Elizabeth Cheong's Blog

I’m going to try to blog about MIS because it just seems right. However, it is Wednesday today and I’m trying to blog about my class on Monday…Wish my memory luck!

Prof: Kafui Monu, Ph.D. student
General Comments: Chill, likes Star Craft, Texas Hold’Em Poker (goes to Vegas every December), uses an ASUS laptop, first time teaching MIS in the summer.

How the Class Went:

-went through the syllabus, expectations, outline/timeline
-mentioned group project (presentations and reports) multiple times
-notifies us that groups were pre-organized
-shows us our groups and companies, tells us to use our break time to find group members
-everyone’s kind of confused and trying to mingle around and locate strangers
-finally everyone (almost) has found their group and are seated together
-exchange contact information
-gives us a real break
-proceed to watch three videos (one about how computer transformed from German Nazi idea (shut down for funding by Hitler)…American computer the size of an entire room – with electronic function like a stopwatch (might’ve made this point up myself)…computer that predicted outcome of Eisenhower election…Apple personal computers, one was from CBC dated around 1992, featuring Peter Mansbridge! (I think…), another was from 1969 that lightly touched on e-commerce (shopping for clothes online) and e-banking, somewhat comedic/satirical) about computers and the internet
-discuss mistakes people made when computers were first “created”, and why people made those mistakes (ignorant, doubtful, no foresight…)
-briefly discussed how the presentation is just as important as the technology (Steve and Steve, trying to get funding for their Apple computers)
-Guest Speaker: Mr. John Liu, currently working for his second start-up?…Previous company had funds of 14 million? (Am I making this all up?)
-Kafui showed us a Vancouver Sun article about Brian Wong, graduated from Sauder at 19, celebrating venture capital funding of $4 million for his second start-up, Kiip
-told to identify challenges that Brian will face with implementing technology needed to envision his goals/challenges his company might face in general
-after discussion within group, class contributed and Mr. Liu outlined three major challenges: fraud (creating multiple accounts, hacking, teaching people how to win levels), personalization (knowing their target market, being able to attract them with appropriate prizes, geographical location/prize redemption correlation), and community (being able to reach out to and engage a wide audience – through Facebook/Twitter people can share their achievements and awards)
-did not really finish full discussion because it was already 4:20.

So I’m actually pretty impressed with my recollection of the class. If there are important details I’ve left out please let me know! I think this is a good way to motivate myself to really pay attention and will also be kind of like a review for myself.

Good luck!

P.S. It’s pronounced KEEP. So kiip.me (the website) is like KEEP ME.

P.P.S. Kafui told us to take into account the word STEAM.

P.P.P.S. I DID FORGET SOMETHING IMPORTANT! We watched a video that showed highlights from a casino magnate’s guest lecture. Gary Loveman, current CEO & Chairman of Caesars Entertainment Corp. (formerly Harrah’s Entertainment) spoke about the importance of databases in his industry, especially for him. He knows his customer base extremely well, and with the knowledge of which customers come based on perks and attractions, he is able to diversify his spending on customers…spend less on one who comes regardless of special offers, and spend more on one who needs to be ‘seduced’ into the casino world. In his words, nothing matters “as long as the casino wins”. The shops’, restaurants’, and live events’ numbers don’t matter as long as, at the end of the day, the casino wins.


Note: Kafui tells us how he was subject to Loveman’s aggressive marketing tactics. His first-hand experience really helps us put this into perspective – how effective it is and how responsive the clients actually are. I think there’s a lot to be learned from him.

~


Although millions of people around the world will see this face for much more than 3 minutes on April 29, fame will not result from his role as officiator of the Wedding of the Decade.

The most reverend Rowan Williams is obviously one smart man, but unfortunately, viewers (myself included) will likely only acknowledge his best feature during the live broadcast of Prince William and Catherine (Kate) Middleton’s much anticipated wedding ceremony: those eyebrows are attention seeking, eh?!

Interview with the Head Chef responsible for the Wedding Reception Cake:



~

On a slightly more fun and interesting take on this whole wedding deal…would it not be one of the coolest moments in history if this actually happened???
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kav0FEhtLug&feature=player_embedded

IMU.

Although overly time-consuming and a bit too long (two hours a week from 3-5) in my opinion, I enjoyed this term’s Business Communications course.

From accomplishment statements in resumes to Pia’s information interview request tips, I learned a lot about job searching and a lot of skills will hopefully prove useful in the future.

One of the most enlightening takeaways from this course for me is the method of approach letters. I never realized that taking half an hour to write an engaging and forward letter followed up with a phone call could actually create a job opportunity for myself, in any sort of firm.

The lectures were always informative, although some of the information can be ambiguous so a final exam seems inappropriate. And I was fortunate to have a funny (supplemented with Youtube videos), nice, and extremely experienced TA in Pia. She was always helpful and gave us great advice from her own previous encounters in bizarre situations (elevator pitches, information meeting dinners (with booze), and CCS client tricks).

The unique feature of a job interview to a real-life job posting was a special part of Comm 299 this term. I’m glad to have experienced the stress, pressure, and questions involved in interviews and preparation ahead of time was an obvious factor for success, I realized. The feedback I received after the interview was also very helpful.

I hope I remember all of the advice I learned from Comm 299 because I know it will be useful in the very near future.


Elle Woods’ One-of-a-Kind Resume

You are young, and the Pope is old, 82 or 83 years of life is not the same as 22 or 23. But the Pope still fully identifies with your hopes and aspirations… I have seen enough evidence to be unshakably convinced that no difficulty, no fear is so great that it can completely suffocate the hope that springs eternal in the hearts of the young. You are our hope, the young are our hope.

~(soon-to-be-Blessed) Pope John Paul II


May 18, 1920 – April 2, 2005
R.I.P.

I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose.

~Woody Allen



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