Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Software Engineering Project Failure Essays

Software Engineering Project Failure Essays Software Engineering Project Failure Paper Software Engineering Project Failure Paper This report is about software engineering project failures. In this report, I will first examine the importance of a good software engineering manager to a project. Then, I will identify major reasons for software engineering project fails within the software industry. At last, some suggestion about reducing project failure rates according to the knowledge and best practices will be provided. Manager is essential to software engineering project There are nine project management knowledge areas: integration, scope, time, cost, quality, risk, communication, procurement, and human resource management (see A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, Project Management Inst. , 2000). Failing to address any of these areas will result in repeatedly diminishing a project’s outcome. This stresses the importance of a good manager to a successful software engineering project. In Mohammad’s individual case, the reasons of the failure of the project were almost caused by the manager’s failing in good performance. (Rob, 2003) Then, what characteristics should a good manager has? First, he should be responsible and have a good leading ability to manage his team to work well together. Second, he should have strong communication ability which will help him to work well with his team as well as his clients. Third, the technique skill is very important with which he will have a broad view. Forth, he should have a critical mind which will make him have a strong problem solving ability. Reasons that cause software engineering project failures As software engineering project failures cannot be totally avoided, examining the reason why it happens help us to reduce failures. Lack of project study Project study is very important to any software engineering project, as it helps team members to have a clear understanding about the project. Without project study, team members may not know what they are doing. This could have bad effect on the project. There are five factors (TELOS) should be included in the project study, which are technical, economic, legal, operational, schedule (Keyes, 2008). And the primary performance objectives for the software deliverable should also be established. Lack of communication The communication both among a project team and between a team and the client is very important. Communication among a team not only makes team members to work better, but also helps senior management to get the information about the work so that senior management could make timely decision. Communication between a team and client help the team to get a better understanding about the client’s requirement, thus their work is improved. Lack of communication will be a disaster of a team. They may not be well organized. Work finished by team members may not be fitted to each others. And the finished work may not fulfill client’s requirement. Thus, software engineering project failure may happen. Using new or unfamiliar contractors: New contractors are not familiar with the project’s personalities and systems design complexities. Changing contractor will cause this problem and is also a waste. So, choosing a good contractor who has an ongoing business relationship with a project group and avoid long-distance and out-of-country subcontracts which will make it difficult to form closer communication is very important. (Rob, 2003) Suggestion on reducing software engineering project failure 1. The manager should conduct a good project study within the team at the beginning of a project. Practitioners should establish the primary performance objectives for the software deliverable, as these will greatly drive the type of development model and mix of practices they should use (Maccormack, Kemerer, Cusumano amp; Crandall, 2003). 2. The manager should conduct enough, efficient and effective communication. Face-to-face meetings, discussions, temporal collocation, and exchange visits should be organized to figure out where they are and check if the work is going as expected (Smite amp; Wholin, 2011). . Avoid changing contractors, as new contractors are not familiar with the project’s personalities and systems design complexities. Choose a contractor who has an ongoing business relationship with a project group and avoid long-distance and out-of-country subcontracts which will make it difficult to form closer communication (Rob, 2003). 4. Reliable infrastructure, including a centralized repository, common configuration management tools, and rich communication media should be invested in, which will help the team to work better (Smite amp; Wholin, 2011). . The manager should choose useful team members. A team member chosen by manager should have a strong ability to work and communicate with other team members. And also, he should be well educated and have good technique skills. 6. To achieve all the point above, a perfect manager is indispensable. So, a perfect is very essential to a software engineering project. Reference: Rob, M. A. ; , Project failures in small companies, Software, IEEE , vol. 20, no. 6, pp. 94- 95, Nov. -Dec. 2003 MacCormack, A. ; Kemerer, C. F. ; Cusumano, M. Crandall, B. ; , Trade-offs between productivity and quality in selecting software development practices, Software, IEEE , vol. 20, no. 5, pp. 78- 85, Sept. Oct. 2003 El Emam, K. ; Koru, A. G. ; , A Replicated Survey of IT Software Project Failures, Software, IEEE , vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 84-90, Sept. -Oct. 2008 Keyes, in  Leading IT Projects: The IT Managers Guide,, CRC Press, Aug. 2008. Smite, D. ; Wohlin, C. ; , A Whisper of Evidence in Global Software Engineering, Software, IEEE , vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 15-18, July-Aug. 2011

Saturday, November 23, 2019

How to Create Emotional Messaging That Resonates [PODCAST]

How to Create Emotional Messaging That Resonates [PODCAST] You’ve probably read uninspiring, forgettable content. Having emotional messaging helps you connect with prospects, creating trust and relationships that can lead to sales. Today we’re chatting with Emma Tupa. Emma is the product marketing specialist at and is an expert on conversion copywriting. She uses just the right messaging to help clients find solutions to their problems and to make ’s content memorable and trustworthy. If you want to know how to create emotional messaging to stand out, build relationships and sell more, you won’t want to miss out on today’s show! Emma’s background and how she ended up being the product marketing specialist at , as well as what Emma does on the product marketing team. Emma’s definition of product marketing and how it helps create relationships that can lead to sales. Why it’s important to include emotion in the copy that you write and how to figure out which types of emotional messaging would best resonate with your clients. Emma’s thoughts on finding a good message when you have a diverse clientele, as well as why it’s important to have an idea customer in mind. How to tell whether your messaging is effective and actually working to help you build relationships and create conversions. Some easy ways to jump-start adding some emotional messaging into your copy. Incorporating humor into your copy: How to do it with GIFs, hashtags, and more. What Emma recommends for someone hoping to improve their writing. Links: Emma Tupa PopKey Copy Hackers If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Emma: â€Å"We are writing for an actual person. We aren’t writing for ourselves or for a robot. We need to be able to relate.† â€Å"It’s all about the research and putting yourself in your ideal customer’s shoes. â€Å"You can’t write for everyone when you try to satisfy too many people, you’re really satisfying no one.†

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Goal novel - Supply Chain Managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Goal novel - Supply Chain Managment - Essay Example The other way is to identify the hidden capacity within the plant be it in the machineries or the workers and utilize them. Alex identified that the goal of the plant and which he has to attain is to make money (Goldratt & Cox 46). In order to meet his goal, he will need anything that will bring him closer to attain it that is anything productive and identify all the bottlenecks preventing the attainment of the goal and do away with them. Managerial decision making is not an easy chore and it requires patience and a lot of team work. The manager also needs to seek advice from those with experience and try an all rounded approach for better results. Jonah was giving advice that was far too difficult and technical for Alex and it made him work even harder to figure it out, run the plant in the meanwhile and all these at the expense of his family. The more time he took to figure out Jonah’s advice, the more time his personal life

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Leadership Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leadership - Coursework Example What I would want from my leader is his understanding. I believe that my manager should try to understand me whenever I give my opinion. They should listen to what everyone in the group they are leading since everyone needs to be given a chance to talk. My leader should not just see me just as a physical being, but should realize that I have my needs. Whenever one performs well should be motivated by being given rewards. It means that my leader will be appreciative of the work done by his group. My manager needs to be open-minded, consistent, whereby he or she is reliable and responsive, friendly, encouraging and just (Hogan & Kaisern 172). Not all managers can be transformational leaders because transformation theory tends to focus on the kind of relationship exists between the leader and his followers. Therefore, meaning that the leadership will include the use of charisma and interpersonal skills to assist the workers in achieving their objectives (Hogan & Kaisern 175). If a manager needs to be a transformational leader, he or she needs to possess transformational leadership qualities that will help them to make their followers and those around them feel that they are necessary. That is, valuing them, satisfying their needs and assessing associates’ motives. In relation to transformational leadership theory, women are argued to have more leadership potential as opposed to men. According to the theory, women tend to lead their followers more effectively than that of men (Northouse 17). It is because transformational leadership being that it needs leaders who are inspirational, empowering, concerned of their followers, positive role models and are capable of pushing their members in becoming creative. Research has depicted that women leaders have high transformational qualities and attributes than men (Yulk 28). In my opinion, I believe that

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Population Change In Province Of Canada Essay Example for Free

Population Change In Province Of Canada Essay Introduction As per the Canada’s Performance Report 2006 – life expectancy in Canada reached to 79.9 years as compared to 77.8 years in 1991.  Ã‚   A woman born in 2003 can expect longevity up to 82.4 years whereas a man’s life expectancy would be 77.4 years. Statistics Canada, The Daily, December 21, 2005 states that women are expected to live 5 years longer than men.   At present, Canadians describe health as â€Å"excellent†, â€Å"very good† which has increased in the recent years of 2003 and 2005. Canadians who are at age 12 and older,   state that good health is being enjoyed which has risen from 59. 6 per cent (2003) to 65.5 per cent   (2005).   The overall health percentage in Canadians stating as â€Å"good† declined from 29.7 percent (2003) to   27.5 percent (2005). Canadians who rate health as â€Å"fair† or â€Å"poor† also declined from 10.6 percent (2003) to 6.9 percent (2005). This segment of population mostly belongs to lower level of income, improper schedules of exercise,   poor education and old age. (Canada Statistics, 2006) .   According to Canadian Institute of Health Information, Canada spent $142.0 billion on health care in 2005, an increase of $12.0 from the year 2004, an average spending of $4,411 per person. Infant mortality   has dropped in the previous decade from 6.4 deaths per 1,000 births (1991) to 5.3 / 1000 births (2003) . Crime percentage in murder, homicide, and robbery in Canada declined to 5.0 percent (2005) and police report 1.2 million property crimes in 2005.   Youth crime between the age 12-17 has decreased by 6.0 percent in the year 2005 while homicides are on the rise in Ontario and Alberta. The   population of Canada by province as on April 1, 2007 Sno Province Abbr. Population % of national population Alberta AB 3,473,984 10.5 British Columbia BC 4,380,256 13.2 Manitoba MB 1,186,679 3.6 New Brunswick NB 749,782 2.3 Newfoundland and Labrador NL 506,275 1.5 Northwest Territories NT 42,637 0.1 Nova Scatia NS 934,147 2.8 Nunavut NU 31,113 0.1 Ontario ON 12,803,861 38.8 Prince Edward Island PE 138,627 0.4 Quebec QC 7,700,807 23.4 Saskatchewan SK 996,869 3.0 Yukon YT 30,989 0.1 As recorded by Canada’s National Statistical Agency in population statistics: 1991-1996  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Total No.of births  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   :  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1,936,000  Ã‚  Ã‚   No.of deaths: 1,024,000 1996-2001  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Total No.of births  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   :  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1,705,000  Ã‚  Ã‚   No.of deaths: 1,089,000 Total no.of births by province from the period 2002-2007 Province 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 Canada 330,523 337,762 339,270 345,355 352,848 Newfoundland and Labrador 4,596 4,598 4,543 4,443 4,326 Prince Edward Island 1,374 1,403 1,371 1,343 1,348 Nova Scotia 8,635 8,713 8,575 8,499 8,382 New Brunswick 7,104 7,072 6,874 6,840 6,728 Quebec 72,273 74,364 75,422 78,471 83,150 Ontario 129,256 132,874 132,796 133,961 134,141 Manitoba 13,765 13,981 14,031 14,136 14,166 Saskatchewan 11,794 12,121 11,915 11,925 11,918 Alberta 39,450 40,635 41,345 42,875 44,661 British Columbia 40,534 40,205 40,631 41,135 42,306 Yukon Territory 322 374 340 319 311 Northwest Territories 658 697 705 699 678 Nunavut 762 725 722 709 733 Total no.of deaths by province from the period 2002-2007 Province 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 Canada 223,905 228,829 229,372 230,687 237,931 Newfoundland and Labrador 4,276 4,254 4,357 4,453 4,549 Prince Edward Island 1,217 1,225 1,236 1,260 1,282 Nova Scotia 7,944 8,269 8,329 8,491 8,654 New Brunswick 6,181 6,373 6,319 6,453 6,589 Quebec 54,896 56,411 56,041 53,350 55,950 Ontario 83,410 84,155 84,495 87,181 89,737 Manitoba 9,852 9,894 9,989 10,130 10,272 Saskatchewan 8,880 9,130 8,900 8,975 9,079 Alberta 18,098 18,775 19,004 19,757 20,581 British Columbia 28,694 29,863 30,254 30,174 30,761 Yukon Territory 145 158 169 177 182 Northwest Territories 183 188 155 159 163 Nunavut 129 134 124 127 132 Conclusion A close observation on birth and death rate in Canada if noticed, reveals a fact that birth rate is on the rise whereas death rate is on the declining side, which is a first hand information that Canada is concentrating on health sector of its population, in the first instance and secondly the causes for still reducing the death rate can be controlled by effective measures of police control in crime and also in opening rehabilitation centers for youth and children for getting therapy treatment from undertaking anti-social elements such as theft, robbery, murder or homicide.   Canada being an attractive destination for immigration, the future population is expected to be on the rise as there was a tremendous potential for employment growth in the year 2005. References    Canada’s performance Report 2006 – Annex 3 – Indicators and Additional Information Accessed 14 November, 2007    http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/report/govrev/06/ann301-PR_e.asp?printable=True       Canada’s National statistical Agency,   Population growth and components (1851-2001) Accessed 14 November, 2007 http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/demo03.htm       Canada’s National Statistical Agency Accessed 14 November, 2007 http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/demo02.htm    Canada’s National Statistical Agency, Birth and birth rate by province and territory http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/demo04a.htm    Canada’s National Statistical Agency, Death and death rate by province and territory    http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/demo07a.htm    List of Canadian provinces and territories by population    Accessed 14 November, 2007    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_provinces_and_territories_by_population    Population estimates and projections    Accessed 14 November, 2007 http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/ind01/l3_3867_3433.htm?hili_demo02

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Easter Vigil :: essays research papers

The Easter Vigil is mass in which we commemorate Jesus for his great sufferings. He was crucified on the cross so that we may one day spend all eternity with He and God. Most of the time the service begins around seven o’clock and held inside the Church structure with its people. For symbolic purposes, there is no Holy water; we are instead blessed during the ritual itself in order to memorialize our vows, taken at baptism. When mass initiates all lights have already been turned off, everyone has instead been given a candle. This is then lit when the Pascal candle has been lit. In the beginning, the congregation of the church comes to the altar; they have the candle held sometimes upon there shoulder, and bring it around the church. This is done in my parish where my pastor usually desires to attain the largest candles, and according to the administrator, it is the largest candle in America. While they haul this massive candle throughout the church, the congregation resonate c hants; these are used to praise God and Jesus for his great love for us. When finishing its circumvention, it is brought before the altar. When having reached the altar the candle is placed on a pedestal and ignited. The flames from this candle are then shared with the whole community, first given to the alter servers, which are then shared with everyone else. Afterwards, the ordained read a story from the bible. Then the lights are lit up and we are asked to extinguish the flames of our candles. The priests rise once again and welcome us to the Easter vigil. We confess our sins like every other mass and then recite the litany. The fore mass ends with the opening prayer, or first oration. The liturgy comprises of several readings, most of the time, three. They consist of a medley from the Old Testament, and sometimes from the New Testament usually from the Epistle, which are followed by a chant for the Gospel procession. The gospel is usually from Luke, which has the most complete Resurrection story. In my opinion, I think that readings from Luke’s Gospel of Jesus’ resurrection affect me most. I believe that they are more significant because they enable us to recap what Jesus, and his followers had gone through. It also emphasizes how we can rise just like Christ did.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Shark Attacks

On 11 July, 1916 Rensselaer Cartan Jr. saw a looming dark figure and noticed a large fin protruding from the water. A shark, the newest fear of many after the several attacks that occurred just days before. Yet he was 17 miles inland, he knew what he saw and set out to warn the town of the â€Å"sea monster† looming in the creek. â€Å"No way† were the thoughts of many as they heard Caratan Jr. tell his tale, and they continued on with their normal lives, despite his desperate cries of fear and warning. The attacks of Lester Stilwell and Stanley Fisher show that the technology of this era was very un-advanced, this was also the first recorded shark attack in fresh water, and the amount of time it took for a doctor to reach the place of the attack was lengthy and costly. The technology in this era was very weak in comparison to today’s modern medicine and was not efficient in life if death situations. In this time there was no ambulances and the way to be rushed to the hospital was by train and by automobile. If theses attacks had occurred in modern times, the death of Fisher may have been stopped. The death of Stilwell was definite, due to the fact that the shark mangled Stilwell’s body beneath the water, where he drowned. He also would have died from sheer amounts of blood loss and the fact that no one would have reached the eleven year old boy on time. Though modern technology has changed the amount of help that doctors can provide patients the patient, must be first saved from the cause of death. In this case the shark did not let young Stilwell have the opportunity of medical treatment that he so desperately needed. These attacks were a shock to the world because they occurred in a creek seventeen miles inland. Bull sharks have been found in various fresh water sources, sometimes far upriver or upstream in some cases, their high tolerance for fresh water nearly unique among shark species. (Davidson) The bull shark is a shark that is known to be found in modern times to swim into the mouths of rivers to find better prey. This was unknown to the people of 1916 as was many facts of the entire species of sharks. Nobody thought a shark would travel so far inland and in a creek no larger than 45 feet across. (capuzzo 89) The shark had been allowed to travel so far up due to the fact the the tide was at its highest point due to the lunar cycle. (capuzzo 91) The shark was easily able to maneuver and find its prey in the murky water. The amount of time that it took for a doctor to reach the scene, where Stilwell and Fisher were attacked was far too long. According to Julius Kish, no doctor lived or worked in the town of Matawan in 1916. This may have contributed to the fact that Fisher died and did not receive medical attention right away as was needed. The only immediate he received was that of his friends, who were in shock. His friends made a makeshift tourniquet using rope to stop the excessive blood flow. (Capuzzo 101) This was not enough to save the mans life, he needed immediate medical attention. Stanley fisher slowly began to die as he waited for the doctors to arrive to treat his wound, a large chunk of flesh missing from his pelvis. Fisher’s wounds were dire, yet he willed to live. â€Å"That afternoon in 1916, however, the treatment Stanley Fisher required was two hours and thirty-nine minutes away. † (Capuzzo 101) At this time hospitals lay far apart and the travel to a hospital may be too far and by the time patients reach the hospital, death has already set in. When Fisher pulled his body out of the water he lied there in a pool of his own blood. (capuzzo 100) As the blood would continue to flow he was at risk for blood loss and also diseases of having an uncared for open gash. With such a limited supply of medical attention in this era caused casualties that would be routine in todays modern age. The attacks of 1916 started an epidemic of natural fear against man eating sharks. Lester Stilwell’s body took two days to resurface. In those two days rumors flowed through America on what had happened to the boy. The curiosity on what caused this â€Å"rouge† shark to go on such vicious attacks initiated people to begin researching these mysterious predators. presently we now no much more about sharks and continue to research to better understand how these suspicious animals tick.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Paper on the Movie “Crash” Essay

The movie crash is a combination of many different things including labeling theory. Crash is not just a movie about car crashes, but also of cultures and values. There are several intertwined lives and personal relationships with a common point of prejudice involving ethnic issues. The narrative is circular, as the film’s message about racial discrimination develops as a snowball, the director Paul Haggis shows us how prejudice is the most central issue. The political crime that is shown on the film gives the audience an understanding of how betrayed a civilian can be by the law enforcers. Racist ideologies are perpetuated through discourse, actions and even of misunderstanding. It is possible to understand the interconnected nature of each core characters and how a certain attitude interferes with a subsequent event among others. The racial profiling is also seen extremely harshly. Being in the 21st century these things are overlooked, but there are still many people who classify people because of their race and what they look like. The characters in Crash are shown in their humanity attitudes sometimes negligible, sometimes admirable. The film is far from a Manichaeism to address the issue that no human being is totally good or totally bad by nature. The cop played by Matt Dillon takes contrasting positions – its portrayed both in times of abuse of his position of authority, to take advantage of Christine (Thandie Newton), as in heroics, saving the same girl in a traffic accident. People who condemn the prejudice facing black people can be absolutely phobic about the Arabs or Latinos. Behaviors are variable according to the circumstances and, therefore, can not judge a person independent of them. The different ethnicities also portray minority groups which are barely hanging on by a thread in society, we see this mainly in the Arab family. People with certain ethical values succumb before a higher offer, a personal benefit exactly like status inconsistency. Detective Graham Waters (Don Cheadle) is adamant in his ideals, but when given the opportunity to save his brother delinquent, he gives up his own principles and â€Å"sells itself† in favor of a family gain. That was a perfect example of people’s status changing consistently. Crash deals with ethnic prejudice analyzing multiple variables and deepening both motivations as consequences. The discrimination against any racial group, is present deep within every character in the movie. The nurse Shaniqua Johnson, black, shows anger on receiving the trespasses officer Ryan (Matt Dillon), but on another occasion directs all his hatred of a particular group of immigrants. Even those who at first appears to be incorruptible, as Officer Hansen (Ryan Phillippe), being disgusted by the racist behavior explicit companion Ryan, in the end, ends up having a prejudice outlook. His values may not have changed but his vision of morality changes because of the people he has been surrounded with. Rationally, condemns discrimination of fellow, but when the situation is outside the limits of rationality and asks for a quick response, intuitive, Hansen suspects the black who gives a ride and, a movement that seems suspicious, you know that is under threat and shoots. Even those who fight and seems strongly supported by human values, can not escape an ingrained prejudice, supported by education in a racist society. How could it be, Crash also addresses the role of the media through the character of Cameron (Terrence Howard), director of television. Cameron is forced to redo a scene where a black actor spoke without slang characteristics and therefore fled to their stereotype. By repeating the scene, also repeated a pattern of behavior expected for a black. Cameron, who holds a certain power to work in a vehicle of communication is cut off the possibility of spreading a change in society or at least not condoning what he considers to be wrong. Even when a black occupies a prominent position and has the possibility to intervene, larger forces interfere with his freedom of action and he finds himself with his hands tied. Overall it was a great film to watch. I was completely surprised by how explicit it was and how it showed even in the first 8 minutes of the movie how race and ethnicity sort of control everything. People who don’t want to discriminate are in fact prejudice and surprised by the fact that they are. The characters in the movie change and evolve, which was good to see because it means that with time less and less people can be discriminating, it just all depends on how they are raised and their beliefs; nature vs nurture debate has all of this taken into consideration.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Density of Common Substances

Density of Common Substances The table below shows the  density of some common substances, in units of kilograms per cubic meter. Some of these values may certainly seem counter-intuitive- one would not expect mercury (which is a liquid) to be more dense than iron, for example. Notice that ice has a lower density than either water (freshwater) or seawater (saltwater), so it will float in them. Seawater, however, has a higher density than freshwater, which means that the seawater will sink when it comes in contact with freshwater. This behavior causes many significant ocean currents and the concern of glacier melting is that it will alter the flow of seawater- all from the basic functioning of density. To convert the density to grams per cubic centimeter, merely divide the values in the table by 1,000. Density of Common Substances Material Density (kg/m3) Air (1 atm, 20 degrees C 1.20 Aluminum 2,700 Benzene 900 Blood 1,600 Brass 8,600 Concrete 2,000 Copper 8,900 Ethanol 810 Glycerin 1,260 Gold 19,300 Ice 920 Iron 7,800 Lead 11,300 Mercury 13,600 Neutron star 1018 Platinum 21,400 Seawater (Saltwater) 1,030 Silver 10,500 Steel 7,800 Water (Freshwater) 1,000 White dwarf star 1010

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

20 Great Similes from Literature to Inspire You

20 Great Similes from Literature to Inspire You 20 Great Similes from Literature to Inspire You 20 Great Similes from Literature to Inspire You By Mark Nichol Similes, metaphors, and analogies are turns of phrase that help readers conjure images in a narrative, whether in fiction or nonfiction, but it is in the latter form that they bloom more profusely. And what’s the difference between each of the three literary devices? A simile is a comparison between one thing and another. If you refer to a figure of speech blooming like a flower on a page, you have created a simile. If you more directly say that the figure of speech bloomed before your eyes, you have employed a metaphor. An analogy is a more practical, didactic description: â€Å"Imagine that the figure of speech is like a flower blooming on the page.† Analogy is more common in nonfiction, but simile and metaphor are found there as well. Strive to create engaging similes and metaphors, but insert them in the service of your prose, as stars in the sky, not entire moons. They are foot soldiers, not field officers, in your campaign to inform and/or interest your readers. They are chorus members, not ingenues; extras, not stars. They are OK, enough with the metaphors, already. But before I share with you 20 top similes from great literature, I offer a few tips, like lanterns that serve to light your way: They should be simple and clear: The ones you will read below are literally outstanding, but they’re also removed from their context, where they are mere flowers in fertile fields of great writing. Similes and metaphors should be useful, concise, and then perhaps memorable as well, in that order. And if the task of creating one becomes toil, you’re trying too hard, and your exertions will show. They should stir, but they shouldn’t be mixed: When you adopt a specific theme, stick with it. A mixed metaphor is a missed opportunity, and a distraction rather than a delight. They should be original: If a simile or metaphor doesn’t rise head and shoulders above a more functional description, it won’t fly. Make sure the imagery is worth the effort of creating it. They should entertain: A simile or metaphor, to return to a previously employed metaphor, is like an actor with a bit part who utters a single line, but that line should be trenchant or ticklesome. They should be visually arresting: Similes and metaphors are intended to paint a picture for the reader in order to endow a person, place, or thing with resonance. Herewith, lessons in incandescent imagery: 1. â€Å". . . she tried to get rid of the kitten which had scrambled up her back and stuck like a burr just out of reach.† Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott 2. â€Å"Time has not stood still. It has washed over me, washed me away, as if I’m nothing more than a woman of sand, left by a careless child too near the water.† The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood 3. â€Å"Her romantic mind was like the tiny boxes, one within the other, that come from the puzzling East . . .† Peter Pan, by J. M. Barrie. 4. â€Å". . . and snow lay here and there in patches in the hollow of the banks, like a ladys gloves forgotten.† Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor, by R. D. Blackmore 5. â€Å"I would have given anything for the power to soothe her frail soul, tormenting itself in its invincible ignorance like a small bird beating about the cruel wires of a cage.† Lord Jim, by Joseph Conrad 6. â€Å"In the eastern sky there was a yellow patch like a rug laid for the feet of the coming sun . . .† The Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane 7. â€Å". . . when I laid down the paper, I was aware of a flash rush flow I do not know what to call it no word I can find is satisfactorily descriptive in which I seemed to see that bedroom passing through my room, like a picture impossibly painted on a running river. To Be Taken with a Grain of Salt, by Charles Dickens 8. â€Å". . . utterly absorbed by the curious experience that still clung to him like a garment.† Magnificent Obsession, by Lloyd C. Douglas 9. â€Å"She entered with ungainly struggle like some huge awkward chicken, torn, squawking, out of its coop.† The Adventure of the Three Gables, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 10. â€Å"He looks like right after the maul hits the steer and it no longer alive and don’t yet know that it is dead.† As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner 11. â€Å"Past him, ten feet from his front wheels, flung the Seattle Express like a flying volcano.† Arrowsmith, by Sinclair Lewis 12. â€Å"Her father had inherited that temper; and at times, like antelope fleeing before fire on the slope, his people fled from his red rages.† Riders of the Purple Sage, by Zane Grey 13. â€Å"The very mystery of him excited her curiosity like a door that had neither lock nor key.† Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell 14. â€Å"Elderly American ladies leaning on their canes listed toward me like towers of Pisa.† Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov 15. â€Å"Camperdown, Copenhagen, Trafalgar these names thunder in memory like the booming of great guns.† Mutiny on the Bounty, by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall 16. â€Å"It was Franà §oise, motionless and erect, framed in the small doorway of the corridor like the statue of a saint in its niche.† Swann’s Way, by Marcel Proust 17. â€Å"The water made a sound like kittens lapping.† The Yearling, by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings 18. â€Å"Kate inched over her own thoughts like a measuring worm.† East of Eden, by John Steinbeck 19. â€Å"He swung a great scimitar, before which Spaniards went down like wheat to the reaper’s sickle.† The Sea-Hawk, by Rafael Sabatini 20. â€Å". . . impressions poured in upon her of those two men, and to follow her thought was like following a voice which speaks too quickly to be taken down by ones pencil . . .† To the Lighthouse, by Virginia Woolf Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? 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Sunday, November 3, 2019

Strategic Development of Managing Global Talent Essay

Strategic Development of Managing Global Talent - Essay Example The first principle is that, the company should base its management in the decisions based on the long-term philosophy, even at the expense of short-term financial goals. This shows that the company development and training are given a priority to other matters in the organization. Moreover, the company has realized that the standardized processes are the foundation for continuous improvement. This forms their second principle, which is applied to talent development through standardized work and job instruction during training. In addition, the company encourages the growth of leaders who done thoroughly understand their work while at the same time encourage the leaders to teach the philosophy to other employees. This will play a major role in ensuring that the employees are well aware of their job demands and will therefore give favorable to their supervisors. It also encourages in job training, which aims at instilling new skills to the employees to gain quality production.Furtherm ore, Toyota Motor Corporation has a policy to develop exceptional people and teams who will follow the company’s philosophy and policies. This is done through retaining the best talent and training the emerging talent so that they can all achieve a certain objective. This is mainly done in line with the company’s strategic management objectives. The company also respects their suppliers by challenging them and helping them improves. This demonstrates a holistic approach to talent management.... All the above criteria will be used in the relation to the advantage of management capital, human capital, social capital, and the organization capital (Hancock, 2003, p.3). Aims and Objectives The Toyota motor corporation uses some policies and philosophies, which aims at achieving consumer satisfaction in the use of their products. One of their greatest policies and philosophy is that they do not only build cars, but people too. This is realized in the importance of their quality cars, which play a great role in offering transport to the people. However, the corporation faces a challenge in their management that is brought about by the managers. This occurs in that the managers want to play more roles in the management than in teaching. Teaching is the fundamental of all management as it involves instilling new ideas to the people that is the employees of the organization. This led to the company to employ the 14-point model of operations of which 6 points relate to the development of talent. The 14-Point Model The first principle is that, the company should base its management in the decisions based on the long-term philosophy, even at the expense of short-term financial goals. This shows that the company development and training are given a priority to other matters in the organization. Moreover, the company has realized that the standardized processes are the foundation for continuous improvement. This forms their second principle, which is applied to talent development through standardized work and job instruction during training. In addition, the company encourages the growth of leaders who thoroughly understand their work while at the same time encourage the leaders to teach the philosophy to other

Friday, November 1, 2019

An Engineering Product Development Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

An Engineering Product Development Plan - Essay Example An approximate potential size (volume) reduction of 20-30% can be achieved in notebook devices and up to 70% in desktop PCs. There are fewer security threats since the device is memoryless once its power supply is turned off and there is a clear privacy edge since a user's full computer would reside in the user's pocket, key chain, or the like depending on the used storage medium. The development does not target major hardware and enclosure re-designs. It is in the proof of concept's advantage to virtually eliminate hardware re-design and minimize same for enclosures. Motherboards designed for desktops can be used with minor adaptation for the reduced desktop configuration as well as a desk/kiosk mountable configuration for public use. The laptop motherboard layout would still be used for smaller laptops, possibly with more creative enclosure design to reduce the overall carry-on size, while maintaining a reasonable screen size. The product development plan is organized as follows. ... The laptop motherboard layout would still be used for smaller laptops, possibly with more creative enclosure design to reduce the overall carry-on size, while maintaining a reasonable screen size. The product development plan is organized as follows. Section 2 provides a topical product description that caters for the main newly introduced issues by the UC concept. Section 3 discusses specifics of alternative technologies to be used in the implementation. Section 4 presents the business case and market segmentation. The development plan and the related funding and financial plan are described in Sections 5 and 6, respectively. Section 7 discusses potential economic and technological risks. A conclusion is provided in Section 8. Product Description The UC physical architecture is similar to that of a desktop or a laptop, except that in either case the processor box is much smaller. Other peripheral input and output devices; namely screen, keyboard, and mouse are not subject to change; but may be subject to subsequent creative adjustments that could take advantage of the size reduction. The processing box may consist of one PCB (we may still call it a mother board) with the following components: Processor with cache memory RAMs NVRAM containing machine language device drivers VGA card or equivalent Audio drivers and outlets A minimum of 4 USB 2.0 or Firewire interfaces: one for each of the mouse and keyboard, and 2 for portable external storage units (alternatively Bluetooth could be used for the mouse and keyboard) Network drivers for Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth The following devices are taken outside of the box: The hard disk(s)-replaced by external