Since the last post on this blog, and the last post on this subject, things have changed.
The UT Tyler job site, PatriotJobs now uses software by NACE, which is much less bug-ridden. Still there is less freedom in navigation, and the superfluous national job entries make it less than optimal, but it's not really broken. Kudos.
One of the ironies of web software selected to be used by institutions and businesses, is the number of bugs, malfunctioning aspects of the software, software that was purchased to relieve the organization from the need to design/maintain the software in-house. This is one of the persistent proofs that outsourcing is more perception than reality.
The process is simple, companies outsource to save money, outsource again to improve quality or service, and more often than not, settle for what they can get. In the end, the internal infrastructure is no longer there and the savings have progressively been replaced by reliance on a company with mediocre performance that is increasingly more expensive than in-house operations.
In an age that is increasingly replacing in-person services with on-line services there are mixed responses. Some are welcome while others are not so much. One of the biggest problem is the adoption of digital services that do not work correctly. For the average user they can be frustrating. For the IT knowledgeable user they can be maddening. Just so you know, I am a Computer Information Systems student, with past computer experience.
Unfortunately, the use of flawed web software is more common than it should be. In areas like job searches and on-line applications, properly functioning systems can be crucial to our individual survival. I've written about Mother Frances' healthcaresource.com site and others in another blog. Now I can add UT Tyler's Career Services site to that list.
The University has been touting their Patriot Jobs site for interfacing with Career Services. I tried registering for it a few months ago with the system always returning an error message. I received no response from an email I sent. I finally went by their office to try again, again unsuccessfully. Eventually, the staff used their administration form to get me in the system. And, no, it didn't have anything to do with a firewall.
But that wasn't the only problem. Scanning the jobs in the local database was like playing roulette. I begin by getting the list of jobs and sorting it by job type. I find an opening that says, Graphic Designer then click to read about it. I think "that's cool." I hit my browser's back button to return to the list. Then I spot a job at a local coffee shop, but when I click for a description, the page describes a job as English Instructor at a college. I click on a link in the list for Operations Intern, and get a description for an instrument control intern at a different company.
On the next page, I click on IT Support job, and find that job interesting. I take another look at the list, and then return to the IT Support job description but it's been replaced with a description for a Marketing Representative. Final score, two hits out of five, not bad for roulette, but not good at all for job searching.
As a computer programmer, I understand the need to beta test a program, and the possibility of occasional flukes. I would understand if it was a program developed in-house to save money, but this is a service that the University pays a "professional company" money for. In either case, these "services" should not be used, and certainly not mandated if they do not work.
In this information age, I'm constantly amazed at how little information we actually get any more, either because sites are not updated or the back-end software doesn't perform acceptably. But with Patriot Jobs, this is an indictment not only against the system being used, but also the PR that is behind promoting it.
That is essentially the first thing my Organizational Behavior instructor wanted to know. Our first class assignment is to take the Myers Briggs Temperament test, and write up a summary of the results. The test is a collection of 72 Yes/No questions, not unlike what I've seen on other temperament tests, and the grading puts you in one of 16 different classifications. In actuality, the test gives you a set of 4 personality traits. Those traits are
My results from the test were ENTJ, for Extroversion, Intuition, Thinking, and Judging personality. In the Keirsey Temperament scale that translates into me being a Fieldmarshal, one of the Rational temperaments. The results page of the test also lists various links to a description of your type at http://typelogic.com/, a Jung Career Indicatorâ„¢, and Famous Personalities with the same type.
But I don't really identify with either the personalities or some of the characteristics. For one, ENTJs have a natural tendency to marshall and direct, which has some truth, as is the tendency to plan creatively. On the other hand, ENTJs "are often 'larger than life' in describing their projects or proposals. This ability may be expressed as salesmanship, story-telling facility or stand-up comedy." That is something I don't particularly fit, and in fact, salesmanship is something I dislike about people in general.
"ENTJs are decisive" is something I can relate to as well as staying calm in the face of a conflict, but "when challenged, the ENTJ may by reflex become argumentative" is something I vehemently disagree with. (Hint: that's sarcasm). True enough, an ENTJ like myself "is not one to be trifled with." One odd quality of the test is that it classified me as an extrovert, rather than an introvert. Equally odd, I took the Keirsey test a few months ago and was placed in a totally different category, the Guardians.
I'm sure such tests are difficult to develop, and one of the things that makes them so is the need to distinguish between what you do, and what you like to do, what you are best at, and possibly what you think you should do. For the same reasons, such tests can be challenging to take.
Furthermore, we need to ask what the test is supposed to do. Do you want to know what you are like, what you should do, or what you are best at? These are things that do not necessarily morph into each other very easily.
Though not comparable to a horoscope characterization, temperament tests should be taken with a grain of salt, and analyzed for the character traits that they attempt to stereotype. You will certainly want to look at the detailed results, especially if you are my type.
I returned to school today for the first day of the new semester, and it seems reason has made a breakthrough.
As many of you know, institutions tend to favor the more respectable software packages, and not necessarily the most used. One case in particular is the use of Dreamweaver as a web-developer tool. It is probably the most used tool for designing web pages, and has been for years. However, the web design class at my school uses Web Expressions by Microsoft, an item I hadn't heard of until this school year. It's Microsoft, it's respected.
I've heard a lot about Microsoft's other web tool, Frontpage, and it hasn't been good. Still, Microsoft is respected in the business community, and by extension, it will be in academia. It is true that Microsoft Office and Windows have matured, but that doesn't mean their siblings are the same.
In my Database Design class, the RDMS of choice has been Oracle. It figures that it would be that or something like Microsoft SQL Server. They are respected systems. They are not bad tools, but they are not the best or the most used. To my pleasant surprise, that class this semester will be focusing instead on MySQL, the reason being the widespread use of it in local businesses.
In addition, the introductory theme of most of my classes is that we will be doing more hands on, practical work. It is true that classes may be more difficult and more time-consuming, but in the end they should be more useful. For me, for anyone I may work for. In an area (education) that is resistant to change, that is good news.
Tomorrow begins registration week at UT Tyler. For many it is when we confirm our classes and acquire the books for the next semester. For others, it is the time to troubleshoot what went wrong with on-line registration.
Last semester I remember hearing discussions about the problems with scholarships, not having grades, and my own issues of getting permissions to get into some classes. I'm ahead of the game this semester, but now there is a problem with campus connect.
Still it is a better system than getting a set registration time and packing into an auditorium (or coliseum) to select and register for classes. Many things are better with computer technology. One thing that may not be better is the trend toward on-line classes. The option is good; the possibility that it may at some point be required is not.
I finished my first semester back in school and did it without a laptop. I considered getting a new wide-screen laptop during the semester, but I kept asking myself, "What do I do with it?"
I hear that some elite schools require students to buy a laptop when they first enroll, and there is rumor this school is considering that. I just don't understand why. All of my computer classes were in rooms with computers, and there are ample computer labs all over campus. Big screen, full keyboard, and no need to charge it. Plug in your jump drive and your ready to go.
When I was doing a lot more writing, I did carry a laptop with me quite often, but now wonder what people really need laptops for.
Also, in school, I have a bag full of books, and don't really need something else to carry around. If I had the text of the books on the laptop, I could cut back on my luggage, but then I would have to boot it up every time I wanted to read something.
But, I did find a reason to buy one over the break. One reason to have my own laptop is to be able to use the Dvorak keyboard layout. I switched from the Sholes (Qwerty) keyboard a couple years ago and have no plans to switch back. Lab computers have the Dvorak keyboard disabled, so in protest I got my own computer.
To minimize the additional load I got an Asus EEE (8.9" screen). That also comes with XP instead of Vista, another plus. And the best thing is it can last 4-6 hours on a single charge.
Now I'm rethinking the benefits of having a laptop. No, it's not a necessity; but having a laptop will mean I can go anywhere to do my study, or whatever I want to do. It's freedom. And with campus wide WiFi, I can connect with the world while I'm fishing at the campus lake... if I knew how to fish. And, if I drank coffee I could compute at the coffee shop.
It's been two weeks since my last post here. I guess you could say I've been slacking a little with the blog but I have a good excuse. This week I'm finishing up my last major project, and next week is finals week.
That project is to flowchart the systems development project being followed in the text. While it is very educational, it is a little frustrating. The text discusses many of the principles that could, and even should be used, but that are not necessarily a part of the project in question. I'm about at the point where cost:benefit ratio is at it's highest; where more time spent on it will not significantly change the outcome.
One of the things I have discovered is that project management has so many standards available, and at the same time there is so much creative opportunity in project management. PMBOK and my studies have the standard procedures down. At the other extreme there are agile methods, RAD and Scrum.
One of the things that keeps coming to mind has to do with the subject of our research paper, failed projects. While failed projects are unfortunate, I'm beginning to believe that project failure has very little to do with methodology. Methodology has less to do with doing everything just right than it does with reflecting the philosophy of the organization, and development style of the team.
Like my disc golf game, if you are creative, there will be greater risks. But, if you are successful, there are greater rewards. In addition, it seems the more radical approaches require more work and more interest. It's not for the nine to five manager.
One thing that strikes me as odd is that so many projects seem to adopt a methodology that combine various development styles, and yet there are no standards for how to do that. Maybe there are and I don't know about them yet.
Yes, I know a standard for creativity is something of an oxymoron, but standards, best practices, things that are known to work are more reliable. So, which is it? It may be like any sport we play; We have to develop our own style. There may be some rules, but our style can still be unique.
If my programming experience is any indication, I would probably be more of a prototyping, iterative type manager, but also one that will have to learn to control scope creep. It never takes me very long to see that there are so many opportunities in the business environment that one could harness; so many things that need to be improved.