Sunday, July 06, 2008

Imagine Cup 2008

So, recently, I recieved great news about being nominated to attend Imagine Cup finale in Paris and cover the event for Microsoft’s Channel 8. I didn’t want to announce anything until I got updates. I wasn’t their final choice, but boy it was wonderful being nominated. Getting that oppurtunity means you get to interview awesome people and talk to the anxious teams that want to WIN!

What is Imagine Cup?

Imagine Cup is an annual competition that Microsoft came up with years back. Any student above the age of 16 from anywhere around the world can join simply by signing up at the website (imaginecup.com). There are various categories to choose from: Software Development, Game Development, Embedded Dvelopment, Interface Design, Web Design, Photography, Short Film and the IT Challenge. You do not have to be an IT student and the most important rule is to stick to the theme and use Microsoft technology to come up with your solution. The key to win is to come up with something innovative!

This year, the theme is: “Imagine a world where technology enables a sustainable environment”.

Read More.

(2) Comments |  Filed under: Microsoft | 

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Belbin Self-Perception Inventory

This month, I have joined a spectacular team. Working with them is just unbelievable. We’ve all read and learned so much about team work practices, leadership and management, but unfortunately it is truly hard to find in this region. Or that’s what I hear from my friends. So for me, it’s such a privilege working with these guys. The entire IT department is awesome.

This brings me to what I decided to write about today: Belbin Self-Perception Inventory. It is something that I was first introduced to by a Doctor friend that I have had the pleasure of meeting here in Bahrain. I really enjoyed it, so when I went home I did some more research on Belbin’s work. Which lead me to prepare my own presentation on the 9 personality types researched and developed by Dr. Meredith Belbin, a British researcher and management theorist.

This is not like Myers-brigg personality test, where people are classified according to how they express their preference for four different behavior types. Belbin’s analysis will tell you what role, or roles, you can best play in a team. Team Roles are not equivalent to Personality Types. Belbin’s inventory is used to gain insight into an individual’s behavioral type. The test assesses how an individual behaves in a team environment. So, because it is a behavioral tool, it is subject to change. If you take it every year, you will notice that the results will change.

There are two ways to take the Belbin Inventory, one is self-assessment. The other is taking the self-assessment as well as having your team members provide feedback on how it was working with you by taking the observers’ assessment. Both views are compared and contrasted to provide the most accurate description of your best role in the team. Scores are based on how strongly you express traits from 9 different Team Roles. One Person may exhibit multiple Roles.

Now, I will leave you with the slide show:

Read more about it, or have your team analyzed at: http://www.belbin.com/

(5) Comments |  Filed under: Interests | 

Saturday, May 10, 2008

4 Hours. 24 films. Pangea Day.

Today is Pangea Day.

People all over the world will come together to share a common experience: watching films made by the world for the world. We like to call it the first global campfire.

Pangea Day is a 4-hour live broadcast featuring powerful films, visionary speakers, and inspiring music that will reach millions through the Internet, television, digital cinemas, and mobile phones.

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Jehane Noujaim created Pangea Day after winning the prestigious TED Prize, which grants winners “one wish to change the world.”

Jehane’s wish: “To bring the world together through the power of film. The first step toward world peace is to meet the other.”

If you are in Kuwait, head on over to the College of Medicine, in Jabriya, where they will be a live broadcast at MD Cinema starting at 9pm local time. If you’re not in Kuwait, find an event held near you by visiting Pangea Day website.

You can also watch it in person, online, on your mobile phone, or on TV. More details can be found at: http://www.pangeaday.org/howToWatch.php

I only wish I was home to get my friends together and shoot a “Imagine! Kuwait sings for Japan” video. This one is my favorite, Imagine! France sings for USA . I love the production!

(7) Comments |  Filed under: Interests | 

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

WUFOO forms

While I was preparing for my Microsoft sessions, I decided I would like to get some feedback from the students. So, I tried a new online service and I am amazed and excited about it. Wufoo is dedicated to creating online forms and surveys. It’s really easy to use and within minutes you can have everything up and running.

Even though the conference was canceled, I decided to keep my form online for the sake of demonstrating what you can do with Wufoo. The page is available online at: http://bahrain.wufoo.com/forms/heroes and fill it up while your at it!

The free version of Wufoo account allows you to create 3 forms with a limit to add up to 10 questions in each one. The paid version gives you a lot more features and the packages are at a reasonable price range.

What I loved most is how you can link each form to a CSS file from your web server, and that way you control every pixel on it! The reports generated are also very handy and neat! They can also be exported as excel or cvs. Arabic is supported!

No experience is required to use the WYSIWYG service. I highly recommend it!

Site: http://www.wufoo.com

(8) Comments |  Filed under: Reviews | 

Geek Flow Chart

Recently appeared in The New York Times, oh the accuracy is freaking me out too! Check out the larger version.

via: PicoCool

(7) Comments |  Filed under: Tech | 

Sunday, May 04, 2008

No Supernova!

Unfortunately, the Supernova IT Conference at University of Bahrain that I was invited to speak in was canceled at the very last minute. My VS 2008 session was the first in the program, so I was ready to go, twittered away and as soon as I put my phone down I got the call. ”We’re sorry. It’s not going to happen. It’s not in our hands”. I was shocked. Not because it got canceled, but more over how it was canceled just an hour before the launch!

Well, I hope, whatever it was, that it works out for the students who organized the event. They really have put so much effort! Setting up a 5 day IT event isn’t easy. Wishing you all the best!

(8) Comments |  Filed under: Bahrain | 

Saturday, May 03, 2008

IT event at University of Bahrain, and I am presenting!

First off, today is Shutdown Day and apparently, I will not be participating this year. I need every minute I can with all the CPUs around me today.

April has been such a crazy month! Which brings me off to announce that tomorrow an IT event (a.k.a. Supernova) will kick off at the University of Bahrain in Sukhir campus. This event has been organized by the students of the IT department in the same university.

I was invited by Microsoft to present two sessions during the 5 day event that begins on May 4th until May 8, 2008. A closing ceremony will be on the 11th of May.

My first session will be tomorrow, at 11am, so if you’re around drop by! I will be talking about Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 and in my second session on May 7th, also at 11am, I will be rambling about XNA Studio 2.0. Hopefully they’ll have some gamers out there in the audience, I have no idea! It will definitely be fun, I am bringing in an XBOX 360 for a lucky winner.

(11) Comments |  Filed under: Microsoft | Bahrain |