IFS SLICE VOL 2

"My senses begin to dim, I feel a loss of my strength, it is the heat of the battle, in the warriors code there is no surrender even though his body cries 'stop' his spirit cries 'never' deep in my soul a quiet ember"

Sleepless nights consume our daily lives; and if one does figure out that Parody then you have experienced IFS Postgrad."

Such has been the last 2 weeks dating the mistress known as Honours who consumes all my energy and time. A cool feeling of relief washes over my face after the Peer Review for IFS 731, as a bulk of the presentations I say farewell to.

To list but some of the adversity overcame in recent weeks were assignments for ever single module due in recent succession.

Having taking a break from the student life; and returning from the work environment to once again become a student I feel a slight evolutionary advantage, and if history has taught us anything - it is that evolution always wins.

My years in the work environment have enabled me to take charge of unprecedented situations and act as a leader to my team.

Looking back at it now and comparing our final presentations with first, I can truly say we have come a long way.

 

1. Progress per week

Progress to date thus far includes Assignments and presentations on Agile, Project Management, Scrum, DevOps; every single concept once asked in past interviews if I had knowledge on.  

IFS 712 is complete in respect of assignments and presentations minus exam

IFS 713 is nearing completion minus exam as all that remains are a last few class discussions.

IFS 722 we have only recently received both our assignments one group and one individual research assignment in preparation for Honours; for those who wish to pursue

IFS 721 had to be placed on a brief hold while prioritization for deadlines of other modules take place. 

Despite the pandemonium among students our team moral has growth substantially and we have become more of a little family, not only slaving away for assignments but bringing each other breakfast in the morning, treats in evening to create a more positive and pleasant working environment.

2. Lessons learnt & Interests.

I've learnt that Project management is hardly what it once was in terms of approach, development execution and overall methodology. Digital innovation is at the forefront, leaving companies looking for fresher and more adaptive methodologies to meet project requirements. Increasingly traditional approaches such as the hierarchical waterfall method take a back seat to burgeoning Agile and DevOps techniques. 

When it comes to project management, Agile should no longer be considered merely an option but rather a necessity. Agile allows the structure and sequence of open communication and collaboration between phases. Agile approaches introduce a faster and more adaptive management process, breaking down once- monolithic projects into quick-hitting sprints. The emphasis is placed on constant adaption, innovation, experimentation and feedback for constant improvement. Out of this we have Scrum and Lean; which are essentially mindsets/methodologies. They have different approaches and they work effectively in different situations. Scrum begins with the team while Lean begins with the process. Lean Software Development facilitates guidelines on a set of practices, while Scrum focuses itself to the framework of project management practices.

3. Personality

Test 1 - Findings

INTJs -  Introversion Intuition Thinking Judging are analytical and most comfortable working alone and tend to be less sociable than other types.  Nevertheless, INTJs are prepared to lead if no one else seems up to the task, or if they see a major weakness in the current leadership. They tend to be pragmatic, logical, and creative. They have a low tolerance for spin or rampant emotionalism. They are not generally susceptible to catchphrases and do not recognize authority based on tradition, rank, or title. 

Test 2-  Findings

The Investigator. The perceptive, cerebral type. Alert, insightful, and curious. They are able to concentrate and focus on developing complex ideas and skills. Independent, innovative, and inventive, they can also become preoccupied with their thoughts and imaginary constructs. They become detached, yet high-strung and intense. They typically have problems with eccentricity, nihilism, and isolation. 

At their Best: visionary pioneers, often ahead of their time, and able to see the world in an entirely new way

The Enthusiast. The busy, productive type. Extroverted, optimistic, versatile, and spontaneous. Playful, high-spirited, and practical, they can also misapply their many talents, becoming overextended, scattered, and undisciplined. They constantly seek new and exciting experiences, but can become distracted and exhausted by staying on the go. They typically have problems with impatience and impulsiveness.

 At their Best: they focus their talents on worthwhile goals, becoming appreciative, joyous, and satisfied

In comparison to SWOT analysis I feel there was a glaring contradiction between my personality test and my personal SWOT; perhaps I am my own worst enemy or harshest critic. The personality test reveals more credit than I allow myself to have; which is fitting considering I am not an natural optimist.

I agree with the personality type to a level in which the personality tests highlight "individuals such as myself are most comfortable working alone and tend to be less sociable than other types"

At their Best: visionary pioneers, often ahead of their time, and able to see the world in an entirely new way

Insights gained from personality tests findings reveal that I could be both analytical and examine in detail and in-depth as well as approach matters from a holistic and overall view.

Additional comments and views

As one of the top performing students I have been fortunate enough to be selected to attend a conference in Germany on Digital Transformation of Higher education hosted through HNU -Hochshule Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences. While this is an amazing opportunity the application for the Visa has cause considerable anxiety with my ever strenuous schedule.