In this session, discuss some of the activities you are involved with in preparation for your research... Scheduling meetings, data collection interviews etc...

Course Code:

Name:

Table of Contents Plan 3 Act 4 Observe 4 Reflect 5

First Iteration: Gathering Requirements

Plan. The first phase of the iteration is the planning phase that is concerned with describing the activities that are to take place in the accomplishment of the iteration. The first iteration is requirement gathering – that is, gathering information pertaining to what is required for one to get a job in cyber security. The planning for this iteration included a number of activities undertaken by the researcher in order to come up with a good plan that will see to it that the iteration is a success. Among the activities undertaken are as discussed below:

1. Establishing the goals of the iteration. The first activity in the planning phase was to determine the various goals of the iteration. Undertaking this iteration needs to bear certain results, and these are defined in order to help the action researcher chart a path towards their achievement. Among the goals defined in this phase include determining the minimum qualifications in cyber security.

2. Determining a set of activities. The second activity undertaken in the planning phase is establishing those activities that will aid in the accomplishment of the first iteration. These activities must be goal-oriented in that their core business is to help the researcher obtain the information about the career in cyber security.

3. Determining and allocating resources. Goals do require the researcher to use various resources to accomplish them. The third activity entails determining those resources that will be required to attain the objectives of the first iteration of the action research. After determining them, the resources are then allocated to the various activities.

4. Monitoring. Lastly, there is a need to monitor the iteration and the activities being undertaken in order to ensure everything goes according to the plan.

Act. The second phase of this iteration is the action phase. This comes after planning whereby the main aim is to put the plan into action and accomplish the goals and objectives of the iteration. This is a phase that can take quite some time, and the time specified herein for this phase is a minimum of 40 hours. Since planning is done without specific knowledge of what will actually happen in the future, the action phase will also have to make necessary modifications to the plan, as well as take corrective measures so that the goals will ultimately be achieved. In determining the minimum requirements for one to get a job in cyber security, the following actions were undertaken.

1. Getting the resources ready. The first activity in the action phase is to get the resources ready so that the researcher can get set for real action. These resources were as established in the planning phase, and were made available.

2. Collecting data. The second activity was to collect data pertaining to the cyber security career. The researcher used various search engines to extract this data from the internet. Other sources were also utilized, and these include guides, handbooks, books, journals, news articles, etc.

3. Data analysis. After obtaining the raw data, data analysis followed, and this was simply in the form of content analysis to help extract the useful bits of the data.

4. The last action was to compile a list of the various requirements for one to get a job in cyber security. Various sources used did have a different set of requirement, and a comprehensive list that includes most of these is the end result of this phase.

Observe. The third phase of this iteration is the observation phase. The observation phase entails a discussion of the various activities undertaken throughout the iteration and their corresponding outcomes. Various issues as observed are explained herein.

Among the things observed in this iteration is that the cyber security career, just as is the case with other careers, requires basic education and certification. The minimum level of education is the college of which a certificate or diploma is required as evidence. Proper cyber security teaching programs do emphasize on the current technology, meaning that a person entering into this career also needs to be up to date with the emerging trends in technology. The teaching program should also equip the learner with the necessary tools and methodologies that keep knowledge evolving the same way technology does. Among the courses offered in teaching programs that forms part of the requirements for a job in cyber security include a bachelor’s in cyber security. Its coursework essentials include information security, computer hardware, vulnerability assessment, computer science and statistics among others. These are the essential skills in this career.

Various other certifications do improve the employability of a person, but may not be part of the minimum requirements for a job in this career. They boost competitiveness in the job market. Apart from the educational background, experience is vital in job acquisition in this field, and this is because of its technical nature. In that case, the person going for this job would need a particular level of experience which also forms part of the minimum requirements. The best way to gain this experience is through internships that are offered by various hiring organizations.

Reflect. The last phase of this iteration is the reflection phase. This is the phase that expresses the personal experiences in undertaking the entire iteration, and discusses not the lessons learned, but the researcher’s personal feelings and interpretations of the various incidences as observed within the iteration. It focuses on the success or failure and the causes of these, as well as the challenges and restraints encountered in the iteration.

The entire iteration was a success, and this is an indication that all went on as planned. The objectives and goals of the iteration were to establish the various aspects of a career in cyber security, including the minimum requirements and courses and skills that one need to possess. This was obtained as the researcher compiles the comprehensive list of these requirements. The major process that needs to be improved is data search. The criterion used for data search was a comprehensive one that aimed at taking into account all forms of data sources. However, all these sources end up giving similar basic requirements despite all the time taken. Time could be saved by streamlining this process.

Among the challenges experienced in this iteration was data analysis. As explained earlier on, this entailed content analysis, which meant going through all the sources made available, compare and contrast the information and compiling a list. This was a time consuming event, and this was coupled with the time restraints of 40 hours. However, everything went on well and the goals achieved. The major risk herein was generalizing the requirements, forgetting that there are companies that do require some form of differentiation or customization.