What are the types of performance measures that could be used for assessing systems development projects?

Input: this type of performance measure involves the resources of money, people, and time that are provided for the activity that is being assessed. 

Process: this measure will assess activities by comparing what has been done with what should be done that is according to standard procedures or the number of process cycles in a period of time. 

Output: these assess the quantity and quality of the end product, and outcome measures assess the degree to which the end product achieves the program or project objectives.

Outcome/Assessment: becomes more difficult as the target moves from input to outcome because of the influence of factors that are external to the program.

How does the use of outsourcing impact the way in which a project is managed?

The use of outsourcing will greatly impact just about every project in terms of how it is managed. There are a lot of treasons as to why this is so. First off, when a company decides to outsource something, whether it is programmers or even outsourcing an entire project to another company, it doesn't just move the work from one company to another--it creates a huge hole in the middle of business processes and that hole has to be "bridged" with efforts from the manager responsible for any of the outsourcing. A lot of managers become overloaded because they often don't realize how much outsourcing a project will affect their span of control. Managing anything that is outsourced takes more time than managing an employee they already have at their disposal--not less.

Some things to consider when outsourcing a project are:
1. How clear are the project's objectives?
2.  How complex are the projects?
3. How critical are the due dates of the project?
4. Risk management.
5. What is the history of the resource being used?
6. What is the turnover rate of said resource?
7. Communication issues
8. Project work familiarity
9. Is the outsourced project succeeding or failing?

During the progress review, how might a project manager assess the contribution of each member of the project team?

During a progress review, that is what the job of a project manager is to do--review the progress of each member on the current project. Some ways they could do this is first off by asking what milestones/deliverable did they have a stake in working on. By doing this, the PM will be able to find out all of the milestones they helped accomplish and what other project members had a hand in completing, as well. That way, when reviewing the progress of other team members, they will be able to see who's story is checking out and who is slacking. The PM could ask the member what are some things they feel they could improve on either for the next project, or for the remainder of the project. Ask the member is they feel there was anyone in the group that was not contributing as much as everyone else. Could go as far as having each group member rate one another, including the PM. Lastly (thanks BRIAN ;P), ask each individual member if they felt that their skills had been utilized to the fullest extent.

Why is user-centred development critical to successful systems development projects?

UCD is critical to successful development projects because UCD is an approach that supports the entire development process with user-centered activities, in order to create applications which are easy to use and are of added value to the intended users. There are studies out there to show that the majority of failed projects can be attributed to incomplete or inaccurate requirements and the biggest cost benefit of UCD is more accurately defining requirements. using UCD helps you define a clear understanding of user and task requirements, incorporate user feedback to refine requirements and design, active involvement of user to evaluate designs, and integrating user centered design with other development activities. Additionally, UCD affects the planning, analysis and requirements, design, and evaluation phases of SDLC.

What aspects of the workplace might motivate people's acceptance of change?

There are many aspects of the workplace that might motivate people's acceptance of change. The first thing is management. Management is more of a thinking, not a doing kind of job. When management fails to come up with new ways to implement their product or service, does not do well mediating different aspects of the job, and not very good with conflict resolution, a change in management will most likely be better accepted by the rest of the work staff.

Not enough flexibility can also be an influencing factor. You here about it more and more that companies are starting to be a bit more flexible as far as showing up for work and when you can leave. One example--The Federal Forest Products Lab--usually have a few days of the week were they want most employees to be in the building from about 10am-4pm. Other than those few days, the employees can pretty much go as they please, as long as the work gets done.

There are many other aspects of the workplace that might motivate people's acceptance of change, but this is just to name a couple.

How does the IT environment contribute to the success or lack of success in systems development processes?

In my personal opinion, the IT environment affects the success or failure of the systems development process in every business setting out there. For instance, a business needs to have their IT updated to a certain standard. The responsibilities of those working in IT include network administration, software development and installation, and the planning and management of an organization's technology life cycle, by which hardware and software are maintained, upgraded and replaced. If a business decides that they want to develop a new system which involves using more web-based technologies and storing more information over the cloud, the IT sector of the business and its employees are going to have to have experience or receive training in how to implement their current system of storing information into their new system they are trying to develop. A business have many other things they need to consider other than just the IT. Clearly business analytics will be involved which will help communicate the technical feasibility of the system they want to develop to the stakeholders involved.

How often and in what ways might internal politics factor into project success?

When defining what project management is, the basic definition is the art of accomplishing a goal through people. When determining the success of a project, there are many factors weighing in that ultimately decide how successful a project is and among those factors, internal politics is typically near the top of the list. In a project team, the project manager is the one controlling the flow of things. Therefore, all project managers are political beings by virtue of their position within a project team. In the 2010 article, "Learning to Navigate Project Management Politics: Part 1", Demetrios Gianniris says:

"Ignoring external and internal politics can and will affect the health of your project. Understanding how to successfully use good politics to manage stakeholders through leadership and influence is not only a key component to project success, but also a key ingredient to your own longevity as a professional in the industry."

There are many ways to take advantage of politics within your project team. Building relationships without imposing agendas is a must-have. This means that you should take the time necessary to build your own network without imposing your own personal agendas on your relationships with team members, as well as the projects stakeholders. Effectively doing this will allow you to attract new opportunities, build visibility, improve relationships, and gain access to new information. Another big one is promoting full disclosure and openness within your team. It's possible to do this when you set a standard of communication by encouraging open and candid discussions, full sharing of information, and bring forth issues and deal with them. One last thing I would like to mention is contain your ego. In other words, restrain your self-brilliance, have humility towards your team members, and acknowledge the fact that you are there to serve.

Mike As A Project

If it were possible to look at myself as a project from the view of my parents, it would be quite clear to me that project Mike is still in the early stages of SDLC. There is still so much time ahead of me and in realizing that, who is to say that my career path won't take me somewhere other than IT/IS or computer science in general. I say this because I do not look at myself as the average student. Many students probably say this about themselves, but I believe that I am unique (as every person in this world should). 

Throughout high school I found that acquiring information and knowledge was not a difficult task. If you show up to class, pay attention, and take notes decent enough for you to read your own handwriting, you should have no problem passing a course without having to cram a semester's worth of lectures into just one or two study sessions. In realizing this, I transferred that knowledge and habits to my future college self. 

Of course, everyone looks at themselves differently. I say that I am not like the average student because yes, I get good grades, always have--but I can't seem to figure out the real reason behind it. It could be that I just take good notes and pay attention in class (mostly), but I don't find myself actually hardcore studying. That doesn't mean I don't take the time to study, just that it needs to be in small doses. I am a very active sort of student, both mentally and physically. I like to see things being done in order for me to comprehend what I'm learning, but also like to participate and be hands-on too. 

I graduated from Verona Area High School in 2009 and ever since then have not taken a semester off from school. I feel it is important to always challenge our brain and explore new areas of academics. I also didn't want to get out of the regular motions of attending some sort of institution. It seems like I'm on the right track when I describe it like that but clearly something was holding me back. I attended Madison College (MATC) for three years taking generals before I finally decided to transfer to Edgewood and pursue an undergrad in CIS. 

My goals while attending Edgewood College are to find my passion in CIS, continue to make honors and the deans list every semester allowing me to continue receiving extra grants, and of course, branch out and continue to meet new people. I love computers and technology in general immensely so I know that I am in the rift field but I can see the constraints in Mike as a project that will continue to be reevaluated. I have only touched the tip of the information available out there as far as technology goes. In other words, I don't know where I am going to be in 10 years. I can tell you that exercise and personal fitness is a huge passion of mine, which doesn't seem to make sense with this field. The aspect of sitting on my ass all day on a PC or laptop is not too appealing to me. That being said, I'm looking for something that will allow me to get more involved. Traveling would be a huge plus.

In regards to a timeline, from 2009-2012 I attended Madison College and I am now in my second year at Edgewood College. I am technically a Junior and  expect to graduate May of 2015. This is also assuming that I won't continue to go to school even after receiving my first degree. 

I have done one internship so far with a small business based out of Fitchburg, WI called New Vision Networks where we handled setting up custom networks for small business's and law firms. I enjoyed the work I did there over the summer but I'm not sure if that is the type of job I will be looking for after graduating. I am currently applying for my second internship working as a research assistant for the state where I will be working with databases. Wish me luck!! As a long-term goal, I simply wish to find my niche and be happy with my job. But Mike is a hard one to please and can get bored easily so there is a lot of searching to be done. Luckily I'm still a young buck and I have plenty of time to find my dream job. 

College and Video Gaming - Research Memo

Main: How are students attending an undergraduate or postgraduate school affected by the expansive world of video gaming?

1. Of course, not everyone enjoys playing video games. Do you notice any difference in the characteristics of those that do play video games and those that don't; such as age, major, sex, status in community?
2. Occasionally, a highly anticipated game is released and normally this occurs towards the end of the year. It is known that their is a large number of students (or non-students for that matter) that tend to stay home the next day so they can stay up all night, plying into the next day. A perfect example would be Grand Theft Auto 5, a game receiving high ratings (rated at a 96%), just released August 17th. Do you notice a change in your fellow students in areas such as topics they discuss during/before class, sleeping patterns, study habits, ability to complete assignments on-time?

Liberal Arts Research Interview

For this interview, I was paired with a fellow CIS classmate, Lauren Joyce.

Lauren responded to the first research question regarding liberal arts--

"How do undergraduate students attending a liberal arts college describe their decision in choosing to attend their college?"--with a list of pros and cons.

Pros

• Exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, beyond their major
• Small class sizes
• Relationship with professors, rather than just a number
• More help when needed – Professors are willing to make other accommodations for the student
• The professors actually teach the course – not a TA
• Live on campus or near campus – creates a sense of community
• Two-year exploration before declaring major

Cons

• Could be as much as 4x’s (or more) more expensive than public school in the same state
• Usually smaller - Less options for living situation/meal plans

"How do undergraduate students attending a liberal arts college describe the benefits they expect, as a result of attending their college?"

• Provides an excellent foundation for graduate study
• Prepares students to work in a variety of jobs
• Degree is appealing to employers.
• May have better company connections because of the smaller college community – or internship opportunity
• Creates graduates who are equipped with the skills to become valuable community members
• Learned more while enrolled from small class sizes & professor (instead of TA) that they were better prepared for a job in their field
• Internships – were able to get a job at the same company or gained experience in the internship that helped land a job in their field easier than an applicant that didn’t.

"How does attending a liberal arts college change undergraduate students?"

Enables students to:

• Be more reflective about what they believe
• Be more conscience of their choices
• Be more creative and able to solve critical problems
• Be more conscience of their feelings and emotions
• Think for themselves
• Open their minds up to learning new things
• Be more socially effective
• Look at the larger picture

“It heightens students' awareness of the human and natural worlds they inhabit” Harvard Admissions.

Reflective Blog #7

Should SMS be accepted as a new language and taught in schools?

This is insane!! First off, SMS already has been causing many problems in society, whether it involves SMS while driving, SMS while in school, or just during inappropriate times, in general. Yes, it is nice that most people know the abbreviations in SMS, but that wont necessarily help you in a car accident.

In school, that is another story. It should not be taught because it is clear that SMS causes attention issues while in the classroom setting. Additionally, if we taught SMS in schools, students might think that it is acceptable to start using SMS where it is not acceptable; or possibly using SMS when they should not be, such as on papers or homework assignments.

Overall, being honest here, the second you start using SMS, you are doing it most of the time unknowingly, or completely avoid it and type out the full words in your text. So no, we should not....that is stupid....very, very stupid.

Reflective Blogging #6

To what extent do relationships that are formed online and remain virtual differ from ones that are formed as a result of meeting in person?

There is quite a difference between relationships that are formed online and relationships that are formed as a result of meeting in person. The biggest difference, in my opinion, is the amount of disclosure between the two participating individuals in the relationship.

In a relationship formed online, you would think information disclosed would be smaller than in a relationship formed as a result of meeting in person, but in reality, it is the complete opposite. I say this because many people that decide to have a virtual relationship, do so because they don't feel as comfortable in person. This leads to disclosing more information to their significant other over the internet, so by the time they actually meet each other in person, they already know what to expect.

In a relationship formed as a result of meeting, you find information disclosed is a bit more general or broad. This supports the mystery of your relationship allowing you to discover more about yours significant other as you go along--strengthening your relationships through those experiences. 

Network Tour Goals

1. The overall network design is: 2 connected servers for network

1. router, switch, iron port, server, shared database (dericci)
2. router, switch, iron port, server, shared database (sondregger)

when it fails at one point, it sends message over to the other server. They are both connected to each other safeguarding the transfer of messages or packets (i.e. connecting to the web or sending mail).

2. The approach used is what will efficiently improve the network connection for all users. For example, we use all fiber active cables to ensure a more secure connection and is more efficient for our school to use. They also use heated floor/section and a cooled one to help circulate.

3. Iron ports, fiber-optic cables, backups after every day.

4. There are many necessary skills: knowing what/how the average network works. How to back storage up, how to trouble-shoot, network security, and im sure there are plenty of other skills.

Reflective Blogging #5

Describe how using social networking technologies changes how you communicate with your family and friends. 

Social networking technologies have certainly changed the way everyone communicates with their family and friends. It became noticeable with the use of mobile phones in the 90's but not nearly as much. The 90's in general brought forth a lot of social networking technologies such as (mainly email) but MySpace paved way for the biggest social network alive today, FaceBook. 

FaceBook, smartphones, VOIP, and many other technologies have made communication convenient and efficient for those willing to learn how to use them. Before, we had to rely on simply calling or emailing friends or family, or we would have to meet in person to have a conversation. Nowadays, I can talk to my step brother who lives in Colorado over Skype or FaceBook IM. So, these new technologies may sometimes cost a little money, but there are many free versions available to all. 

Convenience comes into play because it makes it easy to communicate with friends and family who may lives thousands of miles away.

Reflective Blogging Question #4

• Consider the impact of personal networking devices, in terms of the environment. What do you think are the biggest areas of immediate impact?  How about long term impact?
• First off, personal wireless devices utilize electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in the non-ionizing bands of the electromagnetic spectrum in their creation. The wireless infrastructure pumps continuous small amounts of radio-frequency radiation (RF) into the ambient environment.
• Ever since the invention of wireless networks, we has human beings have infused the Earth's surface with a layer of artificial energy exposures. The problem is that we do not yet know how this will effect the future of planet Earth. But one thing we can assume is that species of plants and animals have been having an alarmingly high extinction rate in the past decade. There are many outlying factors other than just the possible influence of RF.
• As wireless technology continues to improve, associations like CTIA, believe that wireless technology will improve environmental impacts in a variety of different ways:

1. Reducing material and energy used in production processes
2. Reducing energy consumed by products while in use
3. Using recycled or other lower-impact materials
4. Maximizing the use of existing products and systems
5. Safely reusing, recycling, or disposing of products or components

A statement made by www.bsr.org regarding the future of wireless technology: "The application of wireless technology has exciting potential in a wide range of areas, especially in its ability to reduce environmental impacts. New applications on the horizon, such as those enabled by machine-to-machine communications, could fundamentally change the way we live, work and play. We are hopeful that the wireless industry, with the right level of government involvement, will help make this a reality."
 

Reflective Blogging Question #3

Consider the following statement: "Nothing is really secure - Get over it!!" If this is true, then what might be the consequences, given your own use of networking technologies?

I agree with this statement now more than ever. Today, identity theft has been an increasing problem. This also explains why sites regarding online shopping (usually the "legit" ones) have been switching over to using PayPal. It's not just for their security, but they want you to feel safe about purchasing online goods and services with your own credit card information, without having to worry about someone on the other end getting the insanely stupid idea of stealing your identity. 

I knew that my computer was not secured, instantly, when I needed some necessary network updates of which I did not know how to install. When I called the help and services line, I barely had to give much of my information regarding my network and all of the sudden the representative on the line had complete remote access of my computer. I could see everything that he was doing so I would have known if anything "fishy" were to occur but still, that scares me! 

Additionally, just the other day my mother called me saying that there was suspicious activity on one of my email accounts that I no longer used. I thank myself for giving the site another email address for them to contact, which was my mom's, if any suspicious activity had occurred. I found out that someone had hacked that email somehow and, in turn, could have had access to important information about myself. There were hundreds of emails in that account so I have no idea the information they had learned before I deleted the account. Bottom-line, be careful about the websites you give out your personal information because you never know who is trustworthy and who is watching. You could randomly open an email one day and you could have downloaded a program unknowingly that remembers your keystrokes and sends them to another computer where someone could be trying to hack you. 

I have learned that nothing is ever completely secured and NO, I am NOT going to deal with it and it is NOT OK. The fact that anti-virus scanners will not pick-up key logging software is very scary so it's best to take the necessary steps to keeping your computer as secure as possible (or till you feel somewhat comfortable) even though it will never be.

I found this link that may give some good insight:

http://www.reliablegeeks.com/articles/keep_your_wireless_network_secure.htm

Reflective Blogging Question #2

While the price of a acquiring a cell phone and associated service is going down, the cost of using a cell phone and associated service  is going up.  What do you think is meant by this statement?

This statement is quite clear to me. I can't think of one single service provider that does not include additional fees on a customer's bill. In most cases when you go to get a new phone, whether it is a regular cell-phone or smartphone, the price of the hardware itself will be cheaper as long as you sign a new contract with your service provider (normally 2 year contract). That is where the price of acquiring a cell phone has gone down.

In the past, all you had to worry about was how much you sent text messages and how many minutes you had for use per month. Now, recent trends in technology has presented us with faster, all-around more efficient technology, which is where we have seen a change in fees from mobile service providers. Laptops paved the road to the future by putting all the features of a desktop into a smaller device, leading to smartphones.

Now, you pay for the original price of a phone (with or without a new contract), monthly minutes, monthly text messages, and data servicing fees. Every time you access the internet, FaceBook app, Twitter app, etc. you will be charged, especially if you are with a mobile service provider such as AT&T because ever since they acquired a contract with Apple to provide service for iPhones, they changed their fees for data service fees.

Additionally, as more and more people make use of mobile phones, mobile service providers are likely to follow the "supply and demand" theory to maximize profits for their companies. Below is a link to a website comparing all of the top mobile service providers.

http://cell-phone-providers-review.toptenreviews.com

This website lists US Cellular as not one the best options but, if you are like me, you might be already grandfathered in (I have been with US Cellular since I was 14 so, 8 years) and end up paying significantly less (unlimited text messages and data services). The same may also go for any others grandfathered in to their mobile service provider.

Reflective Blogging Question #1

What Technology do you use to stay in touch and WHY?

Like most people between the ages of 16 and 25, I use my smartphone which is an android operated Galaxy S3. The reason why I use this technology the most frequent is because it fits in my front pocket. My smartphone allows me to access the internet (nowadays there is a mobile website version of most up-to-date sites), check FaceBook and other social networking websites, use an application-based email for my personal emails as well as my school emails, make phone calls, send texts, and I can even use video telecommunication software like Skype. For a lot of people on the go, using a smartphone seems to be the best way for communication and staying in touch with the world.

More about my interests...

The most important interest I have right now, other than school, is staying healthy and having overall good personal fitness. I go to anytime-fitness in Verona just about every single day, and have for the last year-and-a-half. 

Here are some links to sites/blogs:

1. http://www.dieselsc.com

2. http://www.jcdfitness.com

3. http://www.anytimefitness.com

I also enjoy stimulation of the mind. Before I joined Edgewood College, an example of this would be me playing video games like call of duty. Now, I do a lot more reading with help from my Kindle-Fire HD. Being enrolled full-time at a 4 year university lead to me cutting out the least important things that I used to pay attention too. On a side-note, I used to do more reading than sleeping when I was younger. I'm currently reading a series by George R.R. Martin called "A Song Of Fire And Ice". You may have heard of the HBO television show "Game of Thrones", which is based on Martin's book series.

Here are some links to sites/blogs:

1. http://georgerrmartin.com

2. http://grrm.livejournal.com

3. http://mashable.com/2012/12/31/92-year-old-blogger/

The third link is more of an inspiration :)

New subscribers? You could be one.

For those of you new to my blog, the feel good gorilla, here are a few things about me...

Hi, my name is Michael Hershberger and my close friends call me "Hersh". I am currently attending college courses at Edgewood College in Madison, WI. I graduated from Verona Area High in 2009 and immediately enrolled for courses at Madison college (MATC) where I attended until fall 2012, of which I began my next stage of college life at Edgewood College. I am currently studying computer information sciences (CIS) and I enjoy the skills I have learned, thus far.

Currently I live in Verona, WI at my mother's house with my step-dad. This allows me to save money as well as focus on school related work. I am the youngest of 4 children, all being male siblings. My two oldest brothers, Jason and Joey, are only half brothers while Adam is my only full brother.

One thing that is very important in life, to me, is staying healthy. Because of this, I joined a gym 2 years ago and it has been the best decision of my life. I joined anytime-fitness in verona and it is a great place to blow off steam and improve yourself physically, as well as mentally. Feel free to contact me for any good tips in working out whether it be your exercise routine or your current eating and meal habits.

until next time....

UP, UP, and AWAAAAYYYY!!!!