Heather Titanic-Interview

Heather Titanic
Jul 21, 2017 · 9 min read

Introduction –

Jayme McCreary was my interviewee for the Interview Assignment. Jayme is 23 years-old and is currently enrolled at SUNY Oswego for her Masters in Human Computer Interaction. This degree is a Masters of Art — however she received her Bachelors of Science in Computer Science and minored in Auto-Production. Jayme is one of my closest friends that I met playing lacrosse at SUNY Oswego, so most of our interview was very personable and laid back (some jokes thrown around that you will read through as you read my blog). Jayme currently lives in Syracuse, N.Y. so we had to do the interview via FaceTIme — this is an IT blog so it makes all the sense to do the interview using FaceTIme, right? When Jayme graduates with her Masters after the fall semester, she plans to move to pursue a career in the IT field either to Boston or Colorado. Her passion for the IT field is remarkable despite her young age. Please enjoy a summary of Jayme and I’s interview! Thank you!

Everyone, please let me introduce you to my interviewee, Jayme McCreary!

1. What is your highest academic degree and where did you earn it?

Jayme graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Sciences from SUNY Oswego. Currently, Jayme is enrolled in the Master’s program at SUNY Oswego for Human Computer Interaction. Jayme has a set graduated date for December 2017. Jayme has had thoughts about going back for her Doctorate after her Master’s, however she wants to first get situated with moving to another state and finding a job in her field of interest.

2. What company do you work for and what is your official title?

Jayme started off as an intern at AXA U.S. when she first enrolled at SUNY Oswego for her Master’s program. Over the course of her experience as an intern at AXA U.S., Jayme got offered a full-time position. AXA U.S. is an insurance company for life insurance, health insurance, 401 (k), employee benefits, etc. Jayme’s official title is User Experience designer and Front-End Web Developer.

3. What are the main duties you perform in your current role and what are some of the specific skills someone in your role needs to have? Which of these is your favorite job duty and why?

When I first asked Jayme what her main duties at her job were, she stated that it is hard to understand the description of IT roles without being in the IT field. Therefore, she was going to explain her job duties to the best of her ability so that I can understand clearly what her job duties are. After indicating the degree of difficulty to understand “IT talk,” Jayme complimented the fact that our MBA program has a mandatory IT based course because IT can be used in any line of business. There will always be a need for IT! Going forward with Jayme’s job duties, Jayme mostly works with software development through project based job requests. Jayme’s work duties are delegated by the “team” that she works on. Everyone on the team works on different parts of the project. Jayme’s main duty working on projects is focused on user experience. Jayme is required to have a significant amount of knowledge in the psychology field, even though she has a job in the IT field. She stressed that most IT workers need to have education in different fields of study to complete most projects they are assigned; this field of study is very broad yet complex. Jayme builds computer applications and designs them so they are user friendly for an everyday person to use. For example, every web application that the everyday user at AXA U.S. uses, Jayme designs the web application to look appealing and usable, and work efficiently. The physiology part of her job requires that she analyzes and understands the human mind, so when she is working on the web applications, she understands what other human minds are looking to achieve with that web application. Jayme used the “paradox of choice” as a good way for me to understand the critical thinking of physiology with IT. When using the paradox of choice when working on a project, she must analyze what color the human eye is attracted too and design that web application to meet the standard of her company’s paradox of choice. Also, Jayme uses advances IT and software skills as part of her job duties. She stressed the importance of understanding computer programming language, such as coding and IT definitions. Along with having the knowledge of physiology, Jayme kept repeating herself that design skills are important as well. You must have the skill to be able to take an original web application and design it to be more user friendly. Jayme’s favorite duty is a combination of designing a website then getting to code the website and the applications on the website. Jayme’s description of her job was, “IT is like solving a big puzzle that never ends.” Therefore, she most enjoys her job because it’s more of a hobby then a job!

4. What is it that led you to a career in technology?

Jayme stated that ever since she was little, she had a passion for building and designing. Jayme use to play with Legos a lot as a child, and then in high school she participated in the technology program. Therefore, in high school once she started participating more in the technology education program, that was when she discovered this is what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. The bridge between technology and designing was where her passion lay, and this is what lead her to further her education. Once Jayme started college as a freshman, she was undecided with what major best fit her passion for technology and design. The triggering event that lead her to enroll as a Computer Science Major was her Gen-Ed class called Computer Programming. Every freshman had to take this course, but to Jayme the course was not so much work but more play for her. She told me that she remembers going in on the first day of class and the Professor playing a Daft Punk music video. Once the music video was complete, the Professor said, “Everything in that video happened due to computer programmers.” Since then, not only did Jayme major in Computer Sciences, but also minored in Auto-Production. Jayme’s career is continuing to grow, and with her Master’s degree; this will only continue to open doors of opportunity in the IT field.

5. What emerging technology trend do you believe will transform your job in the future?

Jayme believes that artificial intelligence will have the biggest impact on her future job. Jayme stated, “Artificial intelligence is going to change the way that people interact with computers and will also change the way she needs to design computers and software.” Jayme and I talked a lot about interfaces and how our world will eventually be using interfaces to complete daily tasks. If many of you are Netflix watchers — I’m sure you have heard of the show Black Mirrors. Black Mirrors shows a futuristic view of how technology plays a role in everyday life. This show is frightening, yet gives an accurate depiction of how far our technology has yet to advance. Jayme stated that there are research studies currently happening on technology mind control and everyday interfaces. The lines of restriction for technology is endless and we are just tasting a bit with what the future of technology should bring the human species. Jayme suggested that I share this with the class to show you guys a futuristic view of how interfaces are being used for everyday daily tasks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cf7IL_eZ38

6. I’m taking a class that’s objective is to help us understand how business, organizational, and technical strategies align in companies, what can you tell me about how these pieces interact at your company?

Form the experience that Jayme has had, working for a health insurance company, in the IT department; she states that business minded people and IT minded people think completely differently. Jayme’s word of description for this question on how business, organizational, and technical strategies align in companies was agile. Basically, how IT and the business work together successful to produce a product. “IT and business people think differently and working in an agile environment helps create collaboration (Jayme).” To create a successful product, the business and IT has no choice but to keep up with agile environment. This is their method of successful AXA U.S.

7. Do you feel your lack of experience in the field sets you apart from people that have more experience?

This question I feel most students in Master’s programs, as myself as well, can relate to Jayme’s response. Jayme feels that although she doesn’t have a resume that shows years of experience, she still can thrive in this industry and continues to thrive at her current position. With learning on the job and through education, Jayme has acquired the same or more experience than people she works with not only in her department but that are higher standing than her. IT has a lot to do with self-teaching, Jayme has taught herself a significant amount to the point where she is showing people in her company above her how to do certain tasks or duties. I asked Jayme is she feels her lack of experience is threat as far as moving forward after she graduates with her Masters. What she informed me with is that most employers in the IT field don’t specifically look at how many years of experience you’ve had ion the field. She said that most employers are looking for “innovative minds”, young IT professionals with new ideas and a trainable mind. Jayme’s plan after graduation is to flood the IT market with her resume, even though she is happy in her current position. Jayme is excited to see the challenges and the opportunities that the IT industry has in store for her future.

8. What are your desires in this field? What are your goals/objectives?

Jayme stated that she can mostly work for any company in the world because every company has IT needs, no matter what field of study the company is in, Jayme’s ideal job in the IT industry would be to work for a music producing company. For example, working for Spotify, Pandora, or Soundcloud. Jayme has an undergrad degree in Auto-Production, therefore she wants to combine her knowledge of producing music and computer science. Jayme has a realistic mindset that she knows she won’t be working her “dream job” as soon as she graduates. Thus, creating a short-term goal of flat out being happy for any company she works for. She said there are way too many young people unhappy working the jobs they have now, but settle for a mediocre job because they feel that experience trumps education and work ethic. Jayme does not want to fall victim to one of these situations, Jayme is willing to work for any sort of company’s IT department if she is happy working for the company.

9. Where do you see the future of the technology realistically going? Do you feel confident in your job?

Here, we talked about Elon Musk and TESLA, the Model 5 cars, being produced by robots. I told her that we had to watch a class video on TESLA, so this was ironic that she was bringing up TESLA in our interview. Jayme called Elon Musk crazy yet brilliant, because he wants to put human life on Mars. However, her opinion on the realistic future of technology is connected to the video that I post under question 5. Corning Glass is in the process of producing glass that can be used on just about anything in the world. You could have this interface glass in your car windshield! Technology will affect everything, and society will accept this right off the bat. Us humans are already so engulfed in technology to the point where we are dependable on our technology sources such as iPads, Smartphones, and computers. Jayme feels this makes her job more valuable, unlike some of class discussion where we feel this advancement in technology will increase the unemployment rate. This threat hasn’t even crossed Jayme’s mind because she designs and builds interfaces, if we are advancing to a state such like the Corning Glass than there will be a lot more work for her and the IT industry to do.

10. What is your current project you are working on? What was your favorite project?

I thought it was important to get an example from Jayme of the kind of projects she is working on at work. Currently, Jayme is leading a project that requires the redesigning of her AXA U.S. intranet. Jayme is resigning the company’s intranet to make it more user friendly by having updated information and trends to better fit the business needs of the company. Jayme’s favorite project that she has done was overseas. Jayme traveled to Australia to do a project on transhumanism. This required Jayme to work on a team with Australian employees studying artificial intelligence and robotics. One of the products they worked on was call physio- geography, studying how humans interact with the environment in a technical way. For example, someone was walking down the street, how do they use a stop light? Also, studying how the world is changing and evolving, and how everything is becoming computerized in our environment. Most importantly, how people interact with this new rapidly changing technology and the environment.

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