Part 1
Chapter 1, section 1-6f Problem Solving Exercises (note some changes in text of exercise 2)
1. a. Create a table or spreadsheet that lists 10 or more possible career areas—including estimated annual salaries and brief job descriptions. Rate how much you think you would like each potential career area on a scale from 1 (“don’t like”) to 10 (“like the most”).
b. Highlight roles that you feel pertain to information systems. Add a column to briefly describe where this role fits within the umbrella of information systems.
32. Use presentation software to create a set of three slides that identifies the top three things you hope to learn from this course and why each is important to you.
Part 2
Choosing a Computer
1. Consider what you use a computer for and make a list of these tasks and activities (at least 5).
2. Research the main hardware features that will support the things you want to be able to do on your new computer (at least 5).
3. Research at least one example of software to perform each of the tasks in your list.
4. Create a table or spreadsheet listing both hardware and software, the tasks you need to perform, and a price range for each.
5. Include a paragraph discussing the possibility of green computing alternatives to your choices.
Part 3
Researching Big Data
1. Briefly define the term Big Data, what it is and how it is used.
2. Choose one of the following research topics related to Big Data.
• Find articles that discuss the use of big data in your career field or a field in which you are interested. What benefits are being delivered? What are some of the hardware and software tools being employed? What complications are limiting the results of big data? Write a paragraph or two answering each of these questions.
• Many executives still mistrust the results of big data and analytics. Find articles that address this issue and summarize the key reasons why. How might these issues be overcome?
• IBM Watson is a question-answering computer system capable of answering questions posed in natural language. Find articles that appeal and develop a one-page report that either discusses how Watson is “trained” or an application of Watson of interest to you.