2012-12-02
2012-11-24
2012-11-21
Flesh UI
I have a primary bank in Asia and a primary bank in the US.
The online banking of that US bank is very easy to use; the UI design is likely good enough for a textbook example.
In contrast, online banking for that Asia bank is extremely difficult to use (even for a computer scientist); the UI design is so bad that it can also serve as a textbook example.
I have been wondering how that Asia bank could have survived its customer complains about UI. Today, I found out the answer.
I needed to conduct a transaction that (to the extent I can figure out through that UI jungle) cannot be done online. So I went to a local branch. The (human) bank clerks were so efficient that the entire process probably took less time than doing it online by myself.
So I guess most people in Asia simply do banking with real humans. It is not only because human labors are more abundant in Asia, but also that Asians have more inherent distrusts for online banking.
Lesson learned: a bad UI needs fix only if used.
2012-11-10
How I work with each student
This figure illustrates how I collaborate with each student.
There are several main layers of a research project: idea creation, algorithm design, system implementation, and experimentation + results production. They are all wrapped up and glued together by presentation, which includes paper writing, video production, and (conference) talk.
For a beginner student, I would expect you to completely take charge of the implementation and production (including video), given the main ideas and algorithms as described in a paper draft (as part of the presentation). We could discuss anything you like, but you should be able to handle all the implementation and production details (e.g. I am not supposed to look into your code). Otherwise, you are not ready for research.
As you progress, I would expect you to be able to take charge more tasks at the higher layers. Idea creation is the most difficult and only a few can pull that off, but my experience is that a decent senior student can at least take part in algorithm design and paper writing.
2012-10-23
Iron curtain
This book should be a required reading for dictators all over the world.
Quote from the Economist review:
Human beings, as Ms Applebaum rousingly concludes, do not acquire “totalitarian personalities” with ease. Even when they seem bewitched by the cult of the leader or of the party, appearances can deceive, she writes. When it seems as if they buy into the most absurd propaganda—marching in parades, chanting slogans, singing that the party is always right—the spell can suddenly, unexpectedly, dramatically be broken.
2012-10-17
Party like a panda
(Realization after a lunch part today at the University Lodge, aka the president’s office)
I am one who attends parties like a panda: eats (all the good food while available), shoots (some really bad and cold jokes), and leaves (before people realize I am a jerk).
2012-10-02
Trend following
To all these students who want to do data mining and think you have to join a database group:
I do not miss you at all, because you are just following trends instead of making your own decisions. Independent thinking is a necessary quality for succeeding in research. And you probably do not even comprehend the meaning and scope of data mining; I can find much more interesting ideas and applications in graphics and HCI than database.
How to adjust for jetlag
I have a very simple trick that works very well for me (I am a frequent time-zone hopper) and I believe it will work for everyone with sufficient will power.
Exercise. A lot of it.
The reasons are simple.
It is very unlikely for one to fall asleep during exercise, while very likely for one to after a long arduous one.
And it is extremely healthy, compared to alternatives (e.g. taking drugs).
All cardio-exercises will do, but my favorite is swimming; it is the least likely place to sleep within (especially if the water is not too warm) and most likely inducement for sleep afterwards (given the same amount of workout time).