The following project sections have been added: IST 331, IST 420, COMM 490, and ENGL 202C. I have also updated the Spring 2006 classes page and added a Fall 2006 classes page. NSF Research and About Me have also been updated. An updated resume will be posted at the end of the summer.
IST 443 - IT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES THEORY AND PRACTICE ( 3) Explores and applies the basic concepts, methodologies, tools, and techniques of consulting and professional service organizations in information sciences and technology. [Consulting Track Course]
IST 421 - ADVANCED ENTERPRISE INTEGRATION: TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS ( 3) Advanced course on the integration of information technology into systems applications.
IST 402 - EMERGING ISSUES AND TECHNOLOGIES ( 3) Introduction to emerging issues, technology forecasting and analysis; overview of emerging issues and leading technologies in IST and how they impact information systems, users, the IT labor force and society.
PSY 217 - INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY ( 3) This course examines how ethnic and cultural background influences patterns of human thought and behavior.
CSD 218 - AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE I ( 3) Introduction to sign language; provides basic receptive and expressive skills; includes out-of-class practice.
CSD 101 - PREVENTING HEARING LOSS ( 1.5) Assessment, intervention, and prevention of hearing loss caused by loud music and recreational and industrial noise.
This project involved analyzing the IT infrastructure at Mount Nittany Medical Center (MNMC) in State College, PA, and determining an IT system that can be introduced at the hospital to help move a specific healthcare service outside Pennsylvania borders using IT-based solutions. Our group decided to implement (fictitiously) a tele-radiology system for the hospital. This project was built upon several mini projects that were completed during the course of the semester.
Note: Information about MNMC included in this project is based on our group’s assumptions and research from MNMC’s website. These assumptions were made to complete the diagrams and analysis for this project. We do not present the following information as representative of MNMC’s actual organization and IT infrastructure.
The final project included the following components:
1. An executive summary (currently unavailable)
2. A market context diagram and analysis with stakeholder analysis and stakeholder conflict analysis
3. An IT infrastructure diagram (Microsoft Visio .vsd file) and a description of the hospital’s applications portfolio
4. An organizational structure chart of the hospital (Microsoft Visio .vsd file)
5. A system context diagram and analysis with descriptions of different interactions and information flows (Microsoft Visio .vsd file)
6. A use case diagram with actors for the tele-radiology system (Microsoft Visio .vsd file)
7. Complete specifications of use cases
8. Wireframe diagrams for the use cases showing correspondence to use case steps (Microsoft Visio .vsd file)
9. Sequence diagrams for the use cases showing correspondence to use case steps (Microsoft Visio .vsd file)
10. Workflow diagrams showing three organizational processes that are impacted by the tele-radiology system (These petri net diagrams should be opened using Yasper)
11. A description of the project methodology that our group followed including rationale and description of steps
12. A project management plan Gantt chart that details tasks for each step in the methodology, suggested timeline, and resources required (Microsoft Project .mpp file)
Entire project zip file is available upon request
View project assignment here
This project involved creating a usable system with goal-directed design methods. Our group decided to design a new Penn State Portal to replace the current portal system used at the University. We called this system PSUortal.
This project involved the following components:
This project involved designing a paper prototype of a mobile phone based on a given scenario. This required identifying the tasks that the user performs in the scenario, and turning these tasks into actions that can be performed using the prototype. After building a paper model of the mobile phone, my teammate and I evaluated the prototype and produced a document explaining the tasks, design, methodology, observations from user tests, and suggested improvements.
This assignment involved comparing two potential solutions to a problem and recommending the best solution to a specific audience. I chose to compare building new dormatories and allowing freshmen to live off campus as solutions to the University Park on-campus housing shortage according to the critera of cost, physical space, and social impact.
This paper involved extensive research with the housing department on campus, the Office of the Physical Plant, housing departments at other universities, and the Residence Life program at Penn State. Additional internet research was conducted to determine the feasibility of the proposed solutions.
The recommendation report contains the following sections: Executive Summary, Introduction and Problem Statement, Description of Alternative Solutions, Solution Criteria, Evaluation of Proposed Solutions, Conclusions, and Recommendation.
NOTE: While the majority of information included in this report is accurate based on my research, some estimates were made for the sake of the assignment. Do not use this information as a basis for an proposing an actual solution to this problem without further research. Many other possible solutions to the on-campus housing shortage were excluded for the assignment.
View final paper here
This assignment involved researching a technical device or process and describing it to a specific audience. I chose to write my technical description on digital cameras. This brochure is targetted at people who are currently using film cameras and are considering the switch to digital.
The brochure covers: “What Do I Need to Know?”, “What is a Digital Camera?”, “What are the Benefits of Digital Cameras?”, “How Do Digital Cameras Work?”, “What are the Types of Digital Cameras?”, “How do Digital Cameras Act Over Time?”, and “Who Should Use Digital Cameras?”. This brochure makes use of diagrams, tables, photos, definitions, and lists to clearly present the material to the reader.
View final paper here
(note: this paper is formatted as a brochure and is best read when printed on two sides of a single piece of paper)
This paper is an instruction set that tells a user how to create their first webpage. The goal of this assignment was to determine an audience for an instruction set and to detail instructions for a task that this audience wants to perform. I chose to target my instructions on how to make your first website to small business owners who want to increase the visibility of their company.
The instruction set includes: terms to know, things you’ll need, time required, warnings, what you’ll learn, before you begin notices, steps to create your website, and troubleshooting tips.
View final paper here
The goal of this paper was to research a specific topic related to globalization and discuss the issues associated with that topic. This paper deals with the controversial issue of outsourcing and how it is changing the way of doing business in a global economy. Issues covered in this paper include the current status of outsourcing, the benefits and disadvantages of outsourcing, trends, the changing nature of work, effects on the global economy, and ways to solve some of the issues associated with global outsourcing.
View final paper here
This paper discusses the policy issues associated with online auctions and their relation to electronic commerce. Topics covered in this paper include: the history of eBay, types of items sold on eBay and how they can cause legal issues, problems with online auctions, phishing scams, regualation (and the lack there of) of online auctions, online auction fraud, and potential solutions to fraud issues.
View final paper here