01 / The person behind the work

About Rukayat

I’m a Data Analyst, educator and consultant with a growing focus on AI and automation.

My work sits at the intersection of data, business problem-solving and practical technology. I use Data Analytics to help uncover what is happening, support better decisions and improve how work gets done, while also helping aspiring analysts build practical, job-ready skills through Ratafar Academy.

More recently, I have expanded this work into AI and automation, using them to support analysis, build useful tools and reduce repetitive processes.

Rukayat Rauf wearing a yellow hijab and camel coat
02 / The journey

How I got here

My journey into Data Analytics started during my final year studying Estate Management.

In 2019, I worked on a research project titled:

2019 · Estate Management researchThe Effect of Infrastructural Facilities Provision on Residential Housing Demand.
Discovery

Seeing what data could reveal

That project changed the way I saw data.

I watched raw survey responses and scattered information gradually turn into patterns, explanations and insights that could help someone understand a real problem better.

That was the point where my interest in data became something much deeper.

Practice

From learning to real business questions

From there, I started building practical skills in Excel, SQL, Power BI and Python, then moved from learning into applying those skills through client work, freelance projects and business analysis across areas such as sales, finance, marketing and operations.

Research

Taking the questions further

My academic journey later deepened that path through a Master’s in Management of Technology & Information Systems at ESIEE Paris.

My research focused on predictive analytics for IT project schedule delays, using machine learning to explore how data could help identify potential delivery risks earlier.

Education

From doing the work to teaching it

As my experience grew, teaching became a natural part of the journey.

I began helping aspiring analysts understand not just the tools, but how to think through business problems, analyse data properly and communicate useful insights.

That eventually became Ratafar Academy.

03 / A common thread

What ties my work together

Although my work now spans Data Analytics, teaching, AI and automation, the connection between them is simple:

I like turning complexity into something useful.

Data

With data, that means turning raw information into insight.

Business Analysis

With business analysis, it means understanding what the real problem is before proposing a solution.

Automation

With automation, it means identifying repetitive processes and finding a better way to handle them.

Teaching

With teaching, it means helping someone move from confusion to understanding.

The tools may change, but the goal remains the same: make information clearer, decisions better and work more effective.

04 / How I work

How I work

Start with the problem,
not the tool.

Before opening Power BI, Excel or any analytics platform, I first try to understand what the business or team is actually trying to achieve.

That means gathering requirements, asking relevant questions, understanding the context and identifying what decisions the analysis needs to support.

Only then do I decide what tools, methods or outputs make sense.

I also believe good analysis should be practical, evidence-led and easy to communicate.

A technically correct dashboard is not enough if the people using it cannot understand what it means or what action to take next.

05 / The next chapter

Beyond dashboards

Over time, I realised that some problems do not need another dashboard.

Sometimes the better solution is to automate a repetitive process, build a lightweight tool or use AI to speed up part of the work.

That is what led me to expand into AI and automation.

I now use AI alongside Data Analytics to support analysis, build digital tools, improve workflows and reduce repetitive tasks.

For me, AI is not a separate identity or a replacement for analytical thinking.

It is another capability I can use when it helps solve the problem more effectively.

That has led me to build things such as an AI-assisted website, a Data Analytics Job Finder, AI-supported analytics workflows and automated lead-handling systems.

Explore the work in Case Studies →
06 / The foundation

Education & credentials

Master’s degree

Management of Technology & Information Systems

ESIEE Paris

Distinction
Bachelor’s degree

Estate Management

Federal University of Technology, Akure

Professional Scrum Product Owner IScrum.org

Business Analyst NanodegreeUdacity

07 / Selected milestones

A few things I’ve built / done

  1. Delivered analytics and BI projects across sales, finance, marketing, operations and education.

  2. Built interactive Power BI dashboards for financial, marketing and sales performance analysis.

  3. Developed a predictive analytics solution for identifying IT project schedule-delay risk using machine learning.

  4. Founded Ratafar Academy to provide practical Data Analytics training in Excel, SQL and Power BI.

  5. Built an AI-assisted Data Analytics Job Finder MVP.

  6. Built AI automation workflows for lead handling and content publishing.

  7. Taught and mentored aspiring Data Analysts across different backgrounds and countries.

Explore the work behind the story.

See My WorkWork With Me