PhD Colloquium (IT Field)

Event#1: Phd Proposal Defense
Venue: Inside BMU, IT Building, UUM
















Event#2: Poster Competition

Venue: Outside BMU, IT Building, UUM
















AbstractBookCover
designed by: Yours truly

Chapter 1: Revisit

After weeks of indulging myself into design works, now I get to start working on the thesis chapters. I remember my supervisor asked me to revise my 1st chapter (and that was 2 weeks ago...tihehe..procrastination yeah i know) since I've just got a clue of what I'm doing with my research (yeah it does sounds peculiar, it is as if, I'm doing something without realizing what its all about).

I have to start looking at the research objectives again. And of course I need to find much stronger and convincing problem statement. Hmm speaking of that, I think I have to get acquainted with the OR people from FSK. Gee, who should I contact? I dont really know people from FSK. Maybe I can ask Dr Razamin. She seems to be friendly and willing to explain things (with so much passion). I saw her explaining things during the MQF meeting. Very committed.

Now, where's the staff directory. I need to get her number.

Is that my brain I smell burning?

Boy, I had enough with poster design (though I like doing it), I've been giving too much attention to this stuff, that my back is aching, my eyes are soaring (due to staying up late without turning on the light because I dont want those insects to bite me...damn you insect!) and my finger tips harden (it feels like a sand paper) due to excessive use of touchpad and mouse clicking. Yawn! (and yes! Lack of quality sleep too).

After much thoughts and criticism and sarcasm and dont-give-me-that-Simon-Cowell-face , I finally decided to print the poster and just submit it to the office. And I promised myself I dont want to think about it again. My brain need to rest now. (but now I'm blogging about it, yikes! Thats it! I'm so done with this poster thing for now)

[Brain on standby mode]

These are few designs that i had earlier on...

So I decided to go with this (larger version: here)...

(En Sham face is still in the poster, though i made it small enough. I guess it's my lucky charm after all..tihehe)

IT PhD Poster Competition.

My supervisor wants me to take part in this competition, but I thought the deadline was yesterday. She said "No, it has been extended to 24th April". O-kay! Now I have to think of a new (a totally new) design for my research poster. I'm sick and tired of using the same confused-face-image-of-En.Sham in all my exhibition posters (it's her idea :) ), so this time around I get to design it the way I want it to be. Yeay!

So 3 more days, yikes, guess I have to start working on it. Come on brain start working now, I need you to show me your charms. Oh I forgot to ask her, what's the prize? 

(En. Sham bewildered face, used over and over again. No!! This time, no more! Period.)

The Prelim Study

I've been circulating (e-)questionnaires through email to find out what real people really think about the needs for ICT to support one's personal decision making. It has been 2 weeks now, and I only managed to receive back 24 responses. I was hoping for some kind of domino effects to happen, that is by forwarding the questionnaires to some of my close friends and also my sisters, and they will spread the word by forwarding to many more people in their mailing list. But i guess, I will just have to give it some more time before I can call it off and start working on the analysis part.

Talked to my supervisor the other day, about the questions that i include in the survey. She said they were OK, but probably some of the words i used were bit too BIG for laymen. Yea, i think so too...hee.

And after much thoughts, my supervisor popped something out: "Maybe we don't need to know, if there's a need or not for what we are doing? Of course nobody will be that certain to say yes".

She gave me some analogies like: "Do you think you need a computer before you actually know about the existence of computer? No, right? But having known about the technology now, you some how see the benefits that you can get from it, thus make you need/want to have the computer in your life".

...and another one, which was something like: "Why do you think the product magazines, made all the efforts to come out with great reviews and comparisons of several different products, just to give some idea for potential buyers to consider before actually buying one. So, don't you think, by having our prototype would ease the same process for buyers?"

And my reaction was something like: "Dang...why you always know what to say?".

Yeay! I found this book in our library.

Since my supervisor only allow me to have the book on loan for 3 days, so i decided to start searching for the same copy. Luckily i found one (the only one left!) available in our library.

I find it really useful (really, really useful), especially for the less experienced (like me) in dealing with research issues. The way it is written, is so clear and light to my taking (which i can relate to most of the time).

I guess, my supervisor really don't know what else can she do to instill some confidence in me to carry on with my research. That's why she recommended me the book.

I know, it has been a year now, but still, i never feel satisfied with what i have done with the research. Let alone feeling content with the direction of the research. I still don't see it as PhD enough. Well I know, who am i to say so. Hmm...it's not that I'm underestimating her (my supervisor) capabilities but it is just me. Being insecure like always. Sigh~ However, I'm still hanging on to the every-cloud-has-a-silver-lining-thingy, i hope something good will happen and help me fix my confidence issues.

Until then. Amin!

Why i need a research diary...

After reading this (halfway), i decided to start my own research diary. All these while, I've been jotting down all my thoughts and rants in a small notebook, which i call "My thinking book". But its getting really messy every time when I'm trying to figure out my own hand writing in that book. I've been scribbling most of the time, hence, explained the poor hand writing.

So, I guess that will be a good reason for me to have my own online research diary, at least this one looks better and easier for me to track down my progress. Hope it will last till my last day of PhD. Amin!