Sequence Diagrams

This week I discovered the art of creating sequence diagrams for my implementation class. To be honest I never understood the importance of planning out a system before starting to programming. I always figured that I could program an application, or a program, faster than it would take to plan out the functionality and then program. I still believe that getting right to the programming could be a good strategy for a small program. With that being said, a complicated system can be very hard to implement, and planning out which elements of a program need to be able to talk to one another is very beneficial.

Sequence diagrams are beginning to be a little bit enjoyable. It is fun to plan out which entities need to be created, which methods they need to have, and which methods they need to call to make the system work as a whole. Designing a  system can be tedious, but it is very beneficial in the end.

Information Systems Junior Core

This past fall (fall 2014), I entered the junior core of the information systems program at Brigham Young University. It has been an awesome experience and it has opened up my eyes to a whole new world of opportunities. Before entering the IS field I had no idea how many options there are in the IT world. This post is going to be of the Question/Answer format, and will hopefully dispel some of the misconceptions that people have about this industry.

Q: They say the number of computing jobs are increasing. What is a computing job?

A:  The title “computing job” encompasses so many different fields of work. Our world is overrun with technology and computers these days. It is impossible to be successful in today’s business place without at least a minimal knowledge of technology. The more you understand technology the more you will excel in the work place.

Q: What is computer programming?

A: Computer programming is making the computer do what you want it to! There are basic logic principles that run a computer. Learning how to speak the language can be a little challenging at first, but learning how to program instills confidence and gratification.

Q: What is the difference between CS and IT?

A: Computer Science and Information Technology are great degrees. They go in depth about topics in the field of technology and computers, but they miss the mark when it comes to being able to understand real word problems of business. Obviously Information Systems isn’t for everyone, but if you enjoy being able to understand the business world and interface with business professionals. It is also a great major for those that want to be tech entrepreneurs or CIOs.