Thursday, June 24, 2010

Prepping for the NPDP test

I'm doing a self-study course for the New Product Development Professional (NPDP) certification. There is no test prep material like there is for the PMP test. Fortunately, there's a reading list that's not too extensive and the books and articles are easily available if you have access to a good library. Many of the books and articles are real classics in the field.

Some people think certifications are a waste of time, but I've gotten a lot out of studying for them, and then trying to apply the knowledge.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Turning license plates into commercials

I wonder if the speech IVR at the California DMV is going to have trouble with this one. California license plates may soon display ads and other commercial messages.

IVR: "What's you license plate number?"
Caller: Well, I'm not sure. If flashes and shows a movie of kids eating cereal, or something like that...
IVR: "Sorry, I missed that. What's the license plate number?"
Caller: I told you, it's just a bunch of pictures. Happy kids, parents, that sort of thing...
IVR: "Let's try one more time..."
...and so on. Seriously, though, wouldn't putting flashing messages on the backs of cars be just a little distracting?

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day, everyone. If you're a father, enjoy the day.

FYI, Ancestry.com is a great place to learn about your family history. You can search census records online, and it's always improving its service. They sometimes have specials that allow you free access for a couple of weeks. I've used this service before and was delighted with what I learned about my father's family.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Dolphin gets an iPad

Merlin got an iPad...and the first thing he said was, "so long, and thanks for all the fish."