What a failure. I did not meet the goals stated for the previous week. Not even close. But I have had some successes, though. I conducted four interviews, with another set for tomorrow. I have 1 scheduled for next week with two other interviews very likely. I got good news on two other publications, one that I did not know I was a part of. I have plenty of work to do in addition to this dissertation stuff, but I insist on completing this one. I also got invited to a very, very nice conference in Napa, CA that will do wonders for my professional contacts in the next line of research. Wonders, I tell you.
But I have not finalized my coding scheme or coded more interviews. THAT is disgusting.
I am not making new goals for the upcoming week other than to work as hard as I can!
Anything else is clearly unacceptable.
** EDIT: 5/3/2008: Image removed.
More Fun Less Fear
I love cute and apropos quotes and witty sayings and little mottos as a way to give me a really quick motivation at the right moment.
Recently, I came across a mini-poster site on Uamou's blog via Moleskinerie. Without permission, yet with appropriate attribution (go visit her blog - nice pictures!), I am displaying it here. I think the motto for the entire year should be "This year, more fun less fear".
This Week's Goals
My Goals for this week (January 15-21) are as follows:
Bottom line is that I need to catch up with the pace of my data collection/cleanup/analysis and a little bit on my writing. Thus, the goals are broken down into those steps, along with a few 'other' items.
Data Collection -
1. Conduct 3 interviews by the end of the week (2 are scheduled)
2. Try to make contact with some of the newly released executives of Site 2 (JBoss) - and schedule a few new interviews if possible
3. Send 8-9 more interviews to SW, including the new interviews. The first 5 should go out on Monday, not including 1 additional one for CF (if she has made progress on the other one)
Data Cleanup -
4. Correct the transcriptions on 2 interviews (e.g. Richard 1, Richard 2) - I may want to wait on this until finishing the current batch of analysis below
Data Analysis -
5. Hand-code 3 more interviews
6. Enter hand-codes for 5 interviews into Atlas
Writing -
7. Write summaries for (at least) 5 interviews
8. Write up more notes on Explanatory Case Analysis (from Yin, Maxwell, Michael Friedman 1974)
Other -
9. ISDSA Meeting on Tuesday (Agenda out by Monday night - meet with Renee on Monday)
10. PAM questionnaire complete by Wednesday night
11. Conversation with Christina, Marlene re:post data on infusion pump survey (and what is the value for me at this point??)
This will require a heavy, heavy week of work, but I'm just the man for the job. Noone else will do it for me. Now let's compare this week's progress by next Sunday night.
"Auuuugggghhh!!!"
Today's daily blog faffing brings news that several executives from the second and final case site for my data collection have been dismissed in a less than positive fashion. Unfortunately, this probably includes at least six people from my target list. I believe Charlie Brown put it best as Lucy - yet again - pulled the football away from him at the last possible moment: "AUGHHH!"
Who knows what this will do for my data collection efforts? So far, I have conducted a mere seven of the approximately 30 interviews that I want to get for that case, with three more scheduled over the next couple of weeks. One of the interviewees from this week will be the one who 'broke' the story over the blog, so he may be a possible intermediary to get in touch with some of the folks who have been dismissed. I can also contact the old CEO (who has become perhaps the wealthiest house DJ in the world) or the old COO to see if one of them can introduce me.
If neither works and I am forced to go over to another case site, I have a site in mind, but there is little chance of me getting in contact with 30 people soon enough to get sufficient data to prove my case. Then I will be forced to discuss things like having one main case and two mini-cases in support of the main case (a la Leonard-Barton 1989).
Oh well...I didn't want a publishable dissertation anyway.
Who knows what this will do for my data collection efforts? So far, I have conducted a mere seven of the approximately 30 interviews that I want to get for that case, with three more scheduled over the next couple of weeks. One of the interviewees from this week will be the one who 'broke' the story over the blog, so he may be a possible intermediary to get in touch with some of the folks who have been dismissed. I can also contact the old CEO (who has become perhaps the wealthiest house DJ in the world) or the old COO to see if one of them can introduce me.
If neither works and I am forced to go over to another case site, I have a site in mind, but there is little chance of me getting in contact with 30 people soon enough to get sufficient data to prove my case. Then I will be forced to discuss things like having one main case and two mini-cases in support of the main case (a la Leonard-Barton 1989).
Oh well...I didn't want a publishable dissertation anyway.
One at a time, dude
I have made a little progress on my dissertation in that I have scheduled a few more interviews on my second site, three of which promise to be very, very interesting. However, I had also hoped to get eight more interviews but the people have not responded to me. I am having to learn to be patient. I will also have to learn to play the connections from the other end - through personal introductions rather than through trying to make the connections myself.
I have not done any new coding/analysis passes though. Unfortunately life has been extra busy. Today we did a science project for my son. The data and analysis was pretty well done (not precisely enough for 'real science' but probably good enough for a fourth grade project), but I fear that he will not be able to get an acceptable conclusion out of it. Oh well - he may not win, but at least he has a good idea about scientific method.
Also, the car has a major anti-freeze leak that will demand attention (and money) on Monday, so there goes that day. Tuesday, I have a meeting with Maric but I need to read/write a bit before then. I also need to try to get those other interviews scheduled. Add to that the fact that I am having a few more aches and pains than normal (getting old) and I need to address some critical financial issues, and voila' - I am covered up with stuff to do and I am stressed out! How in the hell am I going to finish this dissertation without killing myself?!
Answer: One at a time.
One day at a time, one interview at a time, one transcription at a time, one coding pass at a time, one word at a time, one page at a time, one section at a time, one chapter at a time.
One at a time.
I have not done any new coding/analysis passes though. Unfortunately life has been extra busy. Today we did a science project for my son. The data and analysis was pretty well done (not precisely enough for 'real science' but probably good enough for a fourth grade project), but I fear that he will not be able to get an acceptable conclusion out of it. Oh well - he may not win, but at least he has a good idea about scientific method.
Also, the car has a major anti-freeze leak that will demand attention (and money) on Monday, so there goes that day. Tuesday, I have a meeting with Maric but I need to read/write a bit before then. I also need to try to get those other interviews scheduled. Add to that the fact that I am having a few more aches and pains than normal (getting old) and I need to address some critical financial issues, and voila' - I am covered up with stuff to do and I am stressed out! How in the hell am I going to finish this dissertation without killing myself?!
Answer: One at a time.
One day at a time, one interview at a time, one transcription at a time, one coding pass at a time, one word at a time, one page at a time, one section at a time, one chapter at a time.
One at a time.
Running Spreadsheet of Data Progress
I have edited the template for this blog (using the new Google tools) to put a running spreadsheet of my data collection and analysis progress at the top of the page. Very nice feature!
To date, I have conducted only 46.6% of my interviews - I have a looong way to go. Let's see where the number will be at the end of January. Target: 80-90%.
To date, I have conducted only 46.6% of my interviews - I have a looong way to go. Let's see where the number will be at the end of January. Target: 80-90%.
2006 in Review: Accomplishments
This post is to remind myself of all the things that I did in 2006 - just as a reminder that I am not a total idiot even though the dissertation process can make you feel like one.
1. Defended my dissertation proposal.
2. Published a book chapter, a marketing article (actually submitted in 2005), a nursing conference paper, and two MIS articles (CAIS). One other article on education is under review.
3. Ran a successful mini-track (with other folks) and agreed to run the mini-track for a third year.
4. Coordinated the first round of revisions on a special issue of a journal (with two others).
5. Taught two classes for the second time each: data management and network management.
6. Got a job in a tough market (perhaps the most important thing on the list, workwise).
7. Did two trips for my dissertation. Three if you count Evergreen as a pilot study (and I will!)
8. Got most of the data collected for my first case study site. Most, but not all.
9. Helped put a conference together for the ISDSA and ran (successfully) for President this year.
10. Learned quite a lot about qualitative research, ecology/ecosystems, and [critical] realism for my dissertation.
11. Watched my kids get older, taller, bigger, smarter, etc. - which is the most rewarding thing on this list.
All in all, not a bad year for a doctoral student!!
1. Defended my dissertation proposal.
2. Published a book chapter, a marketing article (actually submitted in 2005), a nursing conference paper, and two MIS articles (CAIS). One other article on education is under review.
3. Ran a successful mini-track (with other folks) and agreed to run the mini-track for a third year.
4. Coordinated the first round of revisions on a special issue of a journal (with two others).
5. Taught two classes for the second time each: data management and network management.
6. Got a job in a tough market (perhaps the most important thing on the list, workwise).
7. Did two trips for my dissertation. Three if you count Evergreen as a pilot study (and I will!)
8. Got most of the data collected for my first case study site. Most, but not all.
9. Helped put a conference together for the ISDSA and ran (successfully) for President this year.
10. Learned quite a lot about qualitative research, ecology/ecosystems, and [critical] realism for my dissertation.
11. Watched my kids get older, taller, bigger, smarter, etc. - which is the most rewarding thing on this list.
All in all, not a bad year for a doctoral student!!
Cities I visited in 2006
These are places that I visited at least once this year
(Just because I felt like reminiscing for a minute or two):
Nashville, TN (parents) - 3x
Dayton, OH (job interview, another visit) - 2x
Greenville, MS (inlaws) - 2x
Mobile, AL (funeral)
Las Vegas, NV (JBoss World)
Orlando, FL (Pentaho site visit)
Warner Robbins, GA (PINES conference)
Chicago, IL (PhD Project conference, funeral) - 2x
Acapulco, Mexico (AMCIS)
Milwaukee, WI (ICIS)
Lake Geneva, WI (ICIS consortium)
I think that is it...but I may revise the list later if I remember something.
Not bad on a student budget, though: 16 trips, 11 cities, 9 states, 1 foreign country. This year will be a little bit lower. I am expecting to do maybe the following:
Orlando, Keystone CO, Chicago (maybe 2x), Dayton, Nashville, Greenville, and Montreal, Canada. If we are lucky, we will squeeze another family trip in there for the fun of it, but who knows?
(Just because I felt like reminiscing for a minute or two):
Nashville, TN (parents) - 3x
Dayton, OH (job interview, another visit) - 2x
Greenville, MS (inlaws) - 2x
Mobile, AL (funeral)
Las Vegas, NV (JBoss World)
Orlando, FL (Pentaho site visit)
Warner Robbins, GA (PINES conference)
Chicago, IL (PhD Project conference, funeral) - 2x
Acapulco, Mexico (AMCIS)
Milwaukee, WI (ICIS)
Lake Geneva, WI (ICIS consortium)
I think that is it...but I may revise the list later if I remember something.
Not bad on a student budget, though: 16 trips, 11 cities, 9 states, 1 foreign country. This year will be a little bit lower. I am expecting to do maybe the following:
Orlando, Keystone CO, Chicago (maybe 2x), Dayton, Nashville, Greenville, and Montreal, Canada. If we are lucky, we will squeeze another family trip in there for the fun of it, but who knows?
Weekly Goals
If I am going to succeed in this dissertation endeavor, I will have to make regular progress toward getting finished. To that end, I will need to meet regular weekly goals, which I will record here for my own benefit.
Writing: I need to write at least 5 hours per week on the existing chapter revisions, data analysis writeups, or other parts as they arise.
Data Collection (including transcription and cleanup): I will need to do about 20-25 hours per week on these parts, especially for the next 60 days.
Data Analysis (including coding, summarizing, memos, and other parts): Until the data collection is done, I will need to spend about 20 hrs per week here, doubling as the collection is done.
If I don't finish by May (which will be a minor inconvenience), August is a very real possibility...but I STILL need to be busy as hell.
Writing: I need to write at least 5 hours per week on the existing chapter revisions, data analysis writeups, or other parts as they arise.
Data Collection (including transcription and cleanup): I will need to do about 20-25 hours per week on these parts, especially for the next 60 days.
Data Analysis (including coding, summarizing, memos, and other parts): Until the data collection is done, I will need to spend about 20 hrs per week here, doubling as the collection is done.
If I don't finish by May (which will be a minor inconvenience), August is a very real possibility...but I STILL need to be busy as hell.
