Thursday, June 07, 2007
Dear Professor Alspaugh,
I hope you're doing well. I noticed you put up pictures of your research students -- it has only been 2 years and I am already laughing at my hair (link). I hope all of your research is moving along gracefully -- I definitely found a strong interest in the concepts you taught, and I'm happy I had my college research experience with you as the research mentor.
I just wanted to email you out of the blue to let you know what I've been doing, as it relates to your class.
I am currently working for a small software company in Las Vegas, NV that makes software for casino marketing. Getting into the groove of the business is difficult, but exposure over time definitely helps me absorb the rules and the concepts. I've been here almost a year now, and we are currently doing contract work for another software company. I have been assigned to a project to create a Windows service for monitoring and processing some import files.
Due to a sudden reorganization of priorities, I was impromptu-assigned to go to a client's house and get requirements for the project. Not so much "ground-up" requirements, but more technical requirements and clearing up the fog that is the first draft of requirements. I have just printed my most recent copy of my requirements, ready to review them one more time before presenting them to a client in a couple of hours, and I felt compelled to share this experience with the teacher who explained what requirements are to me.
I have actually elicted requirements as part of my ICS 125 project, but that was a team effort - this feels more like my cathartic "I'm a technical professional" moment. However, my dress code is lax (small company), and I was assigned to meet the client on the morning of the meeting, so my "technical professional" moment had me in khaki shorts and a checkered polo shirt. Perhaps, this is more true for technical professionals than other professionals - I can look back and laugh at it already.
I hope your academic year went well, and I hope you have a pleasant summer.
Best Regards,
Brian A. Paner
Class of 2005
I just wanted to email you out of the blue to let you know what I've been doing, as it relates to your class.
I am currently working for a small software company in Las Vegas, NV that makes software for casino marketing. Getting into the groove of the business is difficult, but exposure over time definitely helps me absorb the rules and the concepts. I've been here almost a year now, and we are currently doing contract work for another software company. I have been assigned to a project to create a Windows service for monitoring and processing some import files.
Due to a sudden reorganization of priorities, I was impromptu-assigned to go to a client's house and get requirements for the project. Not so much "ground-up" requirements, but more technical requirements and clearing up the fog that is the first draft of requirements. I have just printed my most recent copy of my requirements, ready to review them one more time before presenting them to a client in a couple of hours, and I felt compelled to share this experience with the teacher who explained what requirements are to me.
I have actually elicted requirements as part of my ICS 125 project, but that was a team effort - this feels more like my cathartic "I'm a technical professional" moment. However, my dress code is lax (small company), and I was assigned to meet the client on the morning of the meeting, so my "technical professional" moment had me in khaki shorts and a checkered polo shirt. Perhaps, this is more true for technical professionals than other professionals - I can look back and laugh at it already.
I hope your academic year went well, and I hope you have a pleasant summer.
Best Regards,
Brian A. Paner
Class of 2005
