About me

🧠 About Me

I’m Maher Alsharfan, a statistical expert specializing in survey methodology, sampling design, and statistical estimation. Over the past decade, I’ve worked on transforming complex survey data into actionable insights — building analytical systems, methodological frameworks, and applied statistical models that support decision-making.

My professional focus lies in bridging the gap between statistical theory and real-world data operations, ensuring every analysis is both scientifically rigorous and operationally relevant. I believe that good statistics isn’t just about computation — it’s about clarity, transparency, and reliability.


📈 Professional Journey

My career began with a deep interest in how data reflects social and economic realities. After earning my bachelor’s degree in quantitative methods (2008), I spent years refining my expertise in survey design, estimation methods, and data quality frameworks.

Throughout my professional journey, I’ve contributed to large-scale survey programs, national indicators, and research projects covering diverse sectors — from consumer confidence and labor market dynamics to institutional quality and innovation.


🔬 Key Expertise

  • Survey Methodology – Comprehensive design of large-scale survey systems, ensuring representativeness, precision, and compliance with international standards.
  • Sampling Design & Estimation – Implementation of stratified, multi-stage, and probability-proportional-to-size (PPS) designs, along with calibration and non-response adjustments.
  • Advanced Statistical Modeling – Application of Bayesian estimation, MCMC techniques, and model-based inference for both descriptive and predictive purposes.
  • Data Visualization – Designing interactive dashboards starting from building the story, preparing data model and setting the initial sketch.

🧩 Selected Projects & Achievements

  • Building an app for automating the designing of conjoint experiment
  • Building a statistical model to estimate the distribution of employment  
  • Predictive model to reduce use of cash using SAS Enterprise Guide

🧭 Professional Philosophy

I view statistics as both a science and a language — a structured way of reasoning about uncertainty. Every dataset tells a story, and the statistician’s role is to ensure that story is told accurately, transparently, and responsibly.

My approach integrates:

  • Rigor: adherence to methodological precision.
  • Reproducibility: transparent workflows and versioned analytical scripts.
  • Localization: adapting international best practices to the Saudi context and Arabic-language data.
  • Innovation: leveraging AI, R pipelines, and transformers to automate and enhance analysis.

🌍 Vision

My long-term vision is to advance the practice of survey methodology and applied statistics, fostering greater integration between national data systems and modern analytical technologies. I aim to contribute to a future where data systems are transparent, reproducible, and methodologically sound — empowering organizations to base every decision on credible evidence.


📬 Let’s Connect

If you’re interested in collaborating on survey analytics, developing Shiny solutions, or advancing methodological research, feel free to connect.

Email: maher@alsharfan.me
LinkedIn: [Your LinkedIn URL]
Website: [https://alsharfan.me]