Taofiki

Software Engineer

Taofiki is a software engineer – a self-described digital magician. He plays an integral part in connecting our consumers with data in ways that really work for them, making clever data really accessible and useable. He’s up for every challenge, and sees every day as an opportunity to learn, develop and discover new things...

Can you tell us how you spend your days at Qlik Taofiki?

“The best way to sum it up is that I’m a digital magician! My job is to make sure your technology is really good at analysing the data to give the insight you need to make better decisions for your business.”

When did you join Qlik and did we live up to your expectations?

“I was really interested in the problem Qlik solves for customers. But the funny thing was, I almost took another job! I was offered a role elsewhere, but the Qlik team persuaded me that I’d be happier here.

“The reality was actually better than I expected. Everyone’s really friendly, and even when deadlines are tight, it never feels that way – that’s really important for software engineers. I want it to feel like fun, and that’s what it’s like at Qlik. We do good, but it doesn’t feel like work. Most people are there for the joy of it, though the compensation is good too.”

What have you learned since joining the Qlik team?

“The importance of data in the modern world. Data is the next crude oil and we need to make is accessible for everyone.”

What’s the most unexpected thing about working with Qlik?

“That every experience – good or bad – is actually a good one. Even when things don’t go as planned, you learn new ways to do things right and one less way not to do things!

“I’ve also had some pretty crazy customer encounters. I was on holiday in Africa, and a friend of a friend who works in banking got chatting to us. They discovered that I worked for Qlik, and suddenly I was giving a masterclass on how to get the most out of different features!”

Where do you see yourself in a few years time?

“I want to be the ‘go to guy’ for enterprise software development and I am working towards that daily. I’d also like to lead my team and learn new skills in management. To be honest, I’m an entrepreneur by heart, and one day I’d probably like launch my own solution. Qlik’s a good grounding for that. And the autonomy and flexible, project-based working makes you feel like a mini entrepreneur already, running your own day!”