8 - Chase Buckner

1)  From what I've learned so far about "playing the whole game" of HCI Design I've realized that a lot of the rules, tips, and tricks that Marty has taught us not only pertain to HCID, but are applicable to almost all aspects of life. For example, my partner and I started religiously using the team protocols throughout project 4 and even though it was a much more complex assignment, compared to the previous projects, it went smoother than all of the others. These team protocols can be applied to any team I become a part of for the rest of my life.
    One thing that I have really enjoyed about I300 are all of the mini life lessons that Marty offers up to us nearly every class. I like them because it's advice that can have a real impact, not only on your education, but your career, if you take these life lessons to heart. I always leave class thinking about something worthwhile; and I enjoy that. The mini life lesson that really stuck with me was the one about working hard. Marty spoke about how much a company values, respects, and rewards an employee who puts their whole heart into whatever they are doing and gives it their best shot. It put things into perspective for me that if you want something and work hard for it, then it's achievable. The other life lesson that I found valuable wasn't so much of a life lesson, but rather little tricks about ways to stand out when it comes to situations similar the career fair or job interviews. Saying or doing something, even if it is a small gesture, can make a big difference in prospective employers and colleagues.
    The thing that sticks out the most in my head about learning "the whole game" is the idea of iteration. It's a vital part of the design process because the first few times around, everyone is going to miss something. It's like the idea of practice makes perfect, the more you work with something, the better you get; the more you work with a certain design or idea, the better the design gets. I liked Marty's analogy of writers and how they don't just write a perfect book on their first draft when it comes to the idea of iteration. Even though HCI Design isn't what I want to do with my life, I appreciate what I have learned so far in Marty's class and look forward to consuming more valuable knowledge in the weeks to come.