Just a question. Feel free to introduce yourselves.

IMG_7595

Originally uploaded by josh.ev9.

I don’t quite know why, but I really like this shot a lot.

What are your expectations for ThoughtWorks University, in 30 minutes or less?

The only reason for the time limit is the fact that my meeting with one of my coaches in about 30 minutes, so I better get to it. Here goes…

I’m just going to put my biggest expectation/goal out there right up front. My goal at TWU is to end the course with an understanding of how I will apply User-Centered Design practices with the methodologies currently used at ThoughtWorks. I think this is a somewhat ambitious goal, which will probably continue and develop throughout my work at TW, but I think this goal is at least partially attainable in the next few weeks. I’m in a somewhat unique position with my background in HCI. The path for me in this realm is somewhat uncharted, so at this point I don’t know what to expect.

In order to achieve my goal, I’ll first have to have some sort of understanding of Agile Methods, which I’m assuming we’ll learn right at the start. I hope to learn to use Agile to my advantage, but be able to tweak it enough so that truly great software can be created. To be honest, at this point I am unsure about the process, and uneasy about the idea that code may be written on day 1 of a project. This gives very little time to do the research needed in order to really understand the nature of user needs, right? How can people be interviewed, analysis made, and prototypes created in a matter of hours? Is this possible at all? I wonder.

Another big question: Do agile methods create software that regularly meets user demands? I don’t mean the (simple) explicit demands that a customer makes, but the implicit ones that come from really understanding the nature of the work at hand. Are these customers just appeased in the end…sufficiently happy with the software…or are the pleasanly delighted at the way their work practice is changed? At this point, I just don’t know.

Of course, there are other things that I want to practice. At the bar last night I had a discussion with a group of my peers who will be developers and realized that I have never really had to think deeply about implementation details in my projects. These people have a huge focus on implementation, so I really think I need practice working with them.

What else…oh! Life! I expect to be able to get outside and have a life. This should not be all about work, but the experience…both in and outside the classroom. I want to see India. Eat the food, smell the spices, do some shopping, go on hikes, see the sights, etc. I also think I’m the type of person who needs help practicing the whole “work/life balance” thing…so that’ll be much needed.

Mostly, I want to be challenged and prepared for my real work life. I know it won’t be exactly the same, but I want to be able to practice my job in a place where mistakes are acceptable, and learning is expected. I want to have fun and get to know my peers from around the world. I want to have it all. So let’s go get it.

Just a quick note. I’ve changed the look of the page now that I’m back. Let me know what you think…I’m gonna sleep on it, and perhaps change it back. We’ll see.

Just over a month after my capstone presentation, I think the “official” project is finally complete. Check out the project website, it tells about many of the things I did in the project, and offers tips to help you improve your presentations. Also, a video of my presentation should be up soon.

Josh Evnin’s Capstone Website:

Prepare, Project, Present: Using Technology to Encourage Effective Presentations

I’ve been holding back this interesting tidbit for a good amount of time now, but I think it’s time to let the news roam free. Here goes:

I GOT A JOB!

Wahoo, I say. I’ll be working for ThoughtWorks as a Business Analyst starting in August. Let’s see if I can’t dig up any formal explanations for what TW does……..ahh, perfect. There was a great explanation right in the title of their homepage:

ThoughtWorks is a global IT consultancy with an exclusive focus on end-to-end global software development and delivery.

Get it? Sure you do. That’s just official worky mumbo-jumbo that translates as “ThoughtWorks makes software in their worldwide offices.”

My role will basically be as a consultant, but my real goal is to try to sneak in some of my vast training and practice in the world of Human-Computer Interaction to make the software projects I help create to work well for everyday human beings.

One thing that really makes ThoughtWorks different is their approach to the software development process. They believe in Agile Methodologies, which are governed by a few basic principles. This means quicker development cycles (more iteration), and closer attention paid to delivering high quality software that people (customers) actually want and will use.

The thing I am most excited about, though, is the people. Everyone I’ve met at TW so far has been phenomenally interesting, honest, and brilliant.

Oh, and did I mention they’re taking me to India? Awww yeah.

flickrFace

Originally uploaded by josh.ev9.

And boy do I like it! They’ve switched from disorganized links all over the place to simple drop-down menus. Noice…now maybe I’ll be able to find links. They could still use a little work on the information architecture at the bottom of the screen, but they did make that significantly better as well…so I’m happy enough. Baby steps…

Flickr Gamma, welcome!

So here I am at the Apple store in Chicago…disappointed. I came today to have them look at my iPod shuffle. It’s got a software issue because I pulled it from the computer before it was ready to be pulled from the computer. They just told me that the damage is not repairable, but they can’t give me a new one because I’m out of my warranty period.

So what the eff am I supposed to do now? It’s obvious I’ll have to buy a new music player if I don’t want to carry around my giant 60 gig iPod that i’m pondering selling on ebay.

So what do I do? Do I jump to the nano? They’re pretty little machines, but do the batteries last? I’m going to be spending a lot of time on planes next year, so I don’t just want the battery to up and quit all the time. Plus, it just might be to big to carry with me all the time…and maybe even too big to fit in the tiny pocket on my running shorts (maybe not?).

I have loved my shuffle. Great battery life. It’s a brick. I’ve had no problems up until now…and it was my fault. But it’s got no screen. A screen would be nice. Some more space would be nice too. But it fits in my life. Wherever I go, there’s room for the shuffle.

Oh, and those iPod videos look pretty too. Horrible battery life. But pretty. And much smaller than my current iPod.

Or I could just not have a music player for a while and “tough it out.”

Am I lusting? I can trade in my old, broken shuffle for a new one and get 10% off. Plus the 10% I get for being a student (gotta use it while it lasts). So Internet, I ask again: What do I do?

Josh & Rachel at Venice Beach

Originally uploaded by josh.ev9.

Hope you have a great 24th!

Wow, Planet Informatics is quite active these days. Way to go, y’all. Let’s see how long this one can last at the top of the stack…

For the last week and a half or so, I’ve been writing my Capstone paper, the paper that is meant to sum up a year worth of work in a way that would be acceptable at an academic conference. Now, I’m not totally sure why it has to be conference acceptable, but that’s beside the point. I’ve been completely uninspired in my writing, and so for the moment, at least, I’ve given up.

Keep in mind, the only thing that stands between me and the official completion of my Master’s degree is this paper. 5-10 pages should be no problem. I’ve done it a million times, and this time I actually know what I’m talking about. So why can’t I just write the damn paper? Great question.

I’ve tried a lot of my old writing tricks:

• Write constantly throughout the course of the project, this will help summarize things in the end
• Organize all the materials that will need to be referenced
• Make a semi-detailed outline
• Don’t write it all in a sitting, set aside “chunks” of time to fill in bits and pieces
• Don’t worry too much about editing until the end

I remember when I was a little kid my dad would edit my papers, and every once in a while he would call me over while he was reading it and say, “Josh, what’s on your mind? It looks like you’re not so focused on this essay…” Generally he’d be right. I’d go back and make major revisions, and the paper would be better for it.

Right now I know my mind is on other issues: Moving, Employment, “New” life, my first real break in a long time, summer trips.

I’ll get to my paper in the next few days, I know. I just need to find a way to focus my attention on it…