I was just reading an article for my Community Informatics Seminar (SI575) titled "Design Thinking" by Tim Brown (CEO & President of the design firm IDEO). Basically it talks about how companies are beginning to ask designers to participate upfront in idea creation such that the target audience's needs and desires are met in an innovative way. The result could be an increased competitive advantage, a more efficient business process or better service. The designers bring in what Brown calls "design thinking" which is a human-centered approach to problem solving.
Essentially, design thinking is an interative process key stages (Brown calls them "spaces" that help create an innovative, often outside the box end result informed by user input. Brown give the process the following "spaces":
Inspiration (brought on by the circumstance)
Ideation (generate, develop and test ideas)
Implementation (outlining a path to market)
Its interesting to note that the fundamental principles of design thinking spoke of in this article are essentially those principles taught in many SI courses (SI501, 622, 682 and others). What is interesting still is that this way of thinking not only provides you with skills that directly apply to HCI and more technical fields, but to many others. The limited examples Brown brought up ranged from health care to bike sales.
In fact, I am taking a course in the business school called (BIT646) Solving Societies Problems. We are doing lots of readings on "social entrepreneur" type organizations that partner with communities to devise creative solutions to meet some crucial need while making a profit (if modest) for the company. The specifics of the class I won't get into here but its interesting to see that the successful ventures use "design thinking" to find a viable and sustainable undertaking that meets the community and the business needs.
I guess my epiphany today is that I feel more confident that I can take these principles and seriously provide value to any number of organizations...in a wide range of fields...particularly community development (my interest although not my official SI specialization). This gives greater flexibility in how I choose to market myself to an employer and helps broadens my career choices. That, in the eloquent words of the beloved Paris Hilton, is hot.
I'll focus on classes with a considerable class project. Classes with a project component are wonderful because you actually get to practice what you are learning...immediately. Projects help cement your learning, you are better able to ask more educated and insightful questions to your professor as well as building a relationship with your team and finally....you are building your resume! Can it get any better??!
Why yes it can...!
Projects also allow you to learn a lot about your peers in SI and they provide an opportunity to learn from them (your peers I mean). If you are in Human Computer Interaction, Social Computing or Incentive-Centered Design, you will have more opportunities for in-class projects (compared to Library Sciences or Archives) and you'll probably want to get involved in projects outside of class (see Student Projects - Part 1). Team projects expose you to the motivations, skills and quirks of your team members. Successful work has as much to do with the skills of the team as with their relationship with each other. Being able to calmly and effectively communicate, recognize working and communication styles (including the strengths of your teammates) will take you far...oh going out for a drink or ice cream after a productive...or non-productive meeting won't hurt either ;) ...I brings a different level of understanding!
My philosophy is first assume no harm... So your group member sent you an email that just lit your fuse and you are about to go off!
Wait!...STOP right there...explain the situation to a neutral party and get their opinion. Consider what they might have been trying to say...its surprising how easy it is to take things out of context in email. Your group member may have written in the most loving yet unclear way.
I digress!!!! Here is a list of classes with cool project opportunities!
SI requires 6 (at minimum) Practical Engagement Program points (PEP) in order to graduate. Classes that have PEP points associated with it
allow the student to apply course concepts to real world settings via projects.
Three example of this include:
SI682 Interface & Interaction Design, SI501 Contextual Inquiry (this
course is a a foundations course and it is required for all incoming MSI students...so you're taking this one buddy!) and SI622 Evaluation of Systems and Services.
Each have semester long projects where the students work with a client from the real world and develop an end product for them based on the principles learned throughout the semester. Generally, these courses are based on incorporating the user into the design of product.
Contextual Inquiry is a development methodology based on bringing the
user into the development process. The course steps the student teams
through this methodology so that we can apply it to the project we are working on. SI500 is well known to companies who recruit out of SI and they seem to respect the knowledge and experience that the students gain as a result of it.
Interface & Interaction Design incorporates contextual inquiry as well as other methods (personas, scenarios) to gather requirements for a project (The design of the interface is the focus) develop a prototype, test it and provide the prototype and any report/recommendations back to the client.
You can check out the website my team created for this class here.
Both of these courses translate directly to tasks I would encounter in the HCI field.
Evaluation of Systems & Services Is also a great class taught by Mark Newman - a very good professor. SI622 is a far more cut and dry then SI682 but uses many of the same usability methodologies. I say that because you have multiple assignments back to back almost on a bi-weekly basis so that includes completing work for the method (such as Heuristic Evaluation or Survey Design) and then writing a report (rather detailed) about how you carried out the work and what your findings were. You will be sooooo tired of writing reports by the end of the semester ;) BUT! you will have some marketable skills that will help land you that fab internship/job.
And finally let me add...taking courses with a project component is NO JOKE. If you want to die feel free to take more than two courses with a project component. If you enjoy life and the ability to smile take no more than two.
Currently I am dieing. I naively didn't review the syllabi of my classes when I registered and I have three courses with considerable projects...Have you noticed that I failed to blog regularly like I said I would back in January... So have I. ;p
I must include this caveat...It is so hard to keep you group projects to two and under because so many courses have group projects (especially those HCI related ones)....soooo uuuhm you will be busy. I'm being facetious about "dieing"- you won't! ...and I'm not either! But if you are working part-time and have multiple projects you will be busy!
If I didn't mention it already, be sure to talk to more senior students to get their perspective on what to take and how to balance your courses.
Well...Hope this helps you out. As I say to those who I speak with via email...feel free to email me or reply directly through the blog tool (by posting a comment). It's a great way for all to see your question and my response!
Cheers!
]]>First I'd like to introduce to you Mark Newman.
Mark comes to SI from...dun dun duuuuuun... The Palo Alto Research Center (PARC)! Quick side bar---PARC is pure innovative gold in the HCI and research world. If you didn't know, PARC is responsible for "30 companies and is celebrated for such innovations as laser printing, distributed computing and Ethernet, the graphical user interface (GUI), object-oriented programming, and ubiquitous computing" (PARC website). In my humble opinion, I think Mark gets multiple cool points, gold starts and IQ credits for contributing to the knowledge of that organization and we are fortunate to have him at SI!
Back to the intro... ;) Mark received his doctorate in computer science from UC-Berkeley, was employed by PARC for 7 years with a focus in ubiquitous computing and now has made his way to the School of Information.
His research still revolves around ubiquitous computing and he is actively participating in several projects. Here are two to peak your interest.
In addition to his many research activities, Mark is the new professor of SI622: Evaluation of Systems and Services. This class is a required course for HCI students so you HCI-ers will be sure to make contact with him through this course. I'm currently taking SI622 and I think he is doing a great job! Why?
(I'm a list person so here comes the bullets)
Lastly, Mark participates in the HCI reading group. Each week an article or two is distributed for your consumption. On Friday students come together to discuss its importance and impact in HCI.
For more information see the News of SI article here
or Mark's website: http://newmantaylor.com/newman/
Next!
More projects related to HCI:
MichiPoster
Led by Josh Palay, an alum of the MSI program. MichiPoster provides an environment for communal discussion (including the sharing of web sites, photos of SI events, questions for the SI community etc.) without clogging your inbox. You can access MichiPoster online (www.michiposter.com) or via the touch screen located in SI North and in the student lounge in West Hall.
Visualizing Course Paths
Led by Assistant Professors Lada Adamic and Mick McQuaid.
This is an excellent example of information visualization that is tailored to the interests of SI students. Lada and Mick have created a visualization of course paths followed by MSI students which is helpful when trying to determine your own path through the SI curriculum.
Use of Aesthetics in HCI Systems
Led by Jina Huh (doctoral student), Assoc. Professor Mark Ackerman, & Robert Douglas.
This research seeks to determine the additional impact decorative art can bring to HCI systems beyond its traditional use as a way to facilitate information visualization and decoration.
Social Computing Tools
Led by Professor Paul Resnick. Paul has initiated such tools as the SI Thank Yous which is an application that allows the SI community to post and display public thank you messages. The device is located on the 3rd floor landing of West Hall and the lobby of SI North. Look for it when you come to visit!
There are many more interesting areas happening within SI.
For more information you can view the complete news article or search the people and research pages within the SI website to browse current projects and research interests of our faculty and students.
International Recognition for HCI Student Projects!
I would be remiss if I failed to mention the THREE teams at SI whose projects were accepted into the semifinals of the Computer-Human Interaction international Student Design Competition. I might add that there were only nine other teams accepted...you do the math ;)
Our teams will present to CHI via a poster session in Florence, Italy in April. Four teams will then be chosen for the final round. These teams will give an oral presentation to a panel of judges.
Projects and teams include:
doGooder connects people with service opportunities while fostering volunteer retention through community encouragement. By increasing volunteer involvement, doGooder enhances the capabilities of organizations that serve the diverse needs of homeless people.
Team members (Team Emantis):
Learn more:
www.emantis.com →
www.emantis.info/hifi/doGooder.html → (hi-fi prototype)
Portalis is a competitive online game that improves the flow of expert domain knowledge to case managers working with the homeless. The game also enables contributions from individuals who would otherwise not be able to volunteer because of time constraints.
Team Portalis members:
This team is developing an information system with simple interfaces that uses quick-response codes to configure cell phones to perform basic functions that will improve the delivery of services to the homeless. These functions might include setting up reminders and augmenting current data entry methods used by homeless service agencies.
Team members:
This is by NO means exhaustive!
]]>There are projects associated with your classes. I will include this list in Student Projects - Part 2 because I foresee this blog to be a long one!
There are university and professional organizations that encourage student projects. Some even provide funding for you. Here is a list you can check out:
GROCS
http://www.dc.umich.edu/dmc/grocs/
Here is the official summary from their website:
GROCS awards cash grants to student-initiated research projects that use digital media in an academic activity. Project teams must be interdisciplinary, and one project goal must be to enhance collaboration.
This is a super cool opportunity. Currently I think there are two or three teams that have a few SI students in each. This stat is super impressive given that only 4-6 projects are chosen to be sponsored annually.
Example project: Some SI kids (and of course a few from other schools to create an "interdisciplinary group") Are working on making the campus more accessible to blind students...I think through the use of RFID tags. Want more information? Get at me.
http://www.si.umich.edu/about-SI/news-detail.htm?NewsItemID=591">
click here.
For 2008, there are two -correction three!- SI teams that have been accepted into the competition. Both will be traveling to Florence, Italy to present their projects in April!
"http://www.si.umich.edu/about-SI/news-detail.htm?NewsItemID=630"> SI
News - CHI 2008
Will you be the next?!
CIC - Community Information Corps
Summary from CIC website:
The focus on practical engagement and community participation is something that sets the Community Information Corps apart from other student groups at SI. It is our belief that the best way to learn about the community is to get to know it - to get involved. With this in mind, members of the Community Information Corps have developed two focus projects, each providing participants with opportunities to engage community members. In addition to these focus projects, the Community Information Corps continually encourages participants to come up with new project ideas and suggest ways we might get involved. We realize that the possibilities for involvement are endless. But, if you have a project you want to see happen, CiC can make it happen.
This is lesser known but SI has some funding for projects under this banner as well!
Project to Connect North Campus
The powers that be in the UM hierarchy sponsored a competition last semester to come up with an idea (very little boundaries placed on what that idea could be) to create a fun and interesting event or thing (for lack of a better world) to help connect North campus with the rest of the university. (For those that don't know all of engineering and many of the art schools are located to the north of central campus...which is about a 15 minute ride on the shuttle. If you have friends in engineering or art & architecture for example you will rarely run into them on central campus or south campus for that matter).
Anyway, if your idea was chosen for this competition it would have been implemented and you may have helped work on it. Cant remember.
This opportunity was advertised via a mass email to all students.
The digression begins...
...Now it has occurred to me that I should explain this whole north central, south campus thing to you! Ok briefly...
North campus: Duh - north of Central or South campus and consequently its north of the UM Med facilities as well. Its pretty much the upper edge of campus. It houses the Comp Sci, Engineering, and Art schools. SI also has a presence up there...incidentally it is called...are you ready for this...SI North. Very spiffy. This is where the PhD students hang out and if your a Master's student - Thesis Option you'll probably be here too.
Central Campus: Where SI's main HQ is located. This is thee SI Master's student hang out. Be there or be square. Also located on central is the student union (Michigan Union), the B-school (Ross School of Business), the Law school, School of Public Policy, etc and a wealth of other buildings inhabited by undergraduate courses... of which...you will probably never see the inner walls... but I digress...
South Campus: Houses most of the sports facilities. So the Big House (Football...you should know that ;), Yost Arena (Hockey), Crisler Arena (Basketball), I know I'm missing something...anyway. Even further south of this is where the tennis and gymnastics athletes get there "sport" on. But sadly we don't give that area a name... lets call it Super South campus ;) ...again...I digress.
Ok back to projects!
Now these are just the opportunities that I thought of in this one blog session! Imagine how many you'd find if you were actually seeking them out!
I am including this project opportunity since it just popped up in my Inbox yesterday!
M-HEAL - Michigan-Health Engineered for All Lives
M-Heal is a student group dedicated to improving medical care in developing countries. One of their major activities is volunteering every other weekend at World Medical Relief (WMR) in Detroit. WMR is an 8 story warehouse where donated medical equipment and supplies are stored, tested and repaired before being shipped to developing countries all over the world. (These countries are only responsible for covering the cost of shipping)
M-HEAL has requested student help in developing a database for the WMR to help with inventory and allow representatives from the developing countries to view current inventory and make their requests online (currently they must come to the warehouse personally and browse the giant warehouse). Its an open invitation to participate in this initiative.
This announcement was also received via a mass student email.
]]>Soooo, I've gotten many questions about how students at SI obtain practical and relevant work experience. My answer there are two main ways...three really...coursework, internships (during the summer and during the semester), and projects on campus.
Today I'll touch on internships...especially because I just got hired as an intern for the UM Libraries' Usability Working Group (UWG). Go me ;)
Here's how it went down... ;)
Friday, I received a mass mailer email from Kelly in our Career Services office detailing the opening of the internship in the UWG.
I was definitely in need of a steady paycheck and getting usability experience was also a huge plus!
Saturday involved critiques to the ol resume (...I had some sad formatting and spelling errors) and formulation of a whole new cover letter. I was on a role and proud of myself for not procrastinating. Yes...that is a fault of mine but I aware of it...and as the GI Joes used to say...knowing is half the battle.
Anyway...Saturday night...submission of the resume and cover letter. Awesome.
Monday, received an email requesting an interview. Yes I am available heeelloooo! Scheduled it for the following day.
Tuesday, interview time. I wasn't too nervous and made sure I got there early.
The interview was about 40 minutes. I interviewed with two people. They asked general questions about my background and then dived into 5 scenario based questions relating to usability design, evaluation of systems etc. I was prepared for these sorts of questions based on my SI501 (Contextual Inquiry) project as well as from taking SI682 (Interface and Interaction Design). Both classes involved a team project working with a client, analyzing an existing issue, scoping requirements and performing usability methods (SI682). I'll talk more about these projects in a later blog.
I was nervous however because I did not have specific experience with a broad range of usability methods (such as card sorting or heuristic evaluations) so when they asked for examples of usability methodologies used previously I could only name a few. If I didn't get the job I figured that would be one of the reasons.
Wednesday, I got the internship!! Yeah! Apparently they didn't expect me to know everything upfront!
Basically my role as an intern with the library's Usability Working Group is to:
- Evaluate current and planned web resources, such as a new tagging application, MBooks, Search Tools (article finder), SFX (full-text linking service), Mirlyn (Library catalog), Ask Us (email & chat reference) and the University Library website
- Plan and conduct usability testing (formal & informal user testing, observation, comparative analysis, expert evaluations, survey, heuristic evaluation, personas and scenarios, use statistics, etc)
- User experience research
I'll continue to provide updates on my experience as the semester goes on.
Until then...
The following are a list of apartment complexes that I know to be clean, comfortable, near campus and where other students (SI or other) can vouch for them.
Meadowbrook Village
Nob Hill Apartments
Briar Cove Apartments
Willow Tree Apartments
Woodbury Gardens
I will continue to add to the list.
Also a great website to get reviews on apartments (and their management) from people who have lived there is: http://www.apartmentratings.com/
This site was particularly helpful for me because I wasn't able to visit Ann Arbor and check out any potential living spaces before I put down my security deposit! When looking at the reviews, keep in mind that some of the people have a real ax to grind and their feedback may not totally reflect the quality of the place. I will say however that the pictures the rental offices show online of the place don't usually reflect what the place actually looks like. Sometimes they are better...sometimes they are worse! Looking at user reviews can provided a "truer" idea of what to expect.
Also, check out Northwood Apartments. They are owned by the University and are a sweet deal. All utilities are included (that means internet and cable TV) and washer & dryer. It's important to apply early if you want to live here. You can choose anything from a studio to a three person dwelling. Obviously the later is the cheapest...to the tune of about $350/mo. (don't quote me on the price)
Facebook is also a great networking tool to find where other students are living and possibly find roommates.
Here is a link to the Facebook group for prospective students that Laura in the Admission's has started.
http://umichigan.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7689684202&ref=mf
You might us it to find other incoming students or talk further with other recruiting assistants like me.
Local newspapers, including the student paper the Michigan Daily, always have apartment listings as well as people looking for roommates. Try to check these out too. I think they will be very helpful for you.
Michigan Daily keeps their classifieds on the web!
http://www.michigandaily.com/classifieds/
MLive - Newsource that also lists requests for roommates
http://www.mlive.com/classifieds/
Maps Krieg is a cool site that maps apartments listed on Craig's List onto Google Maps. This will give you an idea of how far certain apartments are from campus!
http://www.mapskrieg.com/view/
Hope this helps. As always you can email me with questions!
krosalia
I've done quite a bit of group work professionally and a small amount as an undergraduate. But this semester two of my four classes have semester long projects that require extensive group work.
Gratefully, both teams have been fabulous and I've learned some things that helped them become that way.
As part of one course, the professor spoke about two different personality types that affect group work: convergers & divergers.
Divergers are those who are the free thinkings, devise grand ideas, often go on tangents and like to explore many possibilities.
Convergers are people who like to encourage organization, they are more apt to provide the reality check to the far out dreams of the divergent in order to get the task completed.
We used these personality types to evaluate ourselves and help determine our own teams in the class.
Once my group formed, we started a team website and created bios that built on our converger/diverger details.
We included things like:
- personal interest in the project.
- skills we bring to the group.
- things we like to do and don't (public speaking, writing etc)
- other responsibilities that would compete for our time (family, other courses, job)
- frequency of internet/email use
etc.
I found this helpful because I got a quick yet comprehensive glimpse into each persons work habits, interests in the project, time constraints, communication style, how frequently someone replies to email and their expectation for when others should reply, experience working in teams...etc. It also allowed me to forecast where areas of tension could arise and encouraged the team to plan accordingly.
Other useful acts included creating a communication covenant (how the team would stay in communication, if email was the main medium, how often would we commit to checking it) and a team covenant (when we'd hold meetings, what to do if a member began to slack)
Obviously, if you have combative team members you will have more conflicts but most people are hear to learn, want to do well.
Group work is built into much of SIs coursework. because you will have to participate in it more than once your reputation among peers and professors, becomes important and can effect who will feel comfortable recommending you for jobs and if your peers will be willing to work with you on future projects.
(Often, when teams are assigned, professors allow you to detail who you are NOT willing to work with during the course.)
Well I wanted to talk briefly about how SI structures student advising sessions.
SI practices open advising with faculty.
Basically, you as the student can choose whomever you want to speak with about courses, careers, whatever. However, you must schedule the time and be sure to have a strong idea of what you want to get out of the session.
Things students bring up included:
- Relevant courses for my specialization
- Cognates to consider (cognates are courses outside of your specialization. They can be either in or outside SI)
- Companies to consider interning with
Many of the professors have contacts with various companies. They can speak on the culture of the organization, research being done, direct you to students who have worked in the place of interest...and even better...put you in contact with people who could hire you. Yeah!
- Affirmation on your future plans
Not sure you are headed in the right direction. Here is an opportunity to get feedback.
- Networking
Open advising is also an opportunity to just get you and your interests out in the open. Opportunities like research, internships, discussions and seminars etc. can appear frequently but aren't always advertised to everyone. Networking is often how you get connected.
And if you haven't figured it out yet, Michigan is ALL about networking!!!! If networking makes you uncomfortable you will have many opportunities to change your mind - sharpen your skills and reach pro status. Seriously.
This was actually the first time I've had a professor share the feedback of a class AND the first time I, as a student, was giving the opportunity to change aspects of the course while it was in full swing. Sure, they may ask for suggestions and incorporate them next semester but acting immediately on it was new to me. (I also experienced this in another SI class!)
I'm including this as a blog entry because key themes were expressed here that reveal characteristics of SI.
Lets begin with the feedback and the response...
Feedback:
Exercises and assignments you give us in class aren't relevant.
Response:
The prof apologized for not being more explicit to the benefits and implications of assignments. [Encouraging to see the professor acknowledge a shortcoming and indicate the desire to correct it in the future]
Although assignments may seem abstract they are carefully planned and designed to provide a challenge with the goal of honing a specific skill, develop creative thought processes etc.
Feedback:
We need more instruction.
Response:
Limited instruction is intentional. Again encourages creativity and personalization in the end product. It allows the student to take an active role in structuring their education. The course isn't about following rules but imagining an innovative yet relevant solution.
In your career, employers admire creative thinkers, risk takers,leaders etc.
[I would argue some of this depends on your employer but he was referencing a highly respected company and leader in web development that explicitly stated this as a desired attribute!]
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Even though these comments came from a course centered on design, I have seen these ideas surface in my other courses.
SI Themes I've observed:
- SI does NOT tell you what to think but HOW to think.
- SI seeks to prepare you for real work and pays attention to what employers are asking of (future) employees.
- SI's foster ingenuity.
- SI's instructors value the opinion of their students AND act on it.
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These themes are important to me and represent what I value in an education and why SI has been a good fit for me. If these themes also resonate with you...you might consider the School of Information as your academic home too. ;)
So to begin, my name is Krystle Williams. I am originally from Portland, Oregon...the good ol' Northwest...rain central - you want it? We go it.
I graduated with a Bachelors degree from the University of Pittsburgh's School of Information Science in 2004. After that I worked for three years as an analyst at a federal agency in Portland doing long-term resource planning for hydro power production.
When I graduated from college, I knew I wanted to get back to school in some capacity but I wasn't totally sure what I wanted to be when I grew up. I started my analyst job in the meantime.
About a year or so I started researching other careers and then educational opportunities.
Needless to say I found Michigan and the field of Human Computer Interaction. This is my first year hear at SI and I am truly loving the education. Its challenging, thought provoking (you are pushed to think outside the box) and I enjoy discovering the various backgrounds that my peers come from and even where they see themselves headed. Who woulda thought an anthropologist would be getting a Master's in HCI?!
In addition to HCI, I'm interested in Community Informatics. There is a lot of work within this field at SI and other places. We are giving the opportunity to learn about it through the Community Information Corps Seminar that is held almost weekly. I think I'll hold the details about that for another entry but it is worth looking into especially since you can apply this field to any area you have interest in!
Well there is my intro. Want to know more? Email me!
]]>So this year, all the big games for UM are played at home. That includes Ohio State...our arch rival. Currently one student ticket, face value - $23, are going for $300 and the price will continue to rise as the game date approaches. The mere $200 fee upfront would have been an investment as I am sure I could have sold the Ohio ticket for double...at least. In addition, NO ONE sites in their assigned seat. So if I had friends in another row of the SI section, I could have just wandered on over and had a spot with no hassle! So word to the wise. If you like football buy the season tickets! Even if you don't know people when you buy them you'll meet them by the time the games start and you'll meet more at the game, after the game, in class, on Face Book etc. Get the picture?! If it happens that you can't attend every game, there will be more ticketless fans, like myself, who missed their chance at a season pass and will cheerfully buy it from ya ;) Go blue!
P.S.
- You must learn the fight song and the plethora of cheers =]
- Be prepared to stand the entire game
- Leave all big bags and purses at home!