For starters, I have to be very clear that I have absolutely no affiliation with this company or another of its kind. This is just about a personal opinion and I wanted to write such posts for some time, but did not find enough momentum to do it.
While browsing for some information from their outstanding Analog Dialogue website, a survey popup opened and I was invited to fill some answers. I usually do this each time I visit a reputable company’s website (and I am invited to do so) at least for two reasons: it helps those poor guys working for the marketing department to have some solid answers in front of their Peter’s Principle-compliant managers, thus I might save some jobs; secondly, it should pay back in the form and shape of some improvements and added-value that they might provide. Replace they to a corporation at your choice.
So I did my chore and filled Analog Devices’ web assessment/ usability survey and clicked on their twitter link. As one thing leads to another, I ran into this Top Ten New Year’s Resolutions made by Electrical Engineers article that amused me. I also realized that I could adapt items on my own agenda for 2015 to this pattern. So here we go, Analog Devices, this is MY list. And, by the way, thank you for this cool idea:
1. “Throw out at least one of last year’s unfinished projects”;
Great thing to do. This is as sane for the mind and soul as the regular cleanup I do with my drawers and clothing cabinet. By the way, highly recommended piece of advice from me: at least once per year, put aside all those things and clothing items that you don’t need anymore and donate them to those in need. It is incredibly refreshing.
Ok, getting back: however, which project to ditch ? A failed one or a promising one ? I would go with latter. It is much easier to ditch a failed project. So, my 2015 unfinished projects:
- The USBTMC driver and communication sw for my DSOX2002A scope;
- The filter analysis software;
- the C# certification exam;
- A blog series on how to write serial drivers for OS X;
- the PMI RMP;
- A blog article about debugging techniques in XCode; by the way, I started this when I was using XCode 4.1.3, I think, and still in draft mode…
- The APRS beacon;
- The cupboard for my balcony;
- …
And the winner is… The filter analysis software. (will do another, improved version, anyway 😀 )
2. “Document the designs! […] Then you come back a year later and you forgot what exactly you did to make the thing work!”
This is actually what I am trying to do with blog. There were many breaks during past years. My job is quite demanding and sometimes I do not have the time that I would love to have to bring more life into this blog. Anyway.
3. Try not to make fun of Civil Engineers
Never. Why should I ? 🙂
4. Less sitting, more walking/running/activity
This is where I am very bad at. Maybe a New Year’s resolution for me shoul have this at the top of my priorities list.
5. Stop assuming regular people know what I’m talking about
This would probably have a better ranking in my list. Yes, I am doing this all the time and this sucks great time. It is probably the #1 reason for failing when I fail in whatever.
6. Avoid marketing managers at all costs
Does not apply to me.
7. Sync all of my clocks to the NIST time standard – before they install the leap second
Interesting thought but not needed per se. I am not doing anything so time-critical.
8. Follow the wise words of a special ADI FAE ‘Life is like an op-amp, what you get out of it is a function of what you put in’
That’s nice. OpAmps were probably one of the greatest invention of all time. But so were Maxwell’s laws.
9. Less meetings about what we’re going to do so we can do what we’re going to do! Or simply just less meetings!
Yep. Agreed. I started doing two important things: cutting down time I spend on each meeting and writing and reading less emails. I am talking more on the phone and trying to get more eye-contact (see below) in coffee corner-like ragchew.
10. Make more eye contact
See above.
Yes, Analog Devices. You’re so damn right. Nice blog post. Thx.
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