Sometimes we forget the humans behind the tech in our ever busy world. DSF is fortunate enough to know some incredible tech leaders across the world and has the privilege of hearing them present at our events. That being said, our Speaker Spotlight sets the stage to get to know our speakers on a more personal level and connect them with our growing community. Read the mini interview below!

A bit about Katie:

I have nearly a decade of experience building and delivering data products in both large enterprises and scaling organisations. I currently work at Future Anthem, a company specialising in AI within the gaming industry, focusing on personalising the player experience. Here, I am a Product manager responsible for Analytics and Measurement, where I help clients measure the impact of our AI interventions. At home, I have 2 children aged 1 and 2 and a cockapoo dog. I am also an advocate for women and mothers working in tech and am trying to do more in this space. If you’d like to know more, please feel free to connect on my linkedin here.

How did you start out in your tech career?

It was a decision I made around the age of 15, most likely because my Dad had worked in tech for most of his career, and who always looked quite important with his suit and briefcase. I went on to study my undergraduate in the school of Computing Science at Newcastle University, and after about a year of working in software development, I knew I wanted to pivot in a new direction. After reading the story about Target predicting a customer’s pregnancy before her Dad knew, I learnt a bit more about data and predictive technologies and decided that was right for me. By chance at the same time, my previous boss from Disney asked if I wanted to return to work in their Business Intelligence department. Once I had changed roles, I enrolled in a part time MSc in Data Science with Edinburgh University.

What are the signs of success in your field?

There are a small number of companies who separate Product Managers into two types; inbound and outbound. The inbound role focuses on working internally with the development team or data scientists, and the outbound centres more on liasing with clients, marketing and understanding the market and competitors. For me, I think a successful PM must be somebody that is comfortable moving between the two roles. Without the external knowledge (outbound), you cannot direct the product in the right direction. And without the internal competency (inbound) it would be difficult to execute the direction correctly.

What is the best and worst thing about your job role?

The best thing about my job is the number of different people I get to work with and the range of different tasks I get to complete on a daily basis. I can be in one meeting working on a technical solution with our data scientists, the next with product marketing working out how to market a feature, and the third on a pitch with a new client. I like that I get to use both analytical and creative parts of my brain as part of my job.

The hardest thing is probably managing the demands of having young children with a job that has a lot of autonomy. I love that in my job I am trusted to make a lot of decisions, but on the days when a child’s been sick in the night or I’m running on low sleep, the reality is I haven’t got 100% of my brain power at my disposal. I try to be strict in other areas of my life such as eating well and not drinking too much caffeine to counteract the lack of sleep.

What can you advise someone just starting out to be successful?

I have been thinking about this recently as I’m currently involved in a recruitment drive for an intern programme. I think the two main attributes that make somebody stand out early in their career is their ability to work hard and to independently find solutions. I always remember early on in my career when a major technical issue had arisen with a live website, the highly-respected engineering manager was pulled aside and questioned as to why he had not yet raised the issue to the senior business stakeholders. He said ‘my job is not to come to you with problems but solutions, and I haven’t worked one out yet.’ That’s stuck with me throughout my career that even if a problem seems insurmountable, presenting it with the best possible solutions normally gives the news a better response.

How do you switch off?

Although most of my time is spent with my kids, I try to go to 2 yoga classes a week and have set myself a challenge of reading a book a month this year. I’ve found I can read twice the pace by reading one real book when I have a chance to sit down, and another on audible for when I’m on the move. Game changer!

What advice would you give your younger self?

Start networking earlier. I remember being younger and not understanding why all these senior people would go on about having a network. As I’ve progressed in my career and particularly since moving into the gaming industry, I really now see the value in having a wide number of connections in different businesses and different roles. This can be as easy as adding somebody on Linkedin after a meeting with them, which can seem a bit less daunting then attending things like networking events. 

What is next for you?

After recently transitioning to Analytics and Measurement I am currently finding my feet and seeing how the role will grow. I’d eventually like to start my own business and get a yoga teaching qualification but Id like my kids to be a bit older for both those things. 

If you could do anything now, what would you do? Why?

It feels like the right time to start looking at a new qualification or a side course, I just haven’t decided what yet! 

What are your top 5 predictions in tech for the next 5 years?

  1. Precision medicine will be the norm

There are some incredible companies moving mountains in the medical space that haven’t yet reached the masses. ZOE is probably the most well-known, Toku eyes and Myogenes are others that help better diagnose and treat patients using a personalised approach. I think as these technologies develop and become more affordable, this high standard of healthcare will become the norm and we will all benefit.

  1. No more passwords

I think password managers will be a thing of the best as biometric markers become more widely used. As facial recognition scales and improves, Id like to see two factor authentication move to be voice and facial recognition rather than a password and a separate code. Despite the privacy concerns it would be so much easier for users.

  1. AI-Regulation

Although AI is expanding, the touch points with an average person are still relatively low. I’m sure that as this increases regulations will become much stricter on signposting when AI is in use, dictating limitations around how it can be used and giving the option to opt out. Although there are existing guidelines, these are not yet legally enforced.

  1. Data Designers

I think this is a skillset that is greatly missing since the data era began. And possibly one of the reasons why many companies are struggling to be truly data driven. In previous companies Ive seen many individuals have access to extensive dashboards, but they aren’t sure how to use them to drive insights. I think the demand for the skillset of UX professionals who specialise in data will excel in the next 5 years.

  1. Diversity just happens

I’d really like to think that five years is long enough for diversity to stop being an issue. By 2029 there ideally should be representation from all minorities at C-suite levels as a reflection of the general population. There’s so much good work already going on in this space so I think we just need to keep heading in the right direction.

Watch Katie’s session with the Data Science Festival here.

Thank you to all our wonderful speakers for taking part in our Speaker Spotlight!

Want to become a DSF Speaker? Apply here!