A day at Datacadabra: our project manager

Digital intelligence takes many forms: artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, data science, you name it. Within Datacadabra, almost all forms are used, depending on the client's needs. For example, the MowHawk is an application to mow roadsides smarter and an example of Computer Vision using image recognition. A completely different technical focus is the Luistervinq, an application to map the use of outdoor spaces, it uses sound recognition instead of image recognition. We would also like our business developers and project managers to tell us what they do within Datacadabra, so we asked Ellis a few questions.

Ellis Olde Wieverink is project manager at Datacadabra and she is mainly concerned with all aspects of project management. She describes her job as versatile: Most of my time I am busy with project management tasks including project administration and coordination, such as project planning, billing and reporting, but I am also involved in the marketing of Datacadabra. This may sound like an unusual combination, but it was formed that way because I have a background in this and because Datacadabra is a startup, there is a lot of flexibility in terms of work and it is possible to take on a variety of tasks.

Being able to do both jobs, she finds her work a nice variety of tasks and very educational.

A typical workday begins as it does for many at Datacadabra: with a good cup of tea. “With a good cup of tea, I start work around 8:00 a.m.: I go through the day, prepare meetings, check my to do list and start my work. On a typical workday, I go over the progress of all the current projects and usually there are also a number of project meetings scheduled on a day in which progress is discussed and any questions or problems encountered. I am also involved with project schedules, invoicing and reporting.

In addition to project management, she also works on the marketing of Datacadabra: 'About one or two days a week I also deal with the marketing of Datacadabra. On those days I write and post content, and we internally discuss strategy, content content, communications and any trade shows or events relevant to Datacadabra.'

As Data Scientists told us earlier, Datacadabra is working with other partners on a major project. This project also falls under Ellis' scope of work. This requires scheduling several meetings each week, preparing weekly progress reports and tracking overall progress.

There will also be a number of new projects and clients for Datacadabra in the new year, something Ellis is preparing for in terms of project coordination. She says she is scheduling work and staff for this and organizes a kick-off meeting with the client at the start of the project. 

With regard to marketing, things are currently busy at Datacadabra.

Work is in full swing on strategy, interpretation and online and offline visibility. In addition, Datacadabra will be at technology fair CES® in Las Vegas from January 5 to 7, for which a lot needs to be done in terms of marketing and visibility.

When asked what she likes most about working at Datacadabra, she mentions the combination of people and tasks. The variety of work allows me to learn from many aspects and to develop myself further in several areas. The team at Datacadabra is very friendly and helpful, which makes working together easy. Even if you run into problems or do not quite understand something, there is always someone willing to help or give advice.

The last question is about what Ellis is most proud of within Datacadabra. I guess that is the growth you see in a short period of time. I have been working at Datacadabra for just under a year and since I started I have seen many changes. For example, the project management work has made many aspects clearer and more structured, and you can see that this contributes to making work easier and faster for everyone. For example, we now work with a clear system for project planning, and more standard documents have been created, including reports and overviews. Together with a colleague I brainstormed a lot about how this could best be done and finally to be able to use it in practice and to hear from colleagues that they like the fact that there is now more overview internally, is very nice to hear. Then you know that your work has added value for everyone.