self introduce

Q1: Tell me about yourself

Sure. My name is Zhang Di. I graduated from Shandong University of Technology. My major was Physics, but my career has been focused on digital transformation and data automation. I worked at Coca-Cola’s Asia Pacific Technical Center as a Lab Digital Specialist, where I use tools like Python, SQL and Power Platform, which include Power BI, Power Automate, Power Apps and so on.

Q2: Tell me about your hometown.

I’m from Dongying, a city in Shandong Province. It’s located where the Yellow River flows into the sea. We also have spectacular “bird waves” in winter — thousands of birds fly together, changing shape in the air like ocean waves. If you’re interested, you’re welcome to visit.

Q3: What do you do in your spare time?

I like playing video games on Steam and reading books. I am reading Lonesome Dove this month, a classic Western novel by Larry McMurtry. I also like exploring new technologies and working on small coding projects.

Q4: What are your strengths?

I think my greatest strengths are that I learn quickly and think logically. For example, I taught myself Python and Power BI and have used them to solve real work problems. I’m also responsible and self-disciplined. When I set a goal, I make every effort to complete it on time.

Q5: What is your weakness?

I think my weakness is that I’m interest-driven. I work very hard when I’m passionate about a task, but I don't like repetitive work. if I do the same boring thing again and again, I may lose energy. Actually, this is one reason why I enjoyed building those automation tools in my previous jobs — it helps reduce repetitive work for myself and others.

Q6 Could you tell me more about your day-to-day work with Power BI at Coca-Cola?

Sure. My main responsibility is to turn raw data into actionable insights for lab teams. I typically handle the full cycle: gathering requirements from stakeholders, connecting to data sources like SQL databases and SharePoint lists, cleaning and transforming data with Power Query, building data models, and designing interactive dashboards in Power BI. I also create documentation and provide training so users can adopt the dashboards effectively.

Q7: What is your greatest achievement so far?

I would say the raw material early warning system, because it solved a real cross-functional problem, scaled across multiple countries, and combined automation, AI, and data visualization elegantly. It also changed how people viewed digital tools in the lab.

Q8: What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced at work?

The biggest challenge was building the raw material early warning system. The data came from multiple countries, and people described issues in very different ways — there was no standard format. So the first hurdle was to turn messy, unstructured input into reliable, analyzable data.

I solved it by combining automation with AI. I designed a GPT-based prompt that converted free-text descriptions into standardized records, and then integrated that with Power Automate for alerts and Power BI for analysis. At the same time, I had to work closely with local teams to make sure the system matched their real workflows.

The real challenge wasn’t technical — it was aligning diverse users around one simple process. In the end, the system was adopted across China and Southeast Asia, and it genuinely reduced repetitive work and prevented recurring issues.

Q9: How is your English ability?

I’m comfortable reading and writing English. If needed, I can give a presentation in English. I might speak a little more slowly at times, but I make sure I’m clear.

Over the past year, I have traveled several times, studied English, read English original books, and learned to play a musical instrument — the harmonica