Day in the Life: Denice, Senior AI Architect at KPN
Discover how Denice, a Senior AI Architect at KPN, shapes the company’s long-term AI strategy while balancing leadership roles with YoungKPN. From brainstorming sessions to defining architecture for future networks, Denice shares her approach to collaboration and innovation at KPN. Learn how she stays energized by hitting the gym after work and enjoys quality time with friends and family.
Name: Denice
Job: Senior AI Architect
What does a Senior AI Architect do at KPN?
As a Senior AI Architect, I am responsible for defining the direction and vision for Artificial Intelligence at KPN. Together with my colleagues, we develop a five-year roadmap outlining where we aim to position KPN by 2030. Once the roadmap is finalized, we begin working towards this vision. This process applies to multiple domains, including AI, security, IT, and infrastructure. Currently, we are focused on turning this vision into reality, collaborating with a large team and an external partner to achieve our goals.
Here’s what a day in Denice's life looks like!
9-10AM:
KPN has many offices, so I work from different locations throughout the week. Today, I’m at the Amsterdam office in Sloterdijk. Since I live in Amsterdam, my commute takes only 30 minutes by metro. I arrive at the office around 08:45 and grab a coffee. I begin my day in the conference room, where a colleague of mine is already sitting. We chat briefly before I spend the time from 08:45 to 10:00 drafting my agenda and to-do list. After that, I focus on emails and tackling my tasks.
10-11AM:
More colleagues join the meeting room as we begin our morning brainstorming session. Since we're working on the vision, it's important to ensure we're aligning all the different topics. During this hour, we focus on discussing the architecture for AI.
11AM-12PM:
In the second hour of our brainstorming session, we really start making progress. Using markers and post-its, we discuss a new architecture for our future networks. Since this is a completely new concept, it often leads to lively and interesting discussions. By the end of the session, we’re still not there yet, but we’ve come a bit closer to finalizing the architecture.
12-1PM:
At 12:15, we grab lunch. In Amsterdam, there’s a fun new concept where you pay 4 euros and can choose from fruit, wraps, sandwiches, yogurt, snacks, and a smoothie or fresh juice. It’s always exciting to see what’s available each day.
1-2PM:
From 13:00 to 14:00, I work on the visualization we discussed during this morning’s brainstorming session. I begin by sketching out the ideas in Draw.io.
2-3PM:
From 14:00 to 15:00, I work on the project start architecture document. This document defines what the architecture will look like, who is responsible for what, and how everyone will interact. I include the content from the morning session and add the sketches I created.
3-4PM:
From 15:00 to 16:00, I have a Teams call. Alongside focusing on long-term vision and architecture, we also support operations. Since we've made changes to our IT infrastructure, we need to ensure our services continue to function smoothly from January 2025 and beyond. We’ve worked out a solution and discuss timelines for when we'll implement the new architecture. The variety of working on both long-term and short-term projects makes the job enjoyable, as it allows you to see tangible results from your work in shorter time frames.
4-5PM:
From 16:00 to 17:00, I have a stakeholder meeting. I align with the stakeholders on the latest insights regarding the architecture, while they update me on the objectives, deliverables, and timelines we need to meet.
5-6PM:
From 17:00 to 17:30, I finish my to-dos and respond to the last few emails. I then have a call from 17:30 to 18:00. Within KPN, I am a board member of YoungKPN and chairperson of the External Committee. Through this committee, we organize activities for YoungKPN’ers (every KPN’er under the age of 35) together with other companies to exchange knowledge. Every year, we also take a trip abroad with 25 young KPN'ers. From 17:30 to 18:00, we have an urgent call to finalize some last-minute payments for the trip. Once the payments are managed, it’s time for the weekend. As you can probably guess, it's time to hit the gym!
How do you unwind at the end of the day?
The easiest way for me to clear my mind after work is by exercising. I especially enjoy scheduling a gym session at 6:00 PM on Fridays. After my workout, I feel refreshed and ready to embrace the weekend! After the gym, I enjoy meeting up with my friends for dinner or going to the movie theater with my boyfriend.
What do you love about your job and your employer?
What I love most about my job is the flexibility, the sense of responsibility, and the variety it offers. We work in cycles, starting with developing a vision, sharing it, assembling the right team and partners, and then ensuring that vision becomes a reality. This approach makes every year unique and exciting. Additionally, the need to generate new ideas allows me to attend symposia across Europe, keeping me informed about the latest advancements and state-of-the-art developments. Finally, I have the privilege of working daily with incredibly smart people. While it’s not always easy, I learn a great deal and find it immensely rewarding.
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