Each month, we recognize a K2 consultant whose outstanding performance, expertise, and unwavering commitment have led to exceptional client feedback on their recent projects. This month, the K2 Consultant of the Month is Gabriela Marques de Sá Storino, an SAP Senior Workflow Consultant. Find out more by reading her interview below:
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
"My story with the SAP system began in April 1999, when I transitioned from software development for the financial market to pursue a career in ABAP. Since then, I have worked on large and medium-sized implementation projects, as well as on AMS.
In 2001, I attended the Workflow Academy at SAP and specialized in this area. In fact, it's the part I most enjoy working in because it allows us to drastically improve clients' business results, facilitating a broad view of processes and the progress of tasks; it enhances collaboration and communication between employees, enables better identification of production bottlenecks, and brings significant financial savings to companies.
During these 25 years working with SAP, I have had the opportunity to participate in several successful projects, lead technical teams, and recently manage the ABAP Factory of an SAP partner company in Rio de Janeiro."
Tell us a little about your most recent K2 project.
"My most recent project at K2 was on a leading brewing company’s AMS. It was challenging due to the size of the client group, the scope of operations carried out within the SAP System, and the many integrations that SAP has with other systems. It was also extremely important for the 24x7 operation of this company. The biggest challenge was to ensure that operations did not stop and to provide quick and accurate responses to problems. But the K2 support team is very competent and engaged, and I had the opportunity to witness everyone's commitment to the customer, demonstrating great professionalism and dedication."
What do you enjoy most about your job?
"To work in development, you must enjoy solving computational problems and providing customers with the necessary tools, such as reports, programs, and functionalities in the SAP system, so that they can carry out their day-to-day work in the best possible way with simplicity and accurate results.
I enjoy understanding the problem, analyzing the best solution, building the solution, and seeing the customer's satisfaction in receiving exactly—or even better than—what they asked for. Effective communication, collaboration with the entire project team, understanding the customer's needs, and continually learning about the SAP platform and its possibilities are essential efforts in working as an ABAP and Workflow developer.
It is a constant challenge because, over these 25 years, SAP has grown, and currently, the company is responsible for managing 87% of total world trade. We SAP professionals end up becoming a big family that embraces more and more members every day."
How do you think AI will impact your field over the next couple of years?
"AI will impact my field in many ways, but something I find most relevant in my day-to-day life as an ABAP developer is the use of AI in automating code reviews, detecting and fixing bugs, and optimizing code for performance.
AI can significantly enhance code quality in SAP ABAP development. Machine learning algorithms can analyze historical data to identify patterns that lead to errors and suggest or implement fixes. AI tools can also predict potential issues before they occur, ensuring a stable and reliable system. Additionally, AI can generate comprehensive test cases based on code changes and user behavior, reducing the likelihood of bugs in production.
Continuous learning from new code and user feedback, along with AI's ability to maintain high code quality over time, will enable developers like me to create more robust and efficient applications."
What advice would you give to someone who is starting out as a freelance IT consultant?
"Here are some key points that have helped me during my career:
Build a strong network
Continuously update your skills
Improve and maintain fluency in English
Take online courses and, if possible, attend face-to-face ones
Participate in forums
Stay focused
Be persistent and resilient
Good communication is essential
Listen more and talk less
Deliver high-quality work"
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If you’re an IT consultant looking for your next opportunity, or if you’re a client looking for help staffing a project, contact us today.
