Developing Usable Experiences

Evaluating whether I’m “getting it”

April 16th, 2008 11:12 pm —  120 views

I find myself sitting here working on a final paper due in my class on evaluating systems and services.1 This paper is a chance for me to demonstrate the practical methodology of this masters program as it relates to what I do in my professional career. Therein lies some hefty potential.

This 6-8 page paper is due next Thursday (basically one week from now). Normally this isn’t a terrible amount to write, especially when you have 8 methods to discuss. That is slightly less than one per page (I have an intro page that frames the paper). I’ve been thinking about this assignment and how it represents a good opportunity for me to document in a declarative and descriptive way, the value of the methodology, design, and evaluation skills I’m learning.

Ha, sorry if you fell asleep just then.

So I printed off all the final analysis we handed in for each milestone and will be reviewing them as I write. This experience was a good one and really made me think critically about these methods. I am appreciating the qualitative value of these methods and hope to show that with my “reflection.”

But damn, enough of that boring school shix already! Aren’t there other interesting things going on worth sharing?

Of course interesting things are going on. Like golf season starting soon, my niece’s play this Friday, seeing the Dalai Lama this Sunday, my brother-in-law fiance’s shower next weekend, a site resdesign I’m considering tackling2, my goal of sharpening my skills with Perl, Ruby, and PHP this summer…not mention my efforts to capture a picture that stuns and amazes or to paint a watercolor that will make you cry.

It’s late and I want to go to sleep very soon. Like in 15 minutes.

Image: Took this of my cool-cat Bailey while he was pawing for attention while I was working on my paper tonight. He has since run off and is probably waiting for me somewhere between here and my bed. “Wrap it up already!”, I can imagine him thinking in his little walnut sized nubby cat brain.

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  1. The professor prefers to call it “Evaluating Interactive Systems” and I hope he officially changes it in future curricula. [↩]
  2. Shh…I haven’t mentioned to W. yet. [↩]

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3 Comments 

Comments

3 Responses to “Evaluating whether I’m “getting it””

  1. Melanie on April 17th, 2008 7:46 am

    I love that picture of Bailey! Neat perspective. Good luck with your paper!

  2. He-who-snorgles-marmalade-cats on April 17th, 2008 11:11 am

    Orange cats are… well, what would we do with all this excess digital photography technology? Yeah, it is a nice pic.

  3. Spike on April 17th, 2008 10:11 pm

    Thanks Melanie. I’ll take all the luck I can get.

    Bailey is a great cat. I told him about your adoration and he said he totally understands. (I’m working on his modesty…but…he is a CAT.)

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