Software Engineering Blog

Each day you awake with the ability to write a new chapter in your book of life. Working at an institution of Higher Education the calendar operates on semester cycles. This month happens to be the beginning of a new academic year running from August, 2014 to May, 2015. I know to most people I state the obvious here but not the significance. Time doesn’t actually exist. It is man made based upon the seasons and cycles we create. We operate best on cycles, calendars, and time. We feel a sense of accomplishment by setting a goal and working toward it based upon a schedule. Some cultures exist today without any of these things. Most are called primitive. Someone I know recently went on a Mission Trip to Africa. They explained how the people there just lived from day to day meeting each of their daily needs that day. They also went to sleep at night and woke up in the morning based upon the Sun because without light they could not do anymore that day or begin the new day. We see ourselves as advanced because we operate by appearing to control time. However, time will pass with or without us.

Focusing on a specific area of discipline such as Software Engineering and taking a few structured courses with successful completion each semester can lead to a Masters of Science in Software Engineering. It is more than the accomplishment of a degree or certification that is important. It is the experience of learning new concepts, methodologies, and process that you can keep with you and apply at work for the rest of your life. Why not begin that process now by applying to the Masters of Science in Software Engineering at WVU?

Well, I suppose most consider this to be around the middle of summer. Grill outs, beaches, and fun in the sun come to mind. Rest and relaxation is the theme of this time of year. Most of us are in need of R&R every so many months of our lives. It gives us a chance to reflect, download stresses, and recharge. It seems to make us more productive.

I just heard that recently some Mexico businesses were looking at moving to a 3 day week with 11 hour days but you would not get paid for 40 hours of work. My question is if everyone begins to move to more flexible work times then what would we do with the extra time? I have a great idea for that. Everyone can expand their education and skills. This extra time can be used to earn a Master of Science in Software Engineering at WVU. Why not explore this option today, while you are on vacation thinking about your future?

Who has impacted your life? Who would you consider to be a Great Teacher? I just returned a few weeks ago from a Great Teacher Seminar. It was an amazing seminar and one constructed in a way that is very unique from your traditional seminar. We learned techniques and skills about teaching from each other not an expert brought in but those of us as practitioners as the expert. There are many ways to learn but they are only limited by our reluctance to use our own creativity. I was amazed at all of the many creative ways that educators across this great State of West Virginia have found to reach the minds of those willing to learn. The Will: it is an interesting thing. It is like the air we breathe. You can’t see it but it impacts everything around us.

I always liked the TV Series KungFu. The main character’s flashbacks to his childhood where his Master called him “Grasshopper” was especially educational. His Master was blind but compensated greatly by the use of his hearing and provided life lessons to him that impacted events in his future. Sometimes we think we can’t learn from certain individuals such as our own children. However, many times in life the lessons learned from our children are the greatest. Co-workers, supervisors, subordinates, friends, relatives, and even the world itself can be the source of education in our lives. A professional organization I belong to once sent a poster to encourage professional development courses with a slogan that stated “A Leader is dedicated to a Lifetime of Learning”. This is something I have tried to live by in my own life.

Why is it called Final? Of course! It is the end of the course but certainly the completion of the exam during this week is more of a beginning. The end analysis of a very important part of knowledge that has hopefully been studied and retained during the semester leading to the ultimate goal, an “A” or “B” or well, lets just keep our goals set high…. So, what do you do with that knowledge? Where will it take you?

Recently, I have heard that many graduating over the last few years have found it difficult to find jobs in their respective fields. Many have taken jobs that would be called “under-employment” meaning that they needed to pay the bills so they accepted a job that didn’t require the education they have earned. A serious dilemma none-the-less. In order to begin building your resume with successes you need to find a job using the education you have for a good career start. In Retail, you learn that there are three things that make a retail store successful, “Location is number one, second is Location, and third is Location”. Careers are similar. Your skills must be matched with a job or visa versa. If you have no problem moving then that may be your only option. Usually, the younger you are the less attached to a location you have become. Today, unlike the ways of the past, the Internet has provided a vast array of tools to align you with a new job fitting to your career path and background. If you are unwilling to move and can’t find a job then starting your own business may be a possibility. A variety of assistance is available through the SBA and other resources.

Can you predict the future? Can you tell what is going to happen tomorrow? Actually, you can. If you saw the most recent Captain America movie you would know there has been a computer system that can predict people’s behavior, or just turn to the TV show People of Interest. Minority Report is another fiction movie that allows the criminals to be caught before the crime happens. Well, perhaps this is all an excellent conjecture of what the future may hold but there are some truths to these fictional stories. One such truth is using historical human patterns to predict future behavior. Every retailer in the world has been using various technologies to do this for years in order to determine ordering quantities for specific types of products. If you only look at your own behavior you can see patterns. Do you eat basically the same things each day, wear similar clothing, use similar personal care products, use certain gas stations, and so forth? Do you hang out with the same people, work at the same place, wake-up at the same time, and watch the same programs? We are people of habit. Even with our culture in the U.S. having more choices than most of the world, we still fall into habits. Therefore, if you multiply your behavior pattern by 300 million people it is believable that mathematical algorithms along with high powered computer systems could make future predictions that come close to being accurate within a certain degree of probability.

The motivation behind knowing what tomorrow brings for businesses is to be able to reduce inventory, cut expenses, and increase revenue. Basically, improve their competitive advantage and move them closer to being the winner in their industry. WalMart used these very techniques to become the front runner in retail. It all begins with the ability to develop advanced systems which are made possible by the software engineering discipline. You can predict your future today by deciding to advance your career with a Master of Science in Software Engineering from West Virginia University. You have the ability to answer the question “What’s Next?” in your life.