Building tech, exploring AI, and visualizing ideas

Hi, I'm Rishal. I'm a technology professional from South Africa. I want to help everyone thrive through building solutions that make a difference, and sharing insights about my learnings.

Maximize strength training performance with Legend
Human collaboration in remote environments with Interacts
Beautiful sharable ChatGPT threads with FancyGPT
Accessible, fun, and engaging aviation with Gaggle

Author of Grokking Artificial Intelligence Algorithms
Founder and organiser of Artificial Intelligence ZA
Visualising thinking at Prolific Idea

I've been obsessed with computers, technology, and crazy ideas since childhood. Making silly games in VB6 and Delphi, and even writing bad articles about game graphic design in a local magazine as a teenager. Through my career I have been involved in the leadership of technology teams and projects, hands-on software engineering, strategic planning towards challenges in a professional services business, and the end-to-end design of solutions for international companies.

I have a passion for solving problems that make a difference, and my curiosity leads me to learn about business mechanics, growing people and teams, design thinking, artificial intelligence, and philosophy. I have created various digital products to help people and businesses be more productive and focus on what’s important. I also enjoy speaking at conferences around the globe to make complex concepts more accessible and help people elevate themselves. Forever learning.

Legend

We started strength training and planned workout routines on a spreadsheet, then, given an obsession with analytics, recorded reps and weight lifted, to make sure there's no stagnation, and always progress, even if it's small progress. Working with a spreadsheet at the gym became cumbersome, and visualizing the data become a headache. After trying some other apps in the space, we realized that nothing provides deep analytics on strength training progress, while providing an exception user experience. That was the birth of Legend - Workout Tracker. A workout tracker for athletes serious about strength training.

Interacts

During the pandemic of 2020, we were forced to remain at home, and work remotely. Through months of adapting our ways of working remotely, and after running dozens of remote sessions, I came to some conclusions about what makes for effective meetings and workshops. These learnings are distilled into InteractsApp.com aimed at helping any remote group of people engage, have more meaningful interactions, while (hopefully) having an enjoyable time.

FancyGPT

As an early adopter of ChatGPT, sharing content from interactions with that AI was unideal. It was difficult to save chat threads and share them with friends and colleagues, and screenshots just didn't look that great. So in December 2022, I released FancyGPT.com, a Chrome extension that lets you save and share beautiful ChatGPT snippets as images, searchable PDFs, and text files. With over 10,000 weekly users it continues to gain interest, and spawn new ideas for us. Keep an eye out.

Gaggle

Gaggle is a platform and app for recreational aviation, specifically focusing on paragliding, paramotoring, and hand gliding, with growing usage other aircraft segments. It lets pilots plan their flights, provides an in-flight computer during flights, and provides reporting and social tools after flights. Gaggle also offers a business portal for associations, schools, and clubs. Gaggle is the brainchild of my business partner and good friend, Hennie Brink, who drives this aviation platform and community. Learn more at FlyGaggle.com.

Grokking Artificial Intelligence Algorithms

I wrote Grokking Artificial Intelligence Algorithms. The book is a fully-illustrated and interactive tutorial guide to the different approaches and algorithms that underpin AI. Written in simple language and with lots of visual references and hands-on examples, you’ll learn the concepts, terminology, and theory you need to effectively incorporate AI algorithms into your applications. And to make sure you truly grok as you go, you’ll use each algorithm in practice with creative coding exercises—including building a maze puzzle game, performing diamond data analysis, and even exploring drone material optimization. Grab a copy at Manning Publications, check out the free online code notebook, or read my articles to learn some concepts for free.

Artificial Intelligence South Africa

I founded and run the Artificial Intelligence South Africa(AI ZA) group since 2016. The goal of this group is to create a platform for up skilling, knowledge sharing, and networking in the future tech space. The group has over 3000 members and we've hosted over 50 events. It's a space for people of all ages, skill levels, and walks of life to collaborate and grow together. Visit the Meetup page.

Prolific Idea

PI houses all my crazy ideas, authoring, and speakership activities. Have a look at a project aimed at demystifying thinking and mental models visually: prolificidea.com. I'm available for talks and workshops. They are usually around building software solutions, design thinking, tech and business approaches, and the future of human-computer interaction. For more information, see my talks and workshops page. If you're interested, contact speaking@prolificidea.com with the details.

Entelect

I spent over 11 years in technology consulting and solution delivery with Entelect where I served dozens of international clients in realising software solutions to enable and excel their businesses. Among other things, I was involved in active software engineering, product design, establishing agile ways of working, software architecture, team and division leadership, spearheading strategic initiatives, and finally establishing and running the advisory offering and team within Entelect. More about my career on LinkedIn.