Module 2

 Review and Reflect Learning Strategy Reading

The article "Effective Study Skills" by Dr. Bob Kizlilk explains the different studying strategies and how to better practice studying.  There were many excellent points on how I could better my study habits and there were several that I would say I am proficient at.  The top three strategies that I practice and use the most are keeping my notes organized, answering the easy questions first on an exam, and highlighting what I think is important information.  The top three strategies that I must work on are taking effective lecture notes (tend to write down everything and not what is important), gathering materials or creating an outline before writing, and creating study schedules to keep on track while making sure I am studying all areas besides a couple of areas. 

Activity Log for Thursday, September 8th

Project Management Basics 

The presentation, "Project Management: What is a Gantt Chart?" was an effective presentation that used many elements.  It included visuals, voice-over, and information about how the Gantt Chart is created.  It started with a definition of a Gnatt Chart making it understandable to anyone who has never heard of one.  The visuals aided the voice-over speaker giving an even further form of explanation.  The end of the presentation also credited all persons involved and cited the sources used.  Overall the presentation was informative and enjoyable to watch.

Check Out Previous Capstones

One presentation that was very well executed, not only the presentation style but the product created, was PetRecs.  The team created a website that keeps records of your pets similarly to the record keeping of human healthcare.  I thought the speaker of this presentation was well spoken and the script was engaging.  The visual aspect of the presentation was planned and executed perfectly to the speaker's voice.  This was an extremely impressive presentation and product.  It has set the standard for what I hope to achieve in my capstone project.

Summary of Module 2

Peter Diamandis's "The Future Is Faster Than You Think" video is explaining just how fast technology is evolving and how that is changing our world.  Moore's Law of Accelerating Returns shows the extent to which technology is evolving.  Moore noticed that the number of transistors that can be put on silicon doubles every year since 1958.  At that rate, now there is silicon that has 7 billion plus transistors and it is extremely powerful.  Diamandis gives another example of the cost of time.  In 1750 BC it took 50 hours of human labor to gain one second of light from a Sesame-oil lamp compared to now where as little as thirty minutes of work can provide an hour of light.  As we are progressing into the future, the future of technology is progressing exponentially.

This trend of advancing technology changing the way we use, interact, and develop new technologies is also apparent in Md Kamaruzzaman's article "22 predictions about the Software development trends in 2022."  With more and more powerful silicon, servers, networking gear, and fiber optics the world has turned to cloud computing.  There is no need to run physical servers on-site anymore, it can all be run in the cloud.  Cloud computers can even be rented for personal use such as your home PC or gaming PC.  Powerful computing has also made threats from hackers extremely important.  This threat has changed the way we view cyber security and it is one of the most important avenues of thought for every business and corporation that uses the web.  Another extremely useful and possibly dangerous aspect of the exponential technological growth is Machine Learning and Artificial intelligence.  These two technologies greatly help advance knowledge and future technologies but can also fall into the wrong hands.  It is apparent that while Moore's Law is something that is favorable to humans, it is also changing the way we interact with the world

A project is defined in the video "Introduction to Project Management (2020)" as "a temporary initiative that is agreed, planned, and executed to achieve a specific goal."  A project has a set start and end date, a specific output, and defined recourses or costs.  There are several triggers that create a demand for a project such as market need, technological advancement, or legal requirements to name a few.  After a project is selected by the board of directors, it is now up to the project manager to ensure the project is a success.  The project manager decides how to best utilize the given time and resource budgets for the project and is also the "face" of the project.  To best ensure a project stays its course, a project schedule is needed, the first of which was implemented by Henry Gantt known as the Gantt Chart in the 20th century.  Every project includes a project team and project stakeholders.  The project team includes all the experts responsible for the execution of the work whereas the project stakeholders are everyone who can influence or is influenced by the project work and results.