Datahunt is a collaborative

Datahunt helps you get purposeful AI data faster and more accurately than anyone else. Hundreds of thousands of customizations have been produced using our AI platform. Who's behind these clever solutions? Before there were developers, there were planners. Today, we spoke with Seokjin Seo, a planner on the Product team, about the future of DataHunt.

Q1. Hello, Seokjin. It's a pleasure to meet you, could you please introduce yourself briefly?

A. I'm Seokjin Seo, a planner on the Product team at DataHunt.

The Product team is responsible for managing the overall product of DataHunt. Once the business team sets the direction for the product, we check what kind of product is needed overall and plan the product in detail. We organize the specifications for the project and handle the process. I manage the product across the business field, development, and planning.

Q2 Did you always work in planning?

Yes. At my previous company, I was in charge of planning in different industries. I worked insecurity, blockchain, and education. In my last job, I was interested in AI, and I thought that in the near future, AI will be used in more diverse fields than it is now, and I felt the need to prepare for that.

At DataHunt, I was able to process a variety of AI data. I thought that I could develop experiential knowledge of AI by collaborating with other companies under the big project of data processing. In fact, working at DataHunt, I had many opportunities to learn how different businesses use AI. While creating our own solutions, I was able to read the flow of the development process and the business as a whole.There are a lot of AI companies out there, but I don't think there are many that can combine that experience.

Q3. During your time at DataHunt, were there any moments or experiences that made you realize you were a good fit, or what made DataHunt different from other companies?

A lot of things, and as I mentioned earlier, it's great to be able to work on different aspects of the business. Right now, the product team at DataHunt consists of two designers, Sojeong Park, who manages UI/UX and visual design, and myself. It's a small team, but we collaborate with other departments organically, so I feel like I'm learning something new every day.

In general, in traditional companies, decision-making power is often delegated to decision-makers or concentrated. There are also departments that have a lot of power in the company, so the workflow is decided around them. But it's a little different at DataHunt. We basically create an environment where employees can work autonomously. You need to be able to work independently and proactively solve problems.

Technically, I'm the only one who works on planning, but when it comes to business and operations, the CEO and related departments help me a lot, so I don't feel like I'm working alone, but it's good to be pushed to find and do things on my own. I feel trusted by the organization.

Q4. As a planner, what is your blueprint for the future of Datahunt? I'm curious about the future direction of Datahunt.

To answer this question, I think we should first point out the current state of Datahunt, which is the easiest way for companies to access AI. We stand out in the industry for collecting and processing data. Currently, there are many in-house-oriented projects. Gradually, our services will be available to a wide variety of people in an open environment.

In the near future,DataHunt will develop universal AI that can be used in real life. With our upcoming platform, we will facilitate the adoption of AI in enterprises and enable them to use it more actively. I think it's already somewhat outlined, and we're in the process of implementing a number of features.

Our long-term goal is to enable customers who are interested in AI to choose and use AI that fits their situation. Currently, there is a strong perception that AI can only be manipulated with specialized knowledge, and its use is often limited to business rather than real life. We envision a future where anyone can easily use AI in their daily lives without the help of developers and without any development knowledge.

Q5 I can't wait for the day when AI developed by DataHunt will help me in my work. In addition to achieving the company's goals, do you have a vision for the future of Datahunt?

Right now, Datahunt's main business is data processing and collection, so that's what I'm focusing on, and it's important for that to continue to grow. After that, my personal goal is to build a product that goes one step further than what we have now.

I want to make a solid product, launch it, and get real feedback from users about it. How exciting it would be to see a model that I planned from A to Z go out into the world. For that moment, I will continue to run with long breaths now and in the future.

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Q6. You say you're a planner from Mars and a developer from Venus. In your work, how do you deal with conflicts or difficulties in coordination with developers?

It's not easy, actually. I think it's something that most companies struggle with, but I think there are definitely ways to bridge that communication gap.

I'm pretty knowledgeable about development, so it's not that hard for me to communicate with them, especially in terms of the resources and man-hours that they need to get things done. I still tend to make simple development fixes that they don't need to spend time on, and I try not to make unreasonable demands on the schedule in the first place. Our developers are not good at saying no. (Laughs)

However, I try not to be too biased towards the planners or developers when I'm working on a product or project. Ultimately, I think the planner's job is to unify and center the different departments, and I try to do that as a mediator, because I think most companies these days empower the development team. I think that's what companies want their planners to do, to make sure the business works.

For example, let's say we get a request from a customer to add a feature, and the development team looks at the request and says it's not possible to do it in the timeframe, and we don't say, "Oh, we can't cut it," but we respond to that, and we try to align the timelines, and we try to make the best possible deliverable that we can for both parties first. From there, we'll make sure we're monitoring and making sure we're doing things in a way that complements the system. It's about finding the most efficient way to solve problems with the people and time available.

Q7 Do you have any advice for new planners or aspiring planners as a senior planner?

There aren't as many juniors aspiring to be planners as I thought, but....... If there are, I would like to leave these words. First, make sure you take care of everything thoroughly. For example, the habit of taking notes and the attitude of checking even the smallest things are important.

Second, I think it's important to open your mind to various businesses, even if it's not necessarily planning. Using the example of a planner in IT, I think you need to have some understanding in at least three areas: development, business, and users, but it's difficult to have a perfect understanding in all areas. You need to have a general understanding of all of them and be able to communicate with people in those areas. Then you need to dive deep into the areas that you're interested in or that you're good at and specialize in them. You may think it's only one of the three, but the knowledge you've gained will definitely come back to you at some point.

Finally, you need to be a relentless explorer. I don't think you can be a good planner if you just 'see' things or phenomena, you need to analyze the structure and think about the intent, and I think insights come from this mindset, without saying too much.

Q8 Please share a pleasant memory of working at Datahunt.

When I first interviewed at DataHunt, I had a really good impression of the CEO and other team members, and I knew that I wanted to work with them, and that still holds true today. I'm sure other members of the team have said the same thing, but it's not arm twisting, there are a lot of really nice people.

I don't think I've ever had any major conflicts in my career, because everyone's been so understanding, and I think there's a real sense of looking out for each other's needs, whether it's professional or personal, even if it means sacrificing a little bit yourself, even if it means working a little bit more. I'd say there's a much more mature culture of collaboration than I've seen at other companies.

I think it's definitely a good environment to be a planner, because you're basically trying to convince people, and if they're not going to listen to you, you're screwed.People at Datahunt are very open-minded, and they're very good at listening to people, so it's very pleasant to work with.

I think the most enjoyable and rewarding parts of my job are when I'm a good mediator, where I have to step in and respond to client needs that have been communicated to me through the operations team. I enjoy the ease and speed with which I'm able to accomplish these tasks, especially when I'm able to solve them quickly and accurately in ways that I hadn't originally thought of. It's not easy to have fun at work, but at DataHunt, I do.