rolling out five projects across 20 countries and 98 locations. Focused on driving compliance, sustainability, and leveraging technology to improve health and safety outcomes on a global scale.
Cloud and Data Analytics Expertise Leveraged cloud technologies, including Azure Virtual Machines, Amazon S3, and EC2, to design scalable solutions. Created real-time dashboards using Power BI and Tableau, which enabled stakeholders to track metrics effectively. Built automated ETL pipelines with AWS Glue, enhancing data accuracy and availability for business decision-making.
Azure DevOps Mastery Extensively utilized Azure DevOps, from designing project templates to managing backlogs, workflows, test cases, repositories, and dashboards. Integrated Azure DevOps with Power BI to visualize project performance metrics, helping drive data-driven project management decisions.
Vendor Collaboration & Stakeholder Management Managed resource planning, vendor relationships, and stakeholder expectations effectively. Collaborated with multiple vendors to ensure project requirements were met on time and within budget, while maintaining clear and consistent communication with stakeholders across different teams.
Project Budgeting & Costing Utilized ServiceNow for project budgeting and cost analysis. Ensured adherence to budget targets while optimizing resources to maintain operational efficiency.

As I reflect on my journey, I've constantly evolved, embracing new challenges, and wearing multiple hats—from Agile transformations to leveraging cloud and data analytics. Connect with me to be part of this transformative and impactful journey.

Agile Leadership and Technical Excellence at UST

During my tenure at UST as a Sr. System Analyst and Scrum Master, I spearheaded several high-impact projects, introduced Agile practices, and supported team growth, all while taking my initial "baby steps" into the world of cloud computing. This period was marked by my deepening technical expertise and a commitment to delivering value in a dynamic IT environment.

Area of Excellence Summary
High-Stakes Project Leadership Played a key role in executing four major projects for Intel Malaysia, managing budgets of up to $1.5M. Ensured projects were delivered on time and within budget, demonstrating strong project management skills and an ability to navigate complex challenges effectively.
Agile & Scrum Proficiency Managed product and sprint backlogs with Rally, achieving a 90% on-time delivery rate and high customer satisfaction. Directed sprint planning, standups, and retrospectives, reinforcing Agile discipline and contributing to consistent project success.
Product Owner Collaboration Worked closely with product owners to ensure that the product backlog was strategically aligned with business goals. Facilitated effective communication between the development team and stakeholders, ensuring that expectations were clearly defined and met.
Team Productivity & Development Led a six-member team, boosting productivity by promoting skills development and offering targeted support. Directed sprint tracking and task management, helping the team consistently meet or exceed performance targets while maintaining a culture of learning and improvement.
Technical Leadership & Cloud Exploration Led the development of multiple projects using a broad tech stack (.Net, Angular, SQL, TypeScript, JavaScript, APIs, web services). Began exploring cloud computing by integrating basic Azure services, taking the "baby steps" that laid the foundation for my future cloud expertise.
Quality Assurance Innovation Implemented Selenium WebDriver for test automation, reducing testing time by 50% and cutting bugs by 90%. This innovation significantly improved quality assurance efficiency and helped deliver high-quality, reliable software solutions.

My tenure at UST was a journey of agile transformation, technical leadership, and laying the foundation for cloud expertise. Connect with me and let’s embark on a transformative journey together.

My First Steps into the Agile World

My journey into Agile began during my time at WeblineIndia, where I was first introduced to its principles. When asked in an interview, "What do you mean by Agile?" I replied, "Agile welcomes changes and brings agility." Looking back, I still don't know if my answer was stupid or impressive, but it marked the start of my passion for Agile methodologies. I led a 16-member team across multiple projects, forming small Scrum teams and initiating the use of product backlogs and work breakdowns.

Area of Excellence Summary
Technical Innovation & Leadership Spearheaded the development of large-scale projects using a comprehensive Microsoft tech stack, including .Net, C#, WPF, SQL, Angular2, TypeScript, MVC, VB.Net, HTML5, WCF, SOA, and WEB API. My technical guidance ensured the delivery of high-quality solutions that met client needs and project specifications.
Client Collaboration & Project Management Built robust partnerships with diverse clientele, managing multiple projects simultaneously. My emphasis on strong communication and project management practices increased customer satisfaction by 30%, ensuring that client requirements were consistently met and exceeded.
Team Development & Mentorship Led and mentored a 16-member team, focusing on skills development and fostering a collaborative environment. This effort not only enhanced team cohesion but also reduced turnover by 40%, building a strong, resilient project team.
Agile Leadership & Productivity Initiated the adoption of Agile practices, forming three smaller Scrum teams within the group. Introduced tools like Jira and Confluence for project requirement and backlog management, enhancing productivity by 40%. This was my first "baby step" into the Agile world, streamlining processes and laying the foundation for a more efficient Agile work environment.
Scrum Adoption and Sprint Management Led the adoption of Scrum practices, ensuring projects were delivered on time and within budget. Directed sprint planning, tracking, and reporting, producing detailed status reports and burndown charts, which improved transparency and increased customer satisfaction by 30%.

My journey into Agile was a turning point, shaping my approach to software development and project management. The lessons I learned during this time have become the foundation of my career. Connect with me to explore how we can create impactful, agile-driven solutions together.

My First Steps in the World of IT

My journey into IT began with software development using Visual Studio 2005 at Meena Infosystem Pvt Ltd, followed by roles as a Programmer at VB Soft India Ltd and later as a Team Leader at Arth Infosoft. This phase marked my evolution from a Junior Developer to taking on leadership roles, feeling the first heat of being responsible for guiding a team.

Area of Excellence Summary
Technical Leadership & Development at Arth Infosoft Directed and participated in the development of web applications using MVC, ASP.Net, C#, and SQL. My dual role involved managing project deliverables while contributing to coding, testing, and documentation, resulting in successful project outcomes that met client specifications.
Systems Analysis & Requirements Management Performed systems analysis to capture and prioritize end-user requirements, leading to interactive applications with dynamic and static content. My focus on accurate requirements gathering ensured that end solutions closely matched user needs.
Mentorship & Team Development Led a five-member team, fostering skills growth and reducing turnover by 40%. Balancing leadership and hands-on development, I was able to guide the team effectively, building strong cohesion and delivering projects successfully.
ERP Software Development at VB Soft India Contributed to the creation of an ERP software for a Pathological Lab, utilizing technologies like C#, Ajax, MS SQL, and Crystal Reports. This tailored solution improved healthcare operational efficiency, showcasing my technical proficiency and domain-specific adaptability.
Application Integration & UAT Facilitation Worked on integrating pathological test equipment using WPF, improving performance and user experience. Facilitated User Acceptance Testing (UAT), incorporating feedback to refine applications, ensuring software aligned with client requirements and expectations.
Junior Software Engineer at Meena Infosystem Pvt Ltd Engaged in software development using ASP.Net, VB.Net, C#, SQL, and AJAX, contributing to the creation of reliable software. Focused on unit testing and quality assurance to ensure the stability of the code, and collaborated with QA to resolve bugs effectively, delivering quality solutions.

This period laid the foundation for my career, where I grew from a junior developer to a technical lead, balancing coding, mentorship, and leadership responsibilities. Connect with me to discover how these early experiences shaped my approach to IT and team leadership today.

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