Week 6: Clear

Software

In today’s world of technology, there are almost as many software packages as there are textbooks available to read. We are surrounded by software everywhere. 

But what is software and what does it do?

How is it connected to hardware and the final users?

Whereas computer hardware is something physical, namely the physical components of IT such as computers, technical devices etc, software is either a single program or a collection of programs. The connection or interaction between software in form of operating systems and applications and the final users can be described with the analogy of a layer cake.

Graphic 1: Layer Cake Analogy

 

First, the layer cake needs a base, for example a sponge base, which stands for the Hardware in the IT world, as a cake as well as a technical device needs some kind of basis to exist or operate. In the cake analogy the next layer is a cream base which is put on top of the sponge base(see graphic  1). Without the sponge base the cream base could not exist. In the computer field this cream base represents the Operating System. An Operating System is a collection of programs that have control over the hardware and “tell” it what to do. The third layer in the cake analogy is another sponge layer which is build on top of the cream layer. This corresponds to the Applications in the computer analogy. Applications cannot exist without the hardware and the operating system as it is built on it. Applications can range from programs for the end-users like browsers, an office suite or computer games, to complex sets of programs such as ERP systems. The final layer is the in chocolate-dipped strawberry in graphic 1 representing the User in the computer world. The user can be either an individual person, a group of people or even a whole organization. It depends on how many people “eat from the cake”.

As can be seen in the layer cake example no layer could exist without the underlying one, and without all layers built on top of each other, the cake is not as good and valuable as it could be. The same applies to the computer world. No software could exists without underlying hardware, and hardware alone, or hardware and an operating system alone, are not as valuable as hardware, operating system and applications combined.

In the case of enterprise systems the layer cake has usually an additional layer. To ensure that applications work together and have access to the same data, a database system is needed. This database system can be understood as another layer between the operating system and the enterprise application. In the piece of layer cake being depicted in graphic 1, the thin orange layer could represent the database system building the border between the operating system layer (Cream layer) and the Application layer (Sponge layer).

Concluding one can say, the more layers the cake has, and the better the layers fit and taste together, the more the cake is liked by the end consumer. The same applies to the IT world. The more layers the system has and the better the layers fit and work together, the more valuable the technical device is, and the more it is likely that a competitive advantage can be created. However, the final and secrete “recipe” of the cake has to be determined by each user or company itself.

Original photo by wentongg on flickr.com:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wentongg/3392082352/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Altered by Nina Maria Scherl.

Week 5: Clear

How to make a presentation stick?

Especially students and business people watch presentations almost every day, and I dare to say that everyone knows how it is to sit in a lecture hall or a meeting room being bored by it. You start watching the ceiling, thumbing through your book, talking to your neighbor, and trying to stifle yawns. But even when presentations are prepared and delivered well, we tend to forget information and details so quickly.

So what can the presenter do that we do not forget his presentation? 

How can he make us interested in his topic and how can he make us listening?

The brothers Chip and Dan Heath, the authors of the book “Made to stick", investigate exactly these questions and found 5 easy guidelines which help to make your presentation memorable and outstanding.

Photo 1: Five rules making a presentation stick

 So let’s see what they mean by these rules…

(1)       Stories and examples are the building blocks of a presentation

Many presenters deliver their messages in too abstract ways instead of using lively and vivid examples to illustrate what they want to say. So keep in mind to tell about example and stories!

(2)       Don’t preamble, parachute in

We learn in school that a presentation is structured in a good way, if you first tell what you are going to tell, than tell it and finally, tell what you have told. However, this principle is wrong as it does not grab attention. It is better if you have a catchy and memorable beginning so that people are interested in what you want to tell them.

(3)       Let your main points hog the spotlight

The third rule leads back to the saying “less is more”. It is very important that you focus most of the time on your core message. You should stress the main points instead of spending too much time telling about negligibilities.

(4)       Tease, don’t tell

You have to make the audience curious about your topic so that they are demanding to receive more information about it. As soon as they are interested and eager to get to know what you are going to tell them, you have their full attention.

(5)       Bring reality in the room

Last but not least it is crucial that you do not always only tell about something, but that you also show what you mean. Instead of describing and telling about a product for 15 minutes, you could just show it to the audience and show how it works. Showing and demonstrating can be more beneficial than telling.

Keep these 5 simple rules in mind when you prepare your next presentation, and you will see it works!

Original photo by aplaza70 on flickr.com:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/masterdinnova/3594348663/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Altered by Nina Maria Scherl.

Week 5: Presentation and Web 2.0 Project

"Give Children A Hand" by Nina Scherl

 

This video can be also viewed on YouTube :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvQW2I4KlT0

Self-Evaluation of my Presentation: 

"Give Children A Hand"

From my point of view I have set up my presentation in a logical flow and sequence of content. First, I try to create curiosity by showing photos of poor African children and stating facts about child poverty and related topics in Somalia. Moreover, the question “Do YOU want to make a difference?” should arouse the audience’s curiosity, as they probably feel sorry for the children and want to make a difference, but do not know how so far. The presentation goes on presenting general information about Somalia and the critical circumstances there. The story about an individual child named Malia should arouse compassion and a relationship between the content and the viewer should be established by it. It is easier for the audience to think of and imagine one specific example than thinking about a mass of people. While stating that “Give Children a Hand” helped Malia, the transition to the next “topic” is made. In the following slides information about the company, its mission and its projects is given. Then the specific actions are explained in more detail and photos are provided. It follows a request for action which is directly targeted at the audience, and information about how each person can help is given. In addition the goal of the project is revealed: making children from Somalia happy again. On one of the last slides the reference to the website is given to make sure that people have the chance to react to the presentation. In the end I used a saying in combination with photos to make the audience rethink the whole presentation again. Finally, the citation is presented. 

The presentation uses the help of media in the form of graphics, photos and music, to inform the audience and to evoke emotions respectively. Especially the ballad played on the guitar and the photos shall arouse sympathy and compassionateness. The graphic is provided with a note about the source to validate the information and to make the presentation more reliable. Additionally, the use of media makes the presentation interesting and creative. Moreover, I often used questions as headlines to make the audience curious and make them watch the presentation until the end. The colors for background and texts and the font size are chosen to ensure good readability. In addition, I used many photos and only keywords to avoid overloading the slides and tiring the audience. Furthermore, the space of the slides is used well. Finally, I used only photos and media I was allowed to use with respect to copyrights and regulations. Furthermore, I provided information about the sources on every slide. I am of the opinion that my presentation provides enough information about the topic I chose and delivers the clear message that people should help Give Children A Hand and get engages in charity projects. 

Summarizing I can say, that I am satisfied with my presentation after reviewing the Presentation Evaluation Rubric, and that I am looking forward to receive feedback for it.

Week 4: Clear

Porter's Five Forces 

Sun Tzu (544 BC - 496 BC) a Chinese general and military strategist, and philosopher once said:

Graphic 1: Quotation of  Sun Tzu

Graphic 2: Sun Tzu

With this saying he meant that strategy is the way how you can get to know yourself, the enemies you are facing and the terrain you are fighting on. This cannot only be applied to war affairs but also to economics and today’s business world. So, no matter which kind of business you run or work for, it is essential to have a strategy and to know the industry or business field you are being part of.

But how do you set-up a strategy?

And how do you get to know the industry you are working for?

Graphic 3: Michael Eugene Porter

In order to provide help and a basis to start with, Michael E. Porter a professor at Harvard Business School, developed a framework for business strategy development and industry analysis widely known as “Porter’s Five Forces” in 1979.

This framework (see Graphic 4) helps to analyze the attractiveness of industries and takes five different forces into account affecting companies in every kind of industry, namely:

1)  Bargaining Power of Suppliers

2)  Bargaining Power of Customers

3)  The Threat of New Entrants

4)  The Threat of Substitute Products

5)  Competitive Rivalry within an Industry

Graphic 4: Five Forces Framework

Attractiveness in this specific context alludes to the general industry profitability. An industry is unattractive if its main focus is just on competition and how to drive the competitors down, as this results in an zero-sum game.

So, let’s have a closer look at the five forces...

Bargaining Power of Suppliers – When there are only few substitutes existent, suppliers of any kind can be a possible source of power over a company. Hence, if a company relies heavily on one or few suppliers, these suppliers experience high bargaining power and the company itself is therefore disadvantaged. Thus, companies should investigate their suppliers closely and try to mitigate the risk by relying on more than one or a few suppliers if possible.

Bargaining Power of Customers – The bargaining power of customers can be described as ability to exert pressure on a company. If customers have the power to force down prices, play participants off against one another or demand better quality or more service, the bargaining power of customers is high. This is often the case when there are only few buyers or if the buyers purchase large volumes, if the offered products are standardized and low switching costs exist. Thus, companies should examine their customer base conscientiously and try to differentiate their products and service to become essential and irreplaceable. 

The Threat of New Entrants – When industries are highly profitable and provide high returns, they are attractive and allure many new potential entrants. If these companies enter the market, profitability for all companies might go down as “the pie has to be shared” by more parties. In order to avoid or mitigate this risk, it is beneficial for companies to create high barriers of entry in order to deter potential entrants from entering the industry.

The Threat of Substitute Products – Services or products are substitute of one another if they perform the same or similar functions. Substitutes are regarded as threat as customers might turn away from the company’s products or services in order to purchase substitute products or services which satisfy the same need e.g. more effectively or efficiently. Thus, it is not enough just to regard direct competitors as rivals, but one also has to think of indirect competitors selling substitute products or services, in order to get the whole picture.

Competitive Rivalry within an Industry – This force is the most straight forward one. As soon a company does not hold the monopolistic stake in an industry, it faces competitors. Hence, a company must always keep an eye on its rivals in order to anticipate their actions and to mitigate the risk coming from competitive rivalry.

In order to know which kind of strategy a company should pursue and to know how to position itself in an industry, a company should always conduct an industry analysis. This should not just happen before entering the industry or while entering it, but it is important to investigate the industry continuously to avoid losing track. To get a basis to start from, Porter’s Five Forces Framework is a valuable tool.

Graphic 1 by Nina Maria Scherl

Graphic 2 by FrankWilliams on commons.wikimedia.org

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sun-tzu.jpg

Graphic 3 by World Economic Forum from Cologny, Switzerland on commons.wikimedia.org

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michael_Porter.jpg

Graphic 4 by Grahams Child on commons.wikimedia.org

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Porters_five_forces.PNG

Week 3: Clear

Graphic 1: A Network

How to transmit data via the internet

Computers have become an essential part of our business environment of almost everyone’s live. However, just having a standalone computer is not as beneficial as connecting computers with each other. Therefore, it is recommendable to create a network in order to communicate with each other and share resources such as databases, servers or electronic devices (e.g. printers).

Graphic 2: The Internet

There are different kinds of networks, but the most well-known network is the Internet. The communication between computers via the internet takes place with the help of internet protocols (short IPs), which define how to send data across the internet. In order to be able to send data from a sender to a receiver, it is necessary to have an Ethernet package and an IP packet, and to know the IP address. The following will explain how it is possible to send data from one computer to the other with the help of an illustrative example.

Graphic 3: IP packet in Ethernet packet

Imagine you are in Europe and you want to send a gift to a friend in the US. This present represents the so called IP payload, so the actual content or data you want to send. In order to be able to send this gift, you will put into a packet. This packet is called IP packet.This IP packet will consist of an IP header and an IP trailer. The IP header stores the information about the source and the destination, the IP addresses of sender and receiver. IP addresses specify where the computers of sender and receiver are located.  So in our example this would be the sender’s (your) and the receiver’s (your friend’s) physical address. 

If the total payload does not fit into one IP package, the payload can be split and send in fragments. Sticking to the example, if the present is too big to put it into one box, you can split it and put it into different boxes. In this case the IP header will also contain information about the fragmentation number, information about the number of boxes you send, in order to enable the receiver (your friend) to reassemble the payload (the present). 

The IP trailer contains the information about when the IP packet ends. So if you bring this IP packet to the post, the post will take it and put it onto a transport medium such as a truck or plane. The transport medium in our example is equivalent to a transmission medium, which is called Ethernet package. This Ethernet package consists of a header and a trailer. The header can e.g. contain the MAC address and the trailer contains information about when the Ethernet package ends.

This whole process of putting one packet into another, so in our case putting an IP packet with IP payload (a packet with a present) into an Ethernet package (a transport medium) is called encapsulation.

If the whole process of encapsulation and assigning the addresses is done correctly, it is most likely that the packet will arrive at the receiver, when it has been sent. However, there is no guarantee that the packets will get to its destination as the process is only based on the best effort principle. This is comparable with the promise of the post to deliver your package correctly. Although it promises to put in its best effort and resources to ensure that your packet arrives, there are still incidents when a packet will not arrive at the receiver or will arrive damaged. The same can happen in the internet. Data packets can get lost or can be delivered damaged. Hence, it is important to note that highly confidential data like credit card details should not be send via an IP packet, but rather via a TCP packet. 

TCP stands for transmission control protocol and follows the guaranteed effort principle. It is comparable to “special handling” at the post. The difference between IP and the TCP is that TCP employs another layer in the layers, so another packet in the IP packet. 

Whereas IP might have sounded familiar to you, you might have thought, when you read about TCP, that you have never come across it, but keep in mind that every time when you send confidential data to your bank or whenever you need e.g. credit card details online, most likely you might have used a TCP to send this data.

Concluding one could say, that dependent on the type of data you have, different types of transportation or more precisely, different types of transportation and packaging are used. However, it does not matter if IP or TCP is employed the process of encapsulation stays quite similar.

Graphic 1 by Mauro Bieg on commons.wikimedia.org

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Server-based-network.svg

Graphic 2 by Bjelli on commons.wikimeida.org

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Handbuch_Webdesign-InternetDatenaustausch.jpg

Graphic 3 by Nina Maria Scherl

Week 2: Clear

Communicating in the Business Environment

In the world of computers it’s all about the 1s and 0s. Computers save, communicate, and process data using the binary number system. In this system there are only ones and zeros which, depending on the place and order in which they are aligned, mean different things. Starting from the right, there is a “one’s place”, a “two’s place”, a “four’s place” and so on. The pattern is simply taking 2 to the next higher power which defines the “place”. So for example 2^3=8 and represents the “eight’s place”. Through this system any binary number can be “decoded” to a regular number as we know them outside of the world of computers. For example, 101 converts to a 5. How? There is a 1 in the far left spot which is the 2²=4 place. That gives us 1*4. There is a zero in the 2¹=2 place leaving us with 0*2. Finally, there is a 1 in the 2⁰=1 place leaving us with 1*1. Summing up yields: 1*4+0*2+1*1=5. With this basic logic you and I can convert binary numbers into regular numbers and vice versa.

The ones and zeros mentioned above are then organized systematically. A BIT is a binary digit and a one-digit number. This means that every zero or one is a BIT. The next higher level of aggregation is a BYTE, which is 8 BITS. Because every BIT can be a zero or one (2 options) and a BYTE consists of 8 BITS, a BYTE can represent 2^8=256 different values. This system extends to even higher levels, summarized in the table below, inspired by the one in Prof. Olson’s lecture.

Unit	Abbreviation	Size
BIT		1 digit, 1 or 0
BYTE		8 Bits
Kilobyte	KB	210 Bytes (≈Thousands)
Megabyte	MB	220 Bytes (≈ Millions)
Gigabyte	GB	230 Bytes (≈ Billions)
Terabyte	TB	240 Bytes (≈Trillions)
Petabyte	PB	250 Bytes(≈Quadrillions)

The final issue I want to address is communication. How do computers around the world communicate with each other? One early way of doing this was ASCII, the American Standard Code for Information Interchange. Computers would store character data using this standardized code and could decode it using the same process. However, real world challenges transferred to the world of computers: different languages have different signs and symbols and ASCII just didn’t code enough or all of these symbols. The solution is Unicode, which a coding scheme that avoids international compatibility problems. This way a computer in China can communicate with one in the USA in a way that the users in front of the screen (hopefully) understand each other. The bottom line is: 1s and 0s suffice for computers to communicate any data with each other. Compare that to the thousands of words in the English language and consider how often we still misunderstand each other…

Photo by Brero on flickr.com. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dark_imp666/2118575433/sizes/o/in/photostream/