I’ve never believed in linear careers. Mine has always been built at the intersection of curiosity, discipline, and a constant need to understand how systems—digital, human, and organizational—actually work. Over the years, I’ve moved across design, engineering, business analysis, and artificial intelligence, not as separate domains, but as layers of the same system.
This article is a reflection of that journey—my education, my professional path, and the certifications that shaped the way I think and build.
Education — The Foundation of Systems Thinking
My formal education started in Romania, where I built a multidisciplinary foundation that combined engineering, creativity, and analytical thinking.
- Automation, Computer Science & Electronics University
Multimedia Engineering (2009 – 2013) - University of Craiova
(Academic context and affiliation) - National College “Carol I”
Intensive English (1997 – 2005) - The Popular School of Arts in Craiova
Associate of Arts (AA) (May 2006 – May 2009) - National College “Nicolae Titulescu”
Mathematics (Sep 2005 – Jun 2009)
This combination—engineering, mathematics, language, and arts—defined how I approach problems today: structurally, but with an emphasis on human experience.
Professional Journey — From Design to AI
I started early.
Founder & Builder — UXR
Since 2006, I’ve been building my own ecosystem through UXR:
- Founder of a full-service design and development agency
- Delivering UX/UI, front-end, and digital strategy for global clients
- Creating scalable digital products and high-impact experiences
Through UXR Applications, I’ve developed and tested my own platforms—products built on real user data and continuous UX research:
- aww.al
- thedesignbook.net
- samantha.al
- chatter.al
- thinks.at
- cristiandoiu.com
This has been my laboratory—where theory meets reality.
Enterprise Experience — From IBM to Oracle
My corporate journey added scale, complexity, and exposure to global systems.
IBM (2014 – 2019)
At IBM iX, I worked as:
- Application Consultant
- Senior Application Consultant (BA / UI / UX)
I contributed to:
- enterprise-level applications
- human-centered design transformations
- multi-channel digital experiences
I was also part of the Center of Competence (COC), focusing on Design Thinking and innovation frameworks.
Oracle (2020 – Present)
At Oracle, my role evolved into a strategic and architectural one:
- Solution Engineer → Senior Solution Engineer → Principal Solution Engineer
I work at the intersection of:
- AI & Machine Learning
- Business Analysis
- UI/UX & Prototyping
- Enterprise Cloud Architecture
I collaborate with cross-functional teams to:
- design story-driven prototypes
- build scalable enterprise solutions
- translate complex business needs into clear, usable systems
I’m also part of the North American Applications Solution Services Center of Excellence (NAA SS COE).
Certifications — Continuous Learning as a System
I don’t see certifications as checkboxes. I see them as nodes in a growing network of knowledge.
Over time, I’ve built a portfolio of 30+ international certifications, covering AI, cloud, business, UX, and systems.
1. Artificial Intelligence & Generative AI
- Oracle — Oracle Fusion AI Agent Foundations Associate (2025)
- DeepLearning.AI — Generative AI for Everyone (2025)
- Google —
- Introduction to Generative AI
- Introduction to Large Language Models
- Introduction to Responsible AI (2024)
- IBM —
- Generative AI: Prompt Engineering Basics
- Generative AI: Introduction and Applications
- Building AI Powered Chatbots Without Programming (2024)
- IBM Introduction to AI (2019)
- Machine Learning with Python, Watson & AI (2019)
2. Cloud, Data & Engineering
- Amazon Web Services —
- Migrating to the AWS Cloud
- AWS Cloud Technical Essentials (2024)
- Google —
- Big Data and Machine Learning Fundamentals
- Cloud Dataproc & Unstructured Data (2019)
- IBM —
- Python for Data Science, AI & Development (2024)
3. Business & Applied AI
- University of Pennsylvania —
- AI Applications in People Management
- AI Applications in Marketing and Finance
- AI Fundamentals for Non-Data Scientists (2024)
- University of Michigan —
- Leading Diverse Teams & Organizations (2024)
- The State University of New York —
- Launch Your Online Business (2024)
- IBM —
- Manage the Business (2019)
4. UX, Design & Product Thinking
- California Institute of the Arts —
- Visual Elements of User Interface Design (2024)
- Alison —
- Diploma in Design Thinking (2019)
- IBM —
- Enterprise Design Thinking Practitioner
- Co-Creator
- Team Essentials for AI (2019)
5. IT Fundamentals & Systems
- Google —
- Technical Support Professional Certificate
- Operating Systems and You (2019)
- IBM —
- Statistics 101
- Cognitive Practitioner
- The IBM Way (2019)
6. Additional Certifications
- The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology —
- Information Systems Auditing, Controls and Assurance (2024)
- Arizona State University —
- Theories of Second Language Acquisition (2019)
- Coursera —
- Build a Full Website using WordPress
- Google Ads for Beginners (2024)
Before Everything — The Mindset
Before titles, roles, or certifications, I was—and still am—a builder.
I started as a UI/UX designer, working from pen and paper to pixel-perfect products, understanding not just how things look, but how they work and why they matter. I’ve always followed the full journey:
- research
- business analysis
- design
- development
- iteration
I’ve participated in competitions, organized IT events, and explored everything from front-end development to motion graphics. That early exposure shaped a mindset I still carry today: design is not decoration—it is decision-making.
Closing Thought
If there’s a pattern in my journey, it’s this: I never stayed in one box.
From design to engineering, from business analysis to AI, from startups to enterprise systems—I’ve always moved toward complexity, not away from it.
Because in the end, the goal is not just to build products.
It’s to understand systems.
And then redesign them.