Class was very similar for each week. They were pretty much straight lectures. Dr. Winograd would explain a concept and then painstakingly show examples that would be easy to follow and understand. I am sure that there were many student who found the pace too slow, but I appreciated the variety of explanations and thorough understanding I received. There have been three assignments that have been given, each worth 100 points. The first assignment took me about an hour and I felt pretty good about the grade I would receive and my understanding of the homework. The second assignment went pretty well until I tried to correlate one answer to another in which the only difference was the way the data was displayed. It had to do with outliers and I was getting three in one answer and two in the other which didn't make sense.
Grading takes about a week, and when I checked, I was given a grade of 70/100. I was surprised and made an appointment to discuss, as well as determine what I was doing wrong in assignment number two. Dr. Winograd has office hours on Thursdays so I arrived about an hour before class and was able to see him right away. The office space he was using was pretty small (maybe 12' x 12'). We discussed the first assignment and I found out that I used the wrong graph (bar chart) versus the histogram that was called for. I thought that either Excel or SPSS would create the correct graph, but I was mistaken.
Knowing that this class was my only prerequisite and didn't count towards my final GPA, I still wanted to understand the concepts for my career. I asked him to help me understand assignment two and why my results weren't the same in both answers. The reason was that these outliers were suspected and the formulas that Excel used for Q1, Q3 were different that the formulas we used in class. However, SPSS results did match the formulas we used in class. Odd but true. I spent about an hour on my own checking my calculations over and over which was very frustrating. He spent time actually walking me through the assignment, showing me the areas that I miscalculated and explained why as well.
Our meeting lasted about 20 minutes, which gave me enough time to use a campus computer, update my homework and submit. I finished in 15 minutes and submitted. I will be surprised if I have less than 90 points.
Next: HCI 440: Our First Team Project Results and the Midterm
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
HCI 440 Week Two
Turned in my first assignment and I wonder if I spent too much time, or not enough. The assignment, to analyze the design of your alarm clock from a usability perspective, seemed pretty straight-forward. Yet, it took me about 4 hours to complete. Since this was my first grade, and it was a graduate level course, I was concerned about the level or work needed. I didn't want to spend too much time, at the expense of work or my other class. Yet, I certainly didn't want to complete it without the proper understanding of the principle.
Class itself went well and I was introduced to the classmates that would be working with to complete the group projects. Christa, Brian, Keith, Alex and I met briefly at the end of class. We decided that we would meet on Wednesdays from 5 - 5:30 to discuss this week's assignment. We also determined what the titles for each person would be. Initially, Christa volunteered to be the editor, and Keith volunteered to be the project manager. Throughout the class, we all would try different roles, obtaining a more well-rounded experience.
At the Wednesday meeting, we divided the tasks as follows:
Project Overview: All or us contributed.
Personas: Keith created one and I created one.
Competitive Analysis: Christa and Alex teamed-up on that.
Requirements Gathering Methodology Brian choose interviews, and I choose surveys.
Requirements Gathering Findings: Brain and I would update this when we finished gathering the requirements.
Appendix: Christa would complete this section.
We decided to use Google Docs as a central repository, allowing everyone to have access to the files, regardless of where they were.
From Thursday until late Saturday, we slowly chipped away at the assignment. Brian conducted the interviews and receive confirming results. I set up a survey on www.surveymonkey.com. It was fairly simple and easy to implement. By Saturday, we had our data and took the next day to organize, causing extra work for Christa as we made changes after she thought the documents were finalized. However, she uploaded the assignment with 30 minutes to spare.
Next: IT 223:Will it get harder?
Class itself went well and I was introduced to the classmates that would be working with to complete the group projects. Christa, Brian, Keith, Alex and I met briefly at the end of class. We decided that we would meet on Wednesdays from 5 - 5:30 to discuss this week's assignment. We also determined what the titles for each person would be. Initially, Christa volunteered to be the editor, and Keith volunteered to be the project manager. Throughout the class, we all would try different roles, obtaining a more well-rounded experience.
At the Wednesday meeting, we divided the tasks as follows:
Project Overview: All or us contributed.
Personas: Keith created one and I created one.
Competitive Analysis: Christa and Alex teamed-up on that.
Requirements Gathering Methodology Brian choose interviews, and I choose surveys.
Requirements Gathering Findings: Brain and I would update this when we finished gathering the requirements.
Appendix: Christa would complete this section.
We decided to use Google Docs as a central repository, allowing everyone to have access to the files, regardless of where they were.
From Thursday until late Saturday, we slowly chipped away at the assignment. Brian conducted the interviews and receive confirming results. I set up a survey on www.surveymonkey.com. It was fairly simple and easy to implement. By Saturday, we had our data and took the next day to organize, causing extra work for Christa as we made changes after she thought the documents were finalized. However, she uploaded the assignment with 30 minutes to spare.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Class #2: Statistics
IT-223 Data Analysis (Statistics), this was a class I was not looking forward to. Not that I don't like math, but I struggled with calculus in college. Tried taking it twice with different instructors, but couldn't finish it. And that was back when I was in "school mode" with no other distractions like family or work.
The instructor, Dr. Yoseph Winograd, has a self-effacing sense of humor (about his age, weight, etc). He spoke with an accent, but was easily understood. His syllabus was organized well, which was expected from someone who taught math-related courses.
This class is my only CDM prerequisite needed, since I didn't need the other four, and is at the undergraduate level. Others may complain that this is too slow, and I can see that, but I am more concerned about retaining information for my career than about getting an "A" and then forgetting most of it.
Dr. Winograd explained that the textbook would help, but was not required. In fact, he said we could return them because we wouldn't need them. I have chosen to keep mine because I have a feeling I will be referring to it throughout my career. He also stated that we didn't need to be in class, but 10% of our grade was class attendance, meaning there is no way to get an "A" without showing up each week. My thought is that you are paying about $2k for the class, why not get your money worth anyhow? Yet, there were about 5 students that left after the break.
Class started on time and ended 10 minutes early with no homework assigned. We covered basic communication methods, where to find necessary software used in the class, remote desktop log-in, etc.
I am looking forward to this class as much as my HCI 440 - Usability Engineering class, but for different reasons: it is an individual effort class, vs. the group effort class, and it won't be as difficult as originally anticipated.
Next - My group is determined for HCI 440... stay tuned.
The instructor, Dr. Yoseph Winograd, has a self-effacing sense of humor (about his age, weight, etc). He spoke with an accent, but was easily understood. His syllabus was organized well, which was expected from someone who taught math-related courses.
This class is my only CDM prerequisite needed, since I didn't need the other four, and is at the undergraduate level. Others may complain that this is too slow, and I can see that, but I am more concerned about retaining information for my career than about getting an "A" and then forgetting most of it.
Dr. Winograd explained that the textbook would help, but was not required. In fact, he said we could return them because we wouldn't need them. I have chosen to keep mine because I have a feeling I will be referring to it throughout my career. He also stated that we didn't need to be in class, but 10% of our grade was class attendance, meaning there is no way to get an "A" without showing up each week. My thought is that you are paying about $2k for the class, why not get your money worth anyhow? Yet, there were about 5 students that left after the break.
Class started on time and ended 10 minutes early with no homework assigned. We covered basic communication methods, where to find necessary software used in the class, remote desktop log-in, etc.
I am looking forward to this class as much as my HCI 440 - Usability Engineering class, but for different reasons: it is an individual effort class, vs. the group effort class, and it won't be as difficult as originally anticipated.
Next - My group is determined for HCI 440... stay tuned.
Friday, January 7, 2011
First Week of School is Complete
I just finished my first week of school. As I arrived early on Monday to locate my class at DePaul Central, get my ID and CTA pass, and get acclimated, I found out the computer systems used in creating IDs was down. Which meant I couldn't get my CTA pass (no ID and no school ID number = no CTA pass). This was after spending about 35 minutes in the winding line, waiting for my bus pass. Disappointed, but not a big deal. I decided to come back the next day once the system was back up. When I did return, the process of getting my ID was about 10 minutes, including standing in line. Then I went downstairs and the line for the CTA passes was about 15 people long - quite a difference from the previous day.
At 5:30, I took the elevator up to my class for HCI 440 (Usability Engineering), a graduate level class in my major. David Burns was the instructor and there were about 20 students in class and more online. Class ran right on time from 5:45 until 9:00 exactly. The breaks were exactly on time. I appreciated the way David stayed on schedule. His teaching style seemed to run at the perfect speed for me, at least for this first class. There will be more reading than I anticipated, but I realize that it will lay the foundation for the rest of my time at DePaul, as well as my career. Looking at the syllabus, I am really looking forward to working in a small group with others, many of which will be on the same path as myself. I am pretty sure that I am the oldest in class, but some students will have more HCI experience than myself.One assignment is to find a person who works at a company that embraces HCI principals and interview them. I hope to learn more about the industry, as well as the type of environment, hours, teams that can be expected in such companies. My first assignment is to analyze the design of my alarm clock from a usability perspective. I am concerned that I may spend too much time or not enough. I want to find a happy medium so that I am not overwhelmed later as the material becomes more advanced.
Next - Class #2: Statistics (not looking forward to it) ... stay tuned
At 5:30, I took the elevator up to my class for HCI 440 (Usability Engineering), a graduate level class in my major. David Burns was the instructor and there were about 20 students in class and more online. Class ran right on time from 5:45 until 9:00 exactly. The breaks were exactly on time. I appreciated the way David stayed on schedule. His teaching style seemed to run at the perfect speed for me, at least for this first class. There will be more reading than I anticipated, but I realize that it will lay the foundation for the rest of my time at DePaul, as well as my career. Looking at the syllabus, I am really looking forward to working in a small group with others, many of which will be on the same path as myself. I am pretty sure that I am the oldest in class, but some students will have more HCI experience than myself.One assignment is to find a person who works at a company that embraces HCI principals and interview them. I hope to learn more about the industry, as well as the type of environment, hours, teams that can be expected in such companies. My first assignment is to analyze the design of my alarm clock from a usability perspective. I am concerned that I may spend too much time or not enough. I want to find a happy medium so that I am not overwhelmed later as the material becomes more advanced.
Next - Class #2: Statistics (not looking forward to it) ... stay tuned
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Another Big Decision Part II
Finally, I came to a decision. But first, some information on some of the contributing factors to my decision. Last Monday evening, I attended an open house at the DePaul downtown campus for CDM (College of Computing and Digital Media). there were about 10 - 15 potential students in attendance. We listened to a short 30 minute session that ending with Q/A towards the seven panelists from various specializations in CDM, including a current student, a recent graduate and a variety of professors. Michelle Dash was the recent graduate, and I spent time with her and two other potential students when the room broke up into smaller groups. She was very sharp and answered all questions candidly. She was convinced that her Master's Degree in Human-Computer Interaction was crucial for her success and that the field was booming.
On Wednesday, I spoke to Dr. Adam Steele, an Associate Professor in Human-Computer Interaction and he was very helpful, confirming my thoughts on the direction of my studies. My age, the amount of school debt, the number of years left in my career and how to leverage my background were all crucial in my decision. Adam listened to my thoughts during the half hour appointment. Some of the areas we discussed were potential salary ranges, whether I would need to take the prerequisites, and the classes he taught. That evening, I contacted Michelle Dash and asked her about Dr. Steele as a academic advisor, as well as Dr. Craig Miller whom I will speak with on Monday. She wholeheartedly recommend both, stating their strengths.
On Monday, after speaking with Dr. Miller, I have an appointment with Becky Krochmal, an Assistant Director of Advising and I will officially change my focus from Computer Science to Human-Computer Interaction. and determine which prerequisites I need to take.
Why do I feel this is the direction for me?
1. My age - if I were in my late 20's or early 30's, I would definitely enroll in Software Engineering. But at this time of my life with 20 years or less left until retirement, this seems the best fit with the direction I want to go, my personality, the type of company that would hire me, and that my age and experience would be a plus in this field.
2. My expected salary - while I may need to take a pay cut compared to what I was making when I worked at Parametric Technology Corporation, I should be able to exceed that within a very sort time.
3. Potential employers - I prefer working for larger companies. For me, I saw less politics and the professionalism of the employees was markedly different than smaller companies. And my professional growth was also an advantage.
4. Length of time needed to get my degree - While not the shortest time needed, this degree will take at least a year less than Software Engineering or Computer Science where I would have to take all the prerequisite, which would add an additional year. Plus, there may be other prerequisitesneeded for some of the core classes.
5. Loans - Although not cheap, the anticipated mid-$30k tuition bill is something I want to pay off within 5 years of graduating. My wife still has about $40k in loans when she got her teaching certificate and Master's Degree.
Next - Immunizations, registration and IDS... stay tuned
On Wednesday, I spoke to Dr. Adam Steele, an Associate Professor in Human-Computer Interaction and he was very helpful, confirming my thoughts on the direction of my studies. My age, the amount of school debt, the number of years left in my career and how to leverage my background were all crucial in my decision. Adam listened to my thoughts during the half hour appointment. Some of the areas we discussed were potential salary ranges, whether I would need to take the prerequisites, and the classes he taught. That evening, I contacted Michelle Dash and asked her about Dr. Steele as a academic advisor, as well as Dr. Craig Miller whom I will speak with on Monday. She wholeheartedly recommend both, stating their strengths.
On Monday, after speaking with Dr. Miller, I have an appointment with Becky Krochmal, an Assistant Director of Advising and I will officially change my focus from Computer Science to Human-Computer Interaction. and determine which prerequisites I need to take.
Why do I feel this is the direction for me?
1. My age - if I were in my late 20's or early 30's, I would definitely enroll in Software Engineering. But at this time of my life with 20 years or less left until retirement, this seems the best fit with the direction I want to go, my personality, the type of company that would hire me, and that my age and experience would be a plus in this field.
2. My expected salary - while I may need to take a pay cut compared to what I was making when I worked at Parametric Technology Corporation, I should be able to exceed that within a very sort time.
3. Potential employers - I prefer working for larger companies. For me, I saw less politics and the professionalism of the employees was markedly different than smaller companies. And my professional growth was also an advantage.
4. Length of time needed to get my degree - While not the shortest time needed, this degree will take at least a year less than Software Engineering or Computer Science where I would have to take all the prerequisite, which would add an additional year. Plus, there may be other prerequisitesneeded for some of the core classes.
5. Loans - Although not cheap, the anticipated mid-$30k tuition bill is something I want to pay off within 5 years of graduating. My wife still has about $40k in loans when she got her teaching certificate and Master's Degree.
Next - Immunizations, registration and IDS... stay tuned
Friday, October 22, 2010
Another Big Decision Part I
Computer Science, Information Systems, Software Engineering, Human-Computer Interaction... this week, I spoke with two advisors, trying to determine which direction to go. While a Computer Science Master's Degree is a great direction, it will be the most intensive, longest and most expensive route. At my age, those are all aspects I need to consider to make sure the money spent is well-spent. That's why I want to make sure I have thought through all options. Unlike undergraduate studies, once I start my Master's Degree studies there are very few courses I can take regardless of the direction I choose. If I change my mind, then the courses I take may be helpful to my overall knowledge, but will not count towards my Master's Degree.
I spoke with Mel Caliwliw Johnson first, a Career Advisor at DePaul. She was very helpful and suggested suggested I contact various professors at DePaul. I was impressed by the time she took with me and it was obvious she was very professional. Her thought-provoking questions helped me to look at some areas I hadn't originally considered.
Next I spoke with Daniel Mittleman, an associate professor in Information Systems at DePaul. After spending 30 minutes on the phone with him, he suggested either Software Engineering or Human-Computer Interaction. Information Systems has the following specializations: Standard Concentration, Business Analysis / Systems Analysis Concentration, Project Management Concentration, Enterprise Systems Integration Concentration, Information Technology Management Concentration, Business Web Analysis and Development Concentration, Managing E-Business Concentration, Business Intelligence Concentration, Information Security & Compliance Concentration, Database Administration Concentration. After much thought, this direction would not be my first choice because it does not leverage my past experiences. It's advantage? It is the fastest and least expensive option (about $35000 and a bit less than two years).
Computer Science is the "gold standard" of the options I am considering with the following specializations: Software and Systems Development, Theory, Database Systems, Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering, Security, Multimedia. The advantages would be my marketability, and the formal training needed to thrive. The disadvantages are that this would be the most expensive (about $45K) and would take the longest (three years if I took eight courses a year, or 32 hours a year).
Next week, I have four phone appointments with various professors and a recent grad in Software Engineering, Computer Science and Human-Computer Interaction. And there is an open house for all Computer Science graduate programs next Monday evening from 5:30 - 7pm.
I am hoping to have a decision made by November 1 and will start on January 3, 2011. Stay tuned...
Saturday, October 9, 2010
School Choice
Northwestern, DePaul, University of Phoenix, Keller/DeVry... all possible choices, but which would win the Mike lottery? What were my initial thoughts and impressions of each school?
University of Phoenix was the initial school I contacted and the advisor I spooke with on the phone was very knowledgeable, prepared and pleasant. I really liked my initial impression. We spoke for about 30 minutes. campus. I spent about 30 minutes with this person. The cost of the degree would be approximately $25,000.
Next up was Keller / DeVry and I was not impressed. The adviser was young, was a student at Keller, but focused on a different discipline. He was pleasant enough, but too many of my questions were in areas he wasn't trained to answer and I felt that maybe my interests were not necessarily strengths of Keller. The cost of the degree would be $34,000.
Northwestern was the third school I considered and was the school that initially piqued my interest in going back to school. I attended an open house at the Chicago campus with about 50 others interested in pursuing their Master's, with the range of ages from 22 through 60, and the median was probably late 30s / early 40s. Initially we met as a group for 30 minutes, as a couple of representatives espoused the advantages of a Northwestern education. Then we broke into groups by concentration and about 15 of us met with the chair of the department, Dr. Faisal Akkawi. He was very well-spoken and answered questions for about 30 minutes. He stressed that a Northwestern education was only half of the reason we were there; networking was almost as important and many students were able to obtain a position because of a connection they may in class. I asked him to compare a DePaul education and a Northwestern education. He focused on the small class-size and prestige of the instructors, all of which were noted specialists in their fields, many of which were award winning. However, the cost would be between $47,000 and $50,000, depending on the number of courses I would need to take. Being that I hope to retire about 20 years from now, cost is a concern.
Lastly, DePaul. I attended an open house at the Lincoln Park campus earlier this week. All graduate programs were represented, and over 100 prospective students attended, with the average age being closer to mid-30s. I visited the financial aid booth, the Computer Science booth and the Business booth. I was intrigued by the joint Master's programs in Business / Computer Science, Law / Computer Science. I spent about 30 minutes talking to different people and felt the this may be my best option. Why? I had earlier sent emails to about 30 LinkedIn contacts, and spoke with other friends in person, asking their impressions of the schools I was examining. Universally, DePaul was number one with only 2 people expressing a negative perception. My supervisor at work earned his Master's from DePaul in Computer Science and raved about the experience. Our department's supervisor started attending DePaul right in September, earning his MBA and also has been pleased with the quality of education he has obtained. the cost of the program would be between $35,000 and $40,000 depending on whether I wanted to get my Master's in Computer Science or Information Systems.
And the winner is...
DePaul! In fact I applied about two weeks ago and received my congratulatory letter yesterday for the Computer Science program. If I decided to stay in starting Computer Science, it will take about 4 years because there are 7 preliminary courses I need to take before starting the actual program.
Next up... will it be a joint major, or single? Two years, or will I bite the bullet and go for the four year program?
University of Phoenix was the initial school I contacted and the advisor I spooke with on the phone was very knowledgeable, prepared and pleasant. I really liked my initial impression. We spoke for about 30 minutes. campus. I spent about 30 minutes with this person. The cost of the degree would be approximately $25,000.
Next up was Keller / DeVry and I was not impressed. The adviser was young, was a student at Keller, but focused on a different discipline. He was pleasant enough, but too many of my questions were in areas he wasn't trained to answer and I felt that maybe my interests were not necessarily strengths of Keller. The cost of the degree would be $34,000.
Northwestern was the third school I considered and was the school that initially piqued my interest in going back to school. I attended an open house at the Chicago campus with about 50 others interested in pursuing their Master's, with the range of ages from 22 through 60, and the median was probably late 30s / early 40s. Initially we met as a group for 30 minutes, as a couple of representatives espoused the advantages of a Northwestern education. Then we broke into groups by concentration and about 15 of us met with the chair of the department, Dr. Faisal Akkawi. He was very well-spoken and answered questions for about 30 minutes. He stressed that a Northwestern education was only half of the reason we were there; networking was almost as important and many students were able to obtain a position because of a connection they may in class. I asked him to compare a DePaul education and a Northwestern education. He focused on the small class-size and prestige of the instructors, all of which were noted specialists in their fields, many of which were award winning. However, the cost would be between $47,000 and $50,000, depending on the number of courses I would need to take. Being that I hope to retire about 20 years from now, cost is a concern.
Lastly, DePaul. I attended an open house at the Lincoln Park campus earlier this week. All graduate programs were represented, and over 100 prospective students attended, with the average age being closer to mid-30s. I visited the financial aid booth, the Computer Science booth and the Business booth. I was intrigued by the joint Master's programs in Business / Computer Science, Law / Computer Science. I spent about 30 minutes talking to different people and felt the this may be my best option. Why? I had earlier sent emails to about 30 LinkedIn contacts, and spoke with other friends in person, asking their impressions of the schools I was examining. Universally, DePaul was number one with only 2 people expressing a negative perception. My supervisor at work earned his Master's from DePaul in Computer Science and raved about the experience. Our department's supervisor started attending DePaul right in September, earning his MBA and also has been pleased with the quality of education he has obtained. the cost of the program would be between $35,000 and $40,000 depending on whether I wanted to get my Master's in Computer Science or Information Systems.
And the winner is...
DePaul! In fact I applied about two weeks ago and received my congratulatory letter yesterday for the Computer Science program. If I decided to stay in starting Computer Science, it will take about 4 years because there are 7 preliminary courses I need to take before starting the actual program.
Next up... will it be a joint major, or single? Two years, or will I bite the bullet and go for the four year program?
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