Statistical Models

Remember that all models are wrong; the practical question is how wrong do they have to be to not be useful.

-George Box

User Interface

I understand what this screenshot is saying, but they sure could have taken a few minutes to think through it and make it more clear, since not everyone will understand it. It took me a few seconds to figure out, which sometimes in our scrolling-scrolling-scrolling world is a few seconds too many.

The note at the top tells the user that the classic whiteboard is going away and that they should try the new whiteboard. Seems simple enough. Then below that, the link says "new whiteboard," which could make the user think that is the new whiteboard they were hyping above. Then the user sees "classic" in parentheses. So is it the new whiteboard or classic whiteboard I'll get if I click on that button?

Turns out it is a new instance of the classic (old) whiteboard. You have to click the "check it out" button to get the new whiteboard.

The word "new" is confusing, since it is used to refer to both a new instance of the old whiteboard and a new type of whiteboard.

Pros and Cons of Using an AI Text Generator Like ChatGPT

This time I asked ChatGPT to write an article about the pros and cons of using an AI text generator:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) text generators like ChatGPT are becoming increasingly popular in various fields, including content creation, marketing, and customer service. These tools use machine learning algorithms to generate text that mimics human writing. While AI text generators have numerous benefits, they also come with their fair share of drawbacks. In this post, we'll explore the pros and cons of using an AI text generator like ChatGPT.

Pros:

1. Time-Saving: One of the most significant benefits of using an AI text generator is the time-saving factor. Generating high-quality content can be a time-consuming and tedious process. However, with an AI text generator like ChatGPT, you can quickly generate high-quality content in a matter of seconds.

2. Consistency: AI text generators can help maintain consistency in tone and writing style across different pieces of content. This is especially important for businesses that want to maintain a consistent brand voice across their content.

3. Cost-Effective: AI text generators are generally more cost-effective than hiring a professional writer to create content. This is particularly true for small businesses or individuals who may not have the budget to hire a dedicated writer.

4. Scalability: With an AI text generator, you can quickly generate a large volume of content in a short amount of time. This can be particularly beneficial for businesses that need to produce a high volume of content on a regular basis.

Cons:

1. Lack of Creativity: AI text generators lack the creativity and originality that a human writer can bring to the table. While the content generated by AI text generators may be grammatically correct, it may lack the depth and nuance of human-written content.

2. Limited Domain Knowledge: AI text generators may not have the same level of domain knowledge as a human writer. This means that the content generated may lack the depth and specificity that a human writer can provide.

3. Quality Concerns: While AI text generators are becoming more advanced, the quality of the content generated may still be a concern. This is particularly true for more complex or technical writing, where errors or inaccuracies could be problematic.

4. Over-Reliance: There is a risk of becoming over-reliant on AI text generators, which could lead to a lack of human creativity and critical thinking in content creation.

In conclusion, AI text generators like ChatGPT have numerous benefits, including time-saving, consistency, cost-effectiveness, and scalability. However, they also have limitations, including the lack of creativity, limited domain knowledge, quality concerns, and the risk of over-reliance. It's essential to carefully consider the pros and cons before deciding whether to use an AI text generator. Ultimately, the best approach may be to strike a balance between using an AI text generator and human-written content to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Why Pursuing an MBA is a Smart Investment for Your Career

I asked ChatGPT to write me a blog post. I didn't give it any other prompts, and this is what it came up with:

If you're looking to advance your career, pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree could be one of the best investments you make. An MBA degree can provide you with the skills, knowledge, and network you need to excel in today's competitive business world.

Here are some reasons why pursuing an MBA is a smart investment for your career:

1. Develop Essential Business Skills: An MBA program is designed to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of key business functions such as accounting, finance, marketing, operations, and strategy. With an MBA degree, you'll develop the analytical and problem-solving skills necessary to make informed decisions and lead teams effectively.

2. Expand Your Career Opportunities: An MBA degree can open doors to a variety of high-paying and rewarding careers. Graduates with an MBA degree can pursue careers in a range of fields such as consulting, finance, marketing, human resources, and entrepreneurship.

3. Increase Your Earning Potential: Pursuing an MBA degree can also lead to a significant increase in your earning potential. According to a survey by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), the median starting salary for MBA graduates in the United States in 2020 was $105,000.

4. Build a Strong Network: One of the most significant benefits of pursuing an MBA degree is the opportunity to build a strong network of peers and alumni. Through internships, group projects, and networking events, you'll meet people from diverse backgrounds who can offer valuable insights and support throughout your career.

5. Gain International Exposure: Many MBA programs offer opportunities to study abroad and gain exposure to different cultures and business practices. This can be an excellent way to expand your horizons and prepare for a global business environment.

6. Gain Access to Top Companies: Pursuing an MBA degree from a top business school can give you access to some of the world's leading companies. Recruiters from these companies often target MBA graduates for positions with high levels of responsibility and great compensation.

In conclusion, pursuing an MBA degree can be an excellent investment in your career. With the right skills, knowledge, and network, you'll be better positioned to advance your career and achieve your goals. Whether you're looking to switch careers, accelerate your career growth, or start your own business, an MBA degree can provide you with the tools and resources you need to succeed.

AI

As a new semester begins in my business communication class, I wonder where we stand in the world of artificial intelligence. I had a great discussion with some of the other faculty members about how it is important to figure out where to go with AI engines that can write better essays than students can. At what point will students be able to simply input a few facts or even questions and have the technology instantly spit out something that they could hand in and get a better grade than if they took the time to write it themselves.

We briefly discussed the possible copyright or other IP ownership issues of using AI tools. Does ownership go to the person who programmed the AI or to the person who entered some text and hit a button?

Is there a way we can use this technology to improve writing but not completely replace the humans in the process? There has to be.

The two main tools from OpenAI right now ChatGPT for text and Dall-E 2 for images.

Ignoring it and hoping it won't go away is not really an option, but how can we use these tools to our advantage and not to the detriment of students? At the end of the day, they're just tools.

Security and NFC/RFID

An interesting post today from Bruce Schneier points to an article about hacking the MBTA CharlieCard (Boston's public transit system). I couldn't help but think back to Cory Doctorow's book Little Brother that came out in 2008. I reviewed it back in early 2009.

One of the major plot points includes the protagonists rebelling against an overreaching government by messing around with transit cards by reading and reprogramming them by simply bumping the reader against them in people's pockets. Apparently something more or less the same has been occurring since then up in Boston, made easier and easier with commercially available scanning equipment.

In the book, they were reprogramming cards to make it harder for the government to use people's travel pattern data against them. In real life, people are just getting free rides.

Education

In an article about various governments and companies reducing the emphasis or requirement to have a college degree to get a job, an interesting discussion occurred. You can probably guess how the conversation went, with some people saying that a college degree is pointless and others that it makes you a better person. They're probably both right to some extent and yet also both wrong.

The key that I always try to point out is that you need both education and experience to find that perfect career job. Just a degree, depending on what it is in, may not be enough to to teach skills to do certain jobs. But just job experience without the education likewise leaves a person lacking. there are definitely places where the knowledge and skills learned in the process of a degree are absolutely necessary to being able to do the job.

I learned a ton in the year I worked in between my bachelor's and master's degrees. I came back to graduate classes with people who I had been in my undergrad with and felt like I had a leg up on them as they had still been in school, while I had gone out and programmed a router myself or customized production software or QA tested developers' code. Others were memorizing the definition differences between a switch and a router or reading about the different kinds of testing, but I had done those things.

Back to the comments, as one person claimed more or less that they were upset that employers might move the goal posts now, after they had taken all this time and money to get educated if it was no longer going to be required. It almost came across like people owed them something. This came across in what was by far my favorite comment.

You get to decide what you place value on in life. You don't get to decide how others will value your efforts.

This is so true. All we can do is decide what is important to us and do that thing. If we meet others who don't think what we did was important, then that is probably a good sign that it wouldn't have been a good working relationship anyway. That said, I still believe even if a college degree is moved off of the absolutely gotta have it filter list, it is still a good thing and can still be a differentiating factor. Qualified candidates may no longer be completely removed from consideration for some jobs, but educational attainment can still be what tips the scales in favor of one candidate or the other.

A good example of this is in the Business Communication class I teach, as we do research into starting businesses in various countries around the world. I was talking with a group looking to sell ice cream in Argentina. I mentioned how their ice cream is a little different than it is in some other places, due to something that happened back in the 1940s. It takes them awhile to eventually connect the dots back to hundreds of thousands of Italians who moved to Argentina after World War II. Understanding history and its influence on current cultural landscapes is vital, even if one has to go back 80 years to make those connections.

FOCUS

Recursive acronym, FOCUS, for starting off a coaching session:

• Focus: What should we focus on today?
• Outcome: What is the outcome you would like to take away at the end of our time?
• Challenge: What is the challenge around that?
• Understand: How will you know you understand better or have more clarity on that topic?
• Start: Where would you like to start?
  

Accountability

Questions a coach can ask clients in order to help hold them accountable to their commitments during a coaching session:

• What support do you need to stay accountable to this?
• How will you know you've accomplished this?
• When will you start?
• How long do you want to spend on that?
• How attainable are these next steps?
• How motivated are you feeling about these actions?
• How committed are you in getting started?
• What happens if you do nothing?

Action steps are only as good as the likelihood they will be acted upon.

Leadership That Gets Results

Successful leaders can and do adapt their leadership style to the situation and have strengths in self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills.

 

Leadership Styles:

• Coercive
• Effective in emergencies and turnaround situations
• Inhibits flexibility and dampens morale
• Authoritative
• Freedom to choose approach to meet a common goal
• Does not work well with a team of experts
• Affiliative
• People first - increases morale and harmony
• Too much praise, poor performance isn't addressed
• Democratic
• Flexibility, responsibility, and fresh ideas
• Feeling leaderless and confused
• Pacesetting
• High standards, self-motivated and competent perform well
• Overwhelms the less competent, seen as taking over
• Coaching
• Personal development, helping people improve
• Doesn't help those who are resistant to change

 

In order to be a successful coach, address the advice monster that tries to control other people. Stay curious longer by helping them find the real issue.  Drill down to find out what else might be causing an issue. And then ask again what the real challenge is. And finally what do you want?