Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Final Blog of the Semester

Whew! What a semester! As many students have expressed in their blogs, it feels great to finish this course particularly since my energy is sapped due to the hot weather.

Here are some of my thoughts on the final exam. Some students were very creative on their answers and thought outside the box. For example, responses to the Virginia Tech question included ideas like IPv6-based and wireless CCTV, computer simulation, smartphones, metal detectors and the semantic web. I am not sure if we actually covered all of these in class but I was quite impressed.

I am glad that students picked up on the fact that technology is not the only solution. Again with the Virginia Tech question, some students suggested changing the gun laws, arming professors (huh?) and student personality screening. When I look for solutions in general, I look in terms of people (e.g. human factors, security clearances), process (e.g policies, standards, training) and technology.

Unfortunately, quite a few students did not heed my warning and treated the final just like a series of discussion thread questions. I did not check the length but my guess is that some responses were just over 100 words. It was also unfortunate that students stopped listing technologies after just mentioning one or two. I was looking for breadth (as well as depth) of technical knowledge.

One last thing about the final. A couple of students did not answer the last question of the exam on which student paper had the most influence. To them, perhaps none of the papers had any influence? Oh, yes, before I forget, Doris Murrel's paper on "Internet Abuse in the Workplace" was cited by most students as having the greatest influence. I don't have an award for you, Doris, but you can stand proud knowing that others were impacted by your research work.

As for the group presentations, many groups showed a lot of creativity and energy. However, certain groups did not address the questions completely, overlooked including a conclusion (I feel that ALL presentations should have a conclusion) and the lack of consistency slide to slide. I am sure there are some disappointed people out there but this will hopefully be a good learning experience when it comes to online group projects. They are never easy!

Most students did a fine job on their individual papers. I am sure you discovered that in completing the last question of the final. There were some really stimulating subjects covered. Too bad not everyone posted their papers early.

As we put a close on this semester, I suggest you reflect on your new knowledge and skills you have gained in this class. I hope you have a better idea about blogs, wikis, social networks, avatars, data flow diagrams (maybe not?) and OLAP by now.

Best wishes for a most successful career and a fulfilling life!

And for those of you who are graduating...

Monday, July 30, 2007

Reflections on Session 13

I was pleased with the quality of the students' collaboration effort for the mini-project. There were no vandals except someone who wiped out part of instructions. Hmmmmmm....Wiki Icky, Inc.? Anyway, here is their final product (below it is another perspective):

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Chief Information Officer
Wiki Icky Inc.
Adelphi, MD

Announcement Number: WI-CSMN-601
Open: Jul 23, 2007
Closed: Open Until Filled.

Job Description:
Wiki Icky Inc., a leading company in the field of communications and technology innovations, is seeking a Chief Information Officer. The Chief Information Officer (CIO) reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and provides strong collaborative forward thinking, and responsive leadership in the planning, development, implementation, maintenance, and management of Information Technology (IT) as infrastructure. CIO Is in charge of the Management Information Systems (MIS) organization within the company, charged with overseeing operations, setting MIS priorities, and being a top level advocate for the MIS. The CIO will also ensure that information technology is acquired and information resources are managed effectively; develop, maintain and facilitate a sound and integrated information technology architecture; and promote the effective and efficient design and operation of all major information resources management processes for the agency, including improvements to work processes. The incumbent will serve as a member of the senior leadership team and will act as the senior advisor for all information technology within the company.

Company Information:
Founded in 1991, Wiki Icky Inc. grew internally and through acquisitions until the early 2000s. Beginning in 2002, the company began acquiring companies with expertise in information technology products and services, particularly in the networking, distributed computing, and communications arena. Wiki Icky focuses on creating shareholder value while delivering superior products and services to all commercial and government sectors. The company emphasizes excellence in Information Technology Management improvement in all of its operations. Wiki Icky values ethical behavior and promotes a culture of integrity throughout all aspects of its business. This culture is evident in how the company deals with shareholders, employees, customers, partners, and the communities in which it operates.

Requirements:
The ideal candidate will be a visionary, progressive thinker, possessing a strong technical background with excellent management and analytical skills. He or she must possess a stellar record of employee management and demonstrate experience leading organization change and forming collaborative partnerships across organizations with diverse constituencies. He or she will have at least 10 years of experience at the senior management level. The ideal candidate will have experience in both public and private sectors. A MBA from an accredited college or university, with experience in Information Technology, and/or Systems Engineering is required; an advanced degree in a complementary field is highly desirable. A strong record of innovation, leadership, successful experience with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and implementation, and the ability to understand and engage emerging trends in information technology are essential. Strong knowlege of the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) at level 5 and Project Management experience are essential. Project Management Professional (PMP) or similar certification preferred. should hold an active Secret clearance or have held one in the last two years.

Key knowledge, skills, and abilities of the CIO are:
1. Develop strategic plans and operating policies for computing and information technology;
2. Direct and develop programs and schedules for business and finance data processing, computer services, network communications, and management information services to accomplish corporate goals and objectives;
3. Manage and evaluate information security and data integrity of the company and its business units;
4. Implement the objectives of the information technology needs of the company to ensure the computer capabilities are responsive to the needs of the company's growth;
5. Evaluate overall operations of computing and information technology functions and recommend enhancements;
6. Advise senior management on strategic systems conversions and integrations in support of business goals and objectives;
7. Prepare enterprise objectives and budgets to facilitate the orderly and efficient capture, storage, processing, and dissemination of information;
8. Review and approve major contracts for computing and information technology services and equipment;
9. Coordinate the implementation of high-level security policies, standards and practices for the information systems, communication lines, and equipment;
10. Oversee the development, design, and implementation of new applications and changes to existing computer systems and software packages;
11. Responsible for the development, review, certification and testing of all back-up and disaster recovery procedures and plans;
12. Identify emerging information technologies to be assimilated, integrated, and introduced within the company;
13. Research new computing technologies to determine potential value for the company;
14. Establish company infrastructure to support and guide individual divisions/departments/sites in computing and information technology efforts;
15. Establish and implement short- and long-range departmental goals, objectives, policies, and operating procedures;
16. Serve on planning and policy-making committees, providing suggestions for technology based implementation or collaboration;
17. Responsible for application support for end users and achieve best practice metrics including high Service Level Agreement compliance, customer satisfaction scores, and use of technology and processes;
18. Leads implementation activities to achieve desired financial or procedural outcomes for new systems, using standardized implementation, use, and support models.
19. Manage $25 million annual capital budget for new applications;
20. Provide advice and assistance to senior managers on IT acquisition and management;
21. Maintains an inventory of information management hardware and software to identify gaps and needed changes;
22. Interviews and selects managerial and administrative support staff, provides training opportunities, evaluates the performance of incumbents, and reviews and approves administrative duties;
23. Oversee and contributes to Project Management efforts and standards as they relate to CMMI certification, I.T. development and management within the organization;
24. Envision the future of information technology at Wiki Icky Inc. and anticipate its impact on learning, research, outreach, and administration;
25. Develop and maintain a strong Information Assurance program ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all company information resources;
26. Implement and embrace information technology programs that support a strong process orientation to improve upon and maintain current CMMI levels throughout the corporation;
27. Seek opportunities for system consolidation and elimination of redundant functions;
28. Prior experience with migrating operating systems related to mergers and acquisitions;
29. Ability to prioritize between competing projects and resources to ensure work goals are met.
30. Coordinates scheduled training of Information Technology staff to promote professional development;
31. Coordinates upgrades and maintenance of all network, computer and hardware devices;
32. Other duties as assigned;

Salary:
The salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. The pay scale is currently under review for this position, but will range from $185,000 to $210,000 annually. Guaranteed bonus at 25% of annual pay, depending upon meeting company and position specific goals.

Benefits:
Wiki Icky Inc. offers a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, and life insurance. 401(k) and Pension Plan. Short and Long-Term Disability. 4 weeks paid vacation, 10 paid holidays, and paid sick leave. Health/Dependent Care Spending Account (Flex Account).

Working Conditions :
The incumbent is assigned to the Office Headquarters in Adelphi, Md. Travel up to 40% is expected with occasional over night stays. This is an exempt position. Some evening and weekend work is required, as well as the ability to work remotely.

For more information regarding the position, minimum qualifications, and application requirements please visit our website at http://csmn601summer2007.wikispaces.com , or contact:

Dr. Les Pang
3501 University Blvd. East
Adelphi, MD 20783
Phone: 410-555-1234
E-Mail: **csmn601@umuc.edu**


Wiki Icky Inc.
An Equal Opportunity Employer

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Just for comparison, this is what the previous class came up with:

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IF YOU DO NOT LIVE IN MARYLAND, PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS LISTING. HOW EVER, IF YOU ATTEND UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, YOU MAY APPLY.

Title: Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Company Info:
The Widget Manufacturing Organization (WMO) has been in business for over 20 years. We pride ourselves on our dedication to our clients and employees. Known for the quality widget produced, our widgets have made their way into every corner of the globe. We are committed in providing the best leading technology in the country and look forward in globalizing our technology.

Hours: Full - Time

Length: Perm

Reports To: President / CEO

Salary: $500,000 - $1,250,000, including stock options and 100% possible future ownership.

Location: Dallas, TX

Position Description:
Chief Information Officer (CIO) for a Widget Manufacturing Organization (WMO) will provide a technological vision and leadership to the company wide Information Technology Program. The CIO will lead the WMO network in both planning and implementing enterprise information systems. Must have and demonstrate success in meeting corporate goals, with the ability to develop regional and corporate managers. Additionally, the CIO:

Provides strategic and tactical planning, development, evaluation and coordination of the Information Technology systems for the WMO network.
Facilitates communication between staff, management, vendors and other technological resources within the organization.
Responsible for the management of multiple information and communications systems and projects, including voice, data, imaging and office automation.
Designs, implements and evaluates the systems that supports the end-users.
Oversees and evaluates system security and back up procedures.
Supervises the Network Administrator.
Demonstrates a strong teamwork environment.

Qualifications:
Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in a leadership position and previous CIO experience. A with increasing management and support responsibility in Widget Manufacturing Organization information systems technology, including direct management of a major IT operation. Experience should also include experience with multi-client server environment. The ideal candidate will also have:

Experience with desktop, notebook, handheld and server computer hardware.
Experience with local and wide area networks.
Experience in strategic planning and execution.
Experience with implementation of information technology integrations in a large division/company
Knowledge of various operating systems such as Windows 2000/XP/Vista, Solaris, and Linux.
Extensive hands-on experience managing and integrating Windows 2003 Active Directory and Windows Server 2003.
Extensive knowledge of network security practices preferably with a CISSP certification.
Minium knowledge of Oracle 7i, 8i, 9i, and 10g.
Experience in Unix & SQL server.


Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Leadership experience and strategic direction for capital investment planning process and enterprise architecture to maximize innovative use of technology, protect the organization’s information systems technology, and reduce costs.
Provide leadership and strategic direction to develop and operate a comprehensive enterprise-wide information systems technology security program, including system plans and hardware and software purchases.
Provide a full range of communications and cyber security techniques to protect decentralized communications and cyber resources.
Be able to effectively define an Information Technology vision for the future of our company.
Be the eyes, ears, and heartbeat for the President on issues IT related that involve our company.
Develop and implement an organizational vision integrating national and program goals, priorities, and values. Create work environment that encourages creative thinking and maintain focus, intensity, and persistence under adversity.
Develop programmers and have an effective relationship with multi-national clientele and staff.
Design and implement strategies to maximize employee potential and foster high ethical standards to meet organizational vision, mission, and goals.
Stress personnel accountability and continuous improvement, to make timely and effective decisions and produce results through strategic planning by implementing and evaluating programs and policies.
Acquire and administer, human, financial, materials, and information resources to accomplish the organization’s mission, and use technology to enhance decision making.
Explain, advocate, and express facts and ideas in a persuasive manner in negotiations with internal and external groups. Develop professional network with other organizations, and identify internal and external politic that could significantly impact the organization’s mission and goals. Budget preparation and monitoring, and negotiating with vendors and contractors in IT related business.
Seek out new prospects to introduce new technology of ongoing business
Meets with department managers to review current and future infrastructure development, enhancement needs and requirements to stay abreast of business and operating requirements.
Knowledge of information technology computer systems and software and the ability to manage the entire spectrum of information technology operations.

Proven Skills in:

Negotiating with vendors, contractors and others.
Budget preparation and monitoring.
Showing direction and vision in expanding business globally.
Planning and organizing.
Management and Leadership.
Excellent communication skills.
Proven track record of on-time completion of projects.
Creating strong and effective teams.
Patients and proven peer mediation skills

Demonstrated ability to:

Communicate to all levels within and outside the organization.
Motivate and educate other team members.
Plan, implement and support systems in a complex environment.
Set and manage priorities.
Comprehend complex technical subjects.
Apply complex IT technologies to business strategies.
Mentor and develop talent.

Educational & Certification Requirement
PHD,Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Systems Engineering, Business Administration and related field from accredited universities. Masters in Business Administration or E-Commerce is highly desirable. CISSP and Cisco (CCNA, CCNP, CCIE) Certification is also desired. Oracle Professional DBA 7i,8i and 9i, SQL/PL/SQL,

Security Requirement
Candidate is required to posses or be able to obtain a TOP SECRET & POLY GRAPH security clearance.

Please forward your resume only if you are serious about furthering your career in management.

Travel: 10%

Telecommute: No

Monday, July 23, 2007

Reflections on Session 12

I can tell that there are a number of programmers in our class judging on the high quality of their data flow diagrams that were submitted. A handful of students really struggled with this assignment because many had sequential flowchart approach ingrained in their minds. My guess is that many had taken a procedural programming class before and learned the need to build a flowchart to show the sequential operations including decision points and stepwise operations.

When I think flowchart, I think of this classic one:



Well, a dataflow diagram is quite different. Some say it is more object-oriented. It shows the information flows among processes, entities (internal and external), and data stores.

This modeling is important for one to understand the processes involved -- including the underlying subprocesses. Without this knowledge, the developer cannot do his/her job in developing a system that would support those real-world processes.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Reflections on Sessions 10 and 11

Looks like all of the students have survived the final double-session week. Next they need to focus on the group project and individual paper. Less than a month to go! We are coming up on the home stretch!

In Session 10, about half of the students seemed fascinated with ALICE while others were unimpressed. I guess it depends on their expectations and what they have seen in the past. My first contact with AI was a computer program called AI Doctor. You, "the patient," would converse with a virtual doctor to help diagnose your ailment and come up with a treatment. It worked on the same principle as ALICE where words from the "patient" were parsed, processed and linked with pre-programmed responses. We have come far from AI Doctor with the use of the XML dialect, Artificial Intelligence Markup Language. This is a significant leap forward compared to when I used GW-BASIC many years ago to program my AI Doctor program.

BTW, I much prefer conversing with ALICE the bot compared to that obnoxious paperclip bot Microsoft used in their Office products.



In Session 11, I am glad that most of the students were exposed to a powerful OLAP tool. They are seeing a Cognos product formerly called PowerPlay, but there are other companies such as BusinessObjects, Microsoft, Oracle, who can produce similar cubes and interfaces. These tools are certainly easier to use than pivot tables and spreadsheets. I am always impressed when I see the insightful trends and relationships students identified and the derived strategies based on these findings.

I was a bit perplexed that a handful of students did not use Fedscope but instead did research using the OPM site. The whole point of the assignment was to gain experience with the use of data cube. Can't figure that one out.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Reflections on Session 8 and 9

A handful of students found the Session 8 mini-project assignment (come up with a unique e-business) to be very frustrating. In a way, this challenging assignment was like a midterm exam.

Here is a summary of their ideas on possible e-businesses:

Personalized online time management service
3-D modeling tool for an environmentally aware home
Online sports card inventory tracker
Auction site which matches sound equipment with performer
Small-town French restaurant selection guide
Organized weekend camping trips for gamers
College book rental
Family taxi for parents
Grocery price comparison site
Making jealous mates
College transcript clearinghouse
Home improvement contractor online bidding service
e-Closet - hotel storage for travelers
Gifted kids competition
SlingBox feed exchange
Customized beer delivered to your home
Online calorie counter for a broad range of restaurants
Nonalcoholic activity planner

During the last semester, some came up with some pretty wild and unique ideas.

An online hostage negotiator
Team picker based on behavioral survey results
Homepainting recommendation service
Anonymous shopper service
An e-business search service
Personal security-check web service
A one-stop pet resource
Virtual vacations which uses VR helmets
Guild builder for games
An advertiser-customer target marketer
A Mac and PC cross-platform software supplier
A pet food labeling service (has picture of their pet on the can!)
An unbiased fantasy football selector (disregards user's loyalties)
An MP3 music tagging service
Recordings of daughters' comedy routines
Custom cross-stitching service
Virtual DJ services

I wonder if any of my students will become billionaires because of their ideas. Hey, look at a Marylander named Sergey Brin. He was born in Moscow, Russia, to a Jewish family, the son of a mathematician and economist. In 1979, when Sergey was six, his family emigrated to the United States. Brin attended grade school at Paint Branch Montessori School in Adelphi, Maryland, but he received further education at home; his father Michael Brin, a professor in the department of mathematics at the University of Maryland, nurtured his interest in mathematics and his family helped him retain his Russian language skills. In September 1990, after having attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Sergey enrolled in the University of Maryland, College Park to study Computer Science and Mathematics, where he received his Bachelors of Science in May 1993 with high honors. After graduating from Maryland, Sergey received a graduate fellowship from the National Science Foundation, which allowed him to study for his masters degree in Computer Science at Stanford University.

Brin is the American entrepreneur who co-founded Google with Larry Page. He is currently the President of Technology at Google and has a net worth estimated at $16.6 billion as of March 9, 2007, making him the 26th richest person in the world together with Larry Page and the 9th richest person in the United States. He is also the 4th youngest billionaire in the world.



As for Session 9, I am glad most of the students got to experience a wiki for the first time. It is an excellent collaboration tool but alas nothing is perfect. Often you need an effective facilitator to ensure that the wiki is well structured and managed and to prevent any wiki vandalism, mis-entries or posting of non-politically correct ideas. Later on, the class will do a mini-project that will not involve any supervision or facilitation on my part. It will be an interesting experiment in human behavior!

Monday, July 2, 2007

Reflections on Sessions 6 and 7

Students are holding up pretty well during these double sessions. (I hate to tell them that another is around the corner...but it's the last one.) I had to schedule the double sessions earlier in the semester so students could spend some time later working on their individual and group projects later on. I know they won't appreciate this "load balancing" until perhaps the end of the semester. In the meantime, I can be known as the "slave driver." (Don't forget...no midterm exam in this class!)

Students from last summer's CSMN 601 class.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Reflections on Session 5

We are past the midpoint for this class. Aren't you glad there is no midterm? But it will be uphill from now on because major deliverables will be due in a few weeks.

I am getting a bit perturbed at how students are posting their contribution without looking at what has been posted before. I saw several duplicates in the discussion threads and among the mini-projects. Twice during this session, students even repeated something I had posted!

Hey, gang, this is not a correspondence class. It is supposed to be a graduate level course that emulates the exchanges in a real classroom. I would like students to come up with original submissions, thoughtful extensions to posted concepts or a critical analysis of what someone else has posted.

This is fair warning! Read the earlier posts before making your contribution. I really hate penalizing folks for this but I may have to resort to this.