So it's all most the last weekend in July and that means I have about a month of work and califorina left. It also means I have a big work term report to work on. Work term report is a technical report based on the work I have been doing usually 15 to 25 pages with a good chunk of theory if possible. This of course has to be relavent and something non confidential to Google. So that means mostly methods and no products. So... I need to think this through but I need to find my starting point. I've narrowed it down to two options and if anyone thinks one will work better than the other please let me know.
1. Overview of many types of usability testing methods, some employed at Google, some not. Would include decriptions and some details but nothing with products. Easy to do reasearch hard to do recommendations.
2. In depth review of talk aloud testing. procedures, pros and cons. Focus of many talks at Google, do more research on the topic and be able to present some recommendations.
Hopefully when I go home next weekend I'll spend sometime on the plans writing out a plan.
------------------- instead of two posts -------------------
So this is part two of my Saturday and instead of making another post I thought I would just add on to this one. Let me tell you it is FREAKING HOT here today. I spent a lot of the day in the apartment just not moving it was too hot to even play video games at one point.
So this morning I did a little bit of shopping, and at one point I picked up some nail polish for myself just so I could have something shiny on my nails for the wedding. Well... let me tell you, on a day like today do not put nail polish in the car for over an hour... ... ... It got a little too hot and actually busted the bottle and got all over all my other purchases.
They weren't very impressed when I took it back. But I got my money back anyways.
Current Temps
Windsor: 20
Minneapolis: 80
Mountain View: 87
San Jose: 96
Saturday, July 22
Wednesday, July 19
Some Links
Here's two links that I have been meaning to share with everyone:
The Science and Art of User Experience at Google (REALLY cool)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6459171443654125383
Today is World Jump Day (did you feel it?)
http://www.worldjumpday.org
Check out Ok/Cancel's Recent Comic (probably not for everyone)
http://www.ok-cancel.com
Also:
I've been comment spammed.... a lot... Apperently like 20 comments randomly in my website in like 2 minutes. WTF!
The Science and Art of User Experience at Google (REALLY cool)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6459171443654125383
Today is World Jump Day (did you feel it?)
http://www.worldjumpday.org
Check out Ok/Cancel's Recent Comic (probably not for everyone)
http://www.ok-cancel.com
Also:
I've been comment spammed.... a lot... Apperently like 20 comments randomly in my website in like 2 minutes. WTF!
Tuesday, July 18
Weather....
The weather has been fantastic here. Actually been a little warm in the past few days but overall its been great. I don't miss the rain or the muggy weather.
Going to be a shock to the system when I go home for Jake's Wedding in 2 weeks.
Monday, July 17
Looking at my Photos
Weekends are pretty nice... but they are starting to go to fast. Middle of July already is just crazy. I'm not ready to head back to Canada yet. Luckily I still have over a month. Unlike some of the other interns. Mark left us this weekend, but not before a giant party on Friday night. I had to leave early but heard that it ended as all parties should... with someone being sick.
Saturdays are my days to do what I want cause Sean is usually at work. So this week... I went to work for a while. also spent some time at the gym again. Saturday night, Sean and I went on a real date, it was really nice.
Sunday, got the group organized and went to see the Computer History Museum, only took a few pictures there but it was really cool... To bad they were closing as soon as our tour was finished. Then we went to Santana Row and saw the movie Scanner Darkly, which wasn't as good as I was hoping but it was really interesting and pretty depressing. And then we went to Cold Stone, which was perfect.
So, why did I name this looking at my Photos?? Well, I got an email from my old boss saying he needs a picture of me, preferrably doing something Google-ly for a school promotion. Which is cool but I'm not sure I have any of those pictures so that one of my goals for this week. I was looking through my other photo and this one stood out.
....
Saturdays are my days to do what I want cause Sean is usually at work. So this week... I went to work for a while. also spent some time at the gym again. Saturday night, Sean and I went on a real date, it was really nice.
Sunday, got the group organized and went to see the Computer History Museum, only took a few pictures there but it was really cool... To bad they were closing as soon as our tour was finished. Then we went to Santana Row and saw the movie Scanner Darkly, which wasn't as good as I was hoping but it was really interesting and pretty depressing. And then we went to Cold Stone, which was perfect.
So, why did I name this looking at my Photos?? Well, I got an email from my old boss saying he needs a picture of me, preferrably doing something Google-ly for a school promotion. Which is cool but I'm not sure I have any of those pictures so that one of my goals for this week. I was looking through my other photo and this one stood out.
....
Wednesday, July 12
Mandatory Fun
Today was the official intern scavenger hunt (mandatory.. heheh). I'm really tired from it so this post might not make a lot of sense. anyways. Google rounded up half of their interns and took them to SF for the hunt. It was a pretty fun day, kinda stressful at times and a LOT of walking.
So what it really means is there are many googlers wandering around trying to figure out complex "clues" while trying to get to the next location... on the other side of the city... to take a group picture at the proper location. Also, people doing crazy things to get the bonus pictures. I scratched my arm climbing up the tree.
Some of the other groups wee running... RUNNING which is crazy.
Then... Time was up so we are all STARVING, cause we have been walking around and the such so we expect when we get back to the starting point there would be food.... Nope!... we have to wait till we get back to the googleplex before we can have food... but they do offer energy bars. ? Denying googlers food is like the most evil of all sins I think... almost unforgivable. Then after we got back and finally got food i had work to do... rest of the day not to eventful. ... Oh... on the drive home I saw this kid trying to throw a knife to make it stick in the tree. It was odd.
I have a few pictures of the sights in SF but really there was no time to look around.
Funny Note: there are public toilets at the wharf are basically the opposite of everything that the Google ones are. 1. no toilet seats, so it makes them very hard to be heated. 2. no automatic flush 3. no automatic water in the sink. 4. no place to dry your hands. basically... they are pretty scarry and smell like pee.
So what it really means is there are many googlers wandering around trying to figure out complex "clues" while trying to get to the next location... on the other side of the city... to take a group picture at the proper location. Also, people doing crazy things to get the bonus pictures. I scratched my arm climbing up the tree.
Some of the other groups wee running... RUNNING which is crazy.
Then... Time was up so we are all STARVING, cause we have been walking around and the such so we expect when we get back to the starting point there would be food.... Nope!... we have to wait till we get back to the googleplex before we can have food... but they do offer energy bars. ? Denying googlers food is like the most evil of all sins I think... almost unforgivable. Then after we got back and finally got food i had work to do... rest of the day not to eventful. ... Oh... on the drive home I saw this kid trying to throw a knife to make it stick in the tree. It was odd.
I have a few pictures of the sights in SF but really there was no time to look around.
Funny Note: there are public toilets at the wharf are basically the opposite of everything that the Google ones are. 1. no toilet seats, so it makes them very hard to be heated. 2. no automatic flush 3. no automatic water in the sink. 4. no place to dry your hands. basically... they are pretty scarry and smell like pee.
Tuesday, July 11
Tuesday Update
Wow okay so I haven't updated in a while cause I don't really know what to write about, but today is Tuesday and I have a few extra minutes so I'm going to try and write something.
The Weekend: Saturday was spend not doing too much. Sean worked all day and then went to see pirates with people from his work, so I went out with some of the other interns. Ended up at Work using the projectors to watch 40 yr old virgin. Which was alright, not really what I was in the mood for, but funny nonetheless. Sunday was spend at the exploratorium in SanFran which ended with the group groping around in the dark at the tactile dome. Well.. Then the electricity went out and we went to find food. Science museum was pretty fun tho, all the flashing lights gave me a headache for a while.
The Work: Monday 3 participants makes for a busy day. I was barely at my desk all day but there was lots of work for me to do so I was happy. Today I have 5 studies to attend and if I could be in two places at the same time it would be 6. However this morning Sean worked early so instead of going home and going back to sleep for a few hours I came into work. And finally went to the Gym (YAY ME). It was pretty cool. I only did half a work out cause I think I should ease back into it. Now I'm kinda dizzy so I have to finish this bottle of Gatorate soon.
My laundry is almost done so I should wrap this up. Lately I've been conflicted about this blog. I have a lot of different people reading it and I've been trying to find the balance to please them all. I don't want to write strictly personal stuff but I can't write about work that much. Any suggestions or comments are welcome.
The Weekend: Saturday was spend not doing too much. Sean worked all day and then went to see pirates with people from his work, so I went out with some of the other interns. Ended up at Work using the projectors to watch 40 yr old virgin. Which was alright, not really what I was in the mood for, but funny nonetheless. Sunday was spend at the exploratorium in SanFran which ended with the group groping around in the dark at the tactile dome. Well.. Then the electricity went out and we went to find food. Science museum was pretty fun tho, all the flashing lights gave me a headache for a while.
The Work: Monday 3 participants makes for a busy day. I was barely at my desk all day but there was lots of work for me to do so I was happy. Today I have 5 studies to attend and if I could be in two places at the same time it would be 6. However this morning Sean worked early so instead of going home and going back to sleep for a few hours I came into work. And finally went to the Gym (YAY ME). It was pretty cool. I only did half a work out cause I think I should ease back into it. Now I'm kinda dizzy so I have to finish this bottle of Gatorate soon.
My laundry is almost done so I should wrap this up. Lately I've been conflicted about this blog. I have a lot of different people reading it and I've been trying to find the balance to please them all. I don't want to write strictly personal stuff but I can't write about work that much. Any suggestions or comments are welcome.
Thursday, July 6
Does that make me Crazy....
I highly recommend everyone download the song Crazy by Gnarls Barkley. It's the hit of the summer in my books. Plus its been stuck in my head for about a month.
Fouth of July Fireworks... yeah the fireworks were okay (Pictures by Brian) but the best part was meeting a StormTrooper.
Back in reality I had to sign up for my fall classes already. Which is crazy to think about that my summer is almost half over already. (Damn I'm going to have to start writing my report soon). My schedule is okay, but very demanding. (With any luck I won't be stalked with this information)
- Speech Communication to Inform
- Database Management Systems
- Operating Systems Fundamentals
- Computer Networks
- Principles of Programming Languages
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