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I’ve been in several situations in which students would stop me
in a UML training class and ask with stern faces: “How do
you avoid analysis paralysis?” First time I heard that I
sincerely replied: “How do you get to be paralyzed?” Indeed,
there are many ways to avoid analysis paralysis-at least 5. The
rest of this article assumes you’re in the shoes of an analyst,
with the mission to model some new topics that experts are
explaining to you.

Perhaps a manually run business operation is to be automated.
The analyst must first understand what the system has to do
(analysis) before deciding how to automate it (design). Muscular
paralysis comes from blocking the connection between the brain
and muscles. Mental paralysis, the analogy used here, comes from
either having no idea what to do or having too many options to
choose. The following advice cures the no-idea case and gives
priorities to help you determine where to start and how to
continue.

Picture the subject matter experts throwing all kinds of
elaborated concepts at you. They’re the experts, yet you may see
them stumble over fundamental definitions, use terms you can’t
relate to, contradict another expert, call-up a colleague to
check on key concepts and so on. That would slow down and even
freeze your analysis process, wouldn’t it?

1. Deal with the best-known topics first

Identify a topic your experts seem to know best and model it
right away. It doesn’t have to be an easy one (half of the time
it won’t be). You know how to model and the experts know the
topic. Here is your opportunity to make quick progress. Once
you’re done, go on with the next best-known topic, and so on.

Your tactic at that early stage is to channel everyone’s energy
to come to closure quickly on existing knowledge, knowledge that
is readily available. This will bring you two immediate
benefits: a) everyone will feel satisfied with the rapid
progress; b) future discussions won’t be cluttered with these
topics.

While dealing with the best-known topics and concepts first, you
might end up building a good chunk of your model. This will
definitely prepare the ground for further modeling. Later on,
additional and more-complex concepts might easily “plug-in” with
the already modeled ones.

2. Locate the most knowledgeable person(s)

We’ve all been there: you work hard with a very well intentioned
fellow trying to understand some deep topic, but somehow the
more you analyze it the less you feel you can grasp it. After
some considerable labor, he or she tells you: “I don’t really
know–after all, I’m not the expert! You can avoid this problem
by looking for the experts prior to starting anything. Always
ask: “Who’s the top expert in this matter?” Spend time with the
experts first. If they can’t really afford to spend hours with
you, invite them to join some of your short analysis sessions.
Involve them by all means.

You’ll find that real subject matter experts will make your
project progress with giant leaps.

3. Use the marvels of natural language

UML may be a great modeling language and you might be a
champion at using it, yet you could experience a very slow
start. Have the expert write one or a few paragraphs on the
subject matter. For example, Paul is the man who truly
understands retirement plans. It’s a hairy subject. Don’t start
to model it straight from a first encounter with him. Have Paul
write a few paragraphs ahead of time to summarize retirement
plans. Then Paul and you can meet and model. In so many years of
consulting and mentoring in the industry, I’ve almost never seen
a true expert fail in writing his/her knowledge in plain
English. Natural language has its unquestionable power.

Ask also that key words used in that text be defined in the
glossary-still in plain English. With these two documents, the
expert’s knowledge will be clarified, you’ll get a powerful
start and you’ll have a reference that you and the expert can
use while modeling. I’ve tried it both ways: with or without a
narrative to start with. I feel that modeling sessions are much
faster if you start with a short narrative (I also call it a
“problem statement” or “business synopsis”). They will enjoy
seeing their terms appear in your UML diagrams and use case
narratives. Remember, with UML you are structuring their
expertise, not encrypting it.

Some people object that plain English is not that useful and
certainly not as high-tech as the UML. They argue that tools
like UML sequence diagrams could “get you there” much faster.
It’s a myth. Narratives expose the meaning; they build up
fundamental understanding in the analyst’s mind. That’s the best
place to start and it’s quickly obtained. Note: In a future tech
letter I’ll write about object interactions, activity diagrams
and business process modeling. I’ll also write about the power
of relationships as modeled in various UML diagrams.

4. Slice up concepts

Now, assuming you’ve got the right expert(s) to speak with and a
narrative to start with, what’s your next step? That’s where
your analysis activity really begins. Stick to the business
concepts: what they mean, how they differ from each other, what
type they belong to, what characteristics they exhibit, what
they are made of and so on. Very importantly: how they relate
with other concepts.

That part is like “dissection”: slicing up the concepts. All the
above angles, as you know, lead you to using fundamental UML
constructs. Examples are: classes (or objects), attributes,
inheritance, composition, associations and association
classes.

In very little time your UML picture is built of various
diagrams and you feel at home. Don’t think you’re done. You need
to present the outcome of your analysis back to the experts, as
advised in the next paragraph.

5. Assemble concepts back together

As you probably remember from our course, a model is only as
good as its effectiveness in reflecting the reality. Experts
took the time to work with you; they hope for more than a
cryptic picture that you seem to be the only one to appreciate.
You need to close the feedback loop.

Read the whole diagram back to them “in plain English”, using
their business terms. Examples would be: “Purchase orders refer
to goods that are requested by manufacturing departments?” Do
not say things like: “Here is the PO class that is associated
with the Goods class, and it’s a 1 to many association?”

Do not use any UML terms while describing your model back to the
domain experts. They need to “hear” your model. Based on that,
they’ll tell you whether your understanding is right. They’ll
help you fix details and refine your model, based on your own
reading of the model. After a few iterations your understanding
will be raised to the expert’s level.

Now, your model is ready. It’s the blueprint for the whole
project. It’s a bridge between the expert’s mind and the actual
system that will be built to automate the business needs.

Before modeling, we always make sure that enough knowledge about
the subject matter is available. If it’s not, then we go get the
experts. We model what is known. We postpone what’s not known.
We use natural languages to start with and also to conclude.
What was said at the beginning of the analysis period will also
be expressed at the end. In the process the model is built.

It’s a very simple, systematic strategy based on common sense,
based on human understanding (and of course with a little help
from some good UML training). This very dynamic process
moves you towards the goal. How could you possibly get stuck?
There is no excuse for paralysis while doing analysis; that is
nothing more than an old catch phrase.

Well we all know about this Ugg Boots fashion craze that’s hit the world don’t we? Those ugly fluffy looking boots that originate from Australia. But how is the humble Ugg Boot made?

The number one essential factor needed for manufacturing a genuine Australian Ugg Boot is the material (the sheepskin hide). You may be aware that their are plenty of different ugg boots styles popping up on the internet these days. If you do a few basic searches on the net you will find yourself a cheap pair of non-authentic uggs somewhere, but let me tell you 99% of ugg boots sold on the internet are made in china. China made Australian ugg boots? Hmm how doess that work? Anyway these China boots are maufactured using inferior sheepskin internal material and probably suede external material which doesn’t allow the boot to breath and leaves you with a smelly boot you wont want to put back on after 4-5 wears.

These china made copies just dont stand up to the Genuine Australian Made Boot. So one things for sure if your interested in buying a pair of sheepskin ugg boots on the internet or anywhere for that matters, dont try to save a dollor or two when purchasing your boots?

If you want a boot that’s warm in winter cool in summer then you must insist on a boot manufactured with Genuine Australian
double faced Sheepskin preferbly Australian Merino Sheepskin.

One of the questions often asked about ugg boots is:

Do you have to really kill the poor sheep just to make a pair of sheepskin boots?

The answer is NO. Not one sheep has to be slaughted to obtain their hide and fleece. The sheepskins are shawn of the sheep
back and the sheep regrow their fleece just like humans do hair. It’s completely painless for the sheep. I’ve been told by a few old school ugg manufaturers that the sheep actually like the experience of feeling free and would prefer to be shawn
rather than have to carry a thick thick woolen coat around with them in the hot Summer.

Once the sheepskin hides are taken from the sheep then the process of preparing the hide for manufacturers and ensuring the hides are up to export standard begins.

Woolskins are usually preserved with salt prior to being processed by tanneries. At the tannery the skins are processed in large vessels called paddles which vary in capacity from 3000 to 15000 litres. In contrast to hide processing, in woolskin processing mechanical action is kept to a minimum in order to minimise felting of the wool. Rotating blades on the paddles move the skins slowly and gently, and processing is performed at much higher float ratios (typically 20-35 litres of water per skin) than are used in hide processing.

Typically it takes about 10 working days for the skins to be tanned and finished ready to be cut into panels for ugg boots.

Step 1. Tanning/ Processing

Soaking (16 hours) - The skins are rinsed in cold water to remove excess salt and dirt from the wool and pelt. Rehydration
(soaking) of the pelt takes place in a fresh cold water float overnight.

Fleshing - The skins are fleshed using a fleshing machine which removes excess fat and muscle tissue from the back of the skins. This allows for more rapid and complete penetration of chemicals in the later stages of processing, particularly
during pickling and tanning.

Scouring (30-45 minutes) - Surfactants are used at 38oC to remove dirt and grease (lanolin) from the wool.

Pickling (16 hours) - Prior to tanning, the skins are pickled in a solution containing acid and salt. The salt is added to
prevent swelling of the skins by the acid. The internal pH of the skins is lowered to approximately 2.8-3.0, thereby
preparing the skins for penetration by the tanning agent.

Tanning (16 hours) - Tanning is generally achieved by using chromium salts which form cross-links with the collagen,
stabilising the skin structure and preventing putrefaction. The tanning step is conducted at about 25oC and pH 2.5-3.0 to
allow for penetration of the chrome. Once penetrated, the chrome is fixed to the collagen by raising the pH to about 3.6
using sodium bicarbonate, and heating to about 35-40oC. This step raises the shrinkage temperature of the skin from about
60oC to around 100oC.

Wool Dyeing / Fatliquoring (3-4 hours) - After tanning, the wool may be dyed a variety of colours. Wool dyeing is performed
at about pH 4.5-6 and at 60-65oC, “Pelt reserve agents” being added to prevent the wool dye staining the pelt. After the dye
is exhausted, the pH is lowered to about 4.0 to fix the dyes to the wool, and fatliquor is added to the bath. Fatliquors are
emulsified oils which are used in leather manufacture to lubricate the collagen fibres, allowing them to move freely when the skin is dried, thereby imparting softness to the skin.

Drying (4-24 hours) - Once tanned and wool dyed, the skins are then dried in heated forced-air dryers by “toggling” the skins
to a frame. Drying is conducted at temperatures of 50-80oC.

Drycleaning (4-24 hours) - The dried skins are “drycleaned” in either white spirit (a high-boiling petroleum fraction) or
perchloroethylene. The drycleaning removes the natural fat and grease present within the skins.

Pelt Dyeing / Syntanning - Once the pelt grease is removed, the skins are returned to the paddle for pelt dyeing. This step
is performed at low temperature (less than 30oC) in order to minimise staining of the wool by the pelt dye. After pelt
dyeing, the skins are “syntanned” using synthetic tanning agents in order to give the pelts added fullness and firmness. The skins are then redried.

Step 2. Finishing

Once all the tanning and processing steps have been completed, the skins are ready for final finishing prior to being used in
ugg boot manufacture.

Staking - After “conditioning” the skins to approximately 20% moisture content, the skins are staked in a staking machine.
This softens and stretches the skin pelt, and puts a “nap” on the pelt surface.

Combing / Ironing / Clipping - The wool is combed in a combing machine to remove tangles and any burrs or grass seeds present
in the wool. An iron (a hot, 150oC revolving cylinder) straightens the wool, removing the natural wool crimp.Finally, a cylinder clipping machine is used to clip the wool pile to the desired length, usually about 12-15 mm.

Step 3. Manufacturing

Panels are cut from the skins using a “clicking press”. Once cut, the panels are sewn together using industrial sewing
machines, then the sole is glued to the boot. Once this is done, the boots are ready for sale!

Hopefully this article has helped you understand a little on the process of sheepskin hide preperation and ugg boot
manfacture. Please feel free to browse our range at:

Australian Ugg Boots

As a blogger, I started creating websites that I found
personally interesting to me. I found articles that were fun and
interesting and posted them for people to read. After all..
people create blogs so they can share their feelings and
aspirations. But when you create that blog you also feel that
you are putting a large amount of time into the projects and
wish to see if you are able to generate income from your work.
This is where Google Adsense comes into play.

I discovered Google Adsense mostly by accident and was intrigued
by the concept of Contextual Advertising. I felt if Google could
deliver the ads, all I had to do was get the traffic. I could
sit back and collect the money. I applied adsense to my site and
waited. Well…I waited a “long time” for little to nothing.

Not being one to give up easily, I used small and large ad
formats and applied them to the top half of my website, to the
right side and also to the bottom. I waited a period of time to
see the results and “surprise, surprise”. I did get an increase
in clicks. The only problem was, the clicks were still small and
didn’t amount to much. By this time most people would have given
up and would have just moved along to other advertisers.

I seriously started to look at “Blogads” and “crispads” but I
finally came back to Google. After a period of reflection, I
decided that I was missing some critical pieces of information
and decided the best route to take was to learn by example.

I looked long and hard at people who were successful at adsense.
I looked at thier sites. I made mental notes of what they were
doing and what kind of content they had. I read thier own
stories of success and then compared what they did against each
other.

What I found intrigued me. I found out that successful people in
the adsense program have relavent content and they use human
behavior to thier advantage. Now relavent content is a given,
but what I mean by “using human behavior” is a little bit more
complex.

Evidently people arrive at your site and make up thier minds up
in a flash. Instantly they choose to stay on your site or leave
it. They look for something that catches thier interests and if
it does, they stay there to read your information or end up
buying a product.

Internet users are “trained” to look in certain locations and
ignore things that are outside of thier narrow scope of vision.
People can look to the sides for information, but the propensity
for them to click your ads becomes significantly lower. By
putting ads directly “in thier face”, you have a greater chance
they will click it.

Now, I am not an adsense expert by any stretch of the
imagination and still learn new things everyday. I am like
“you”, a person who wants to generate an income and hopefully
have more incentive to keep going. But…I know what works for
me and what doesn’t.

Now, there were only several things that I did to increase my
adsense clickthroughs and after experimentation, I am convinced
these are the winning ticket.

These are things I did:

I use a white background instead of a color background.

I remove the border on adsense so it does not look like an ad
and make sure it matches the background

I keep the Title and the Hyperlink “Blue”.

I keep Adsense “above the fold”, so they are the “FIRST” things
that people see when they arrive at the site.

I use these formats only.

The 338X280. This one is primarily used because it is large and
it does not look like an ad.

The small Google “ad links”, (180×90) or others similar, because
they are not targeted tightly and give people options to see
other things that relavent to THIER interest and I blend the ad
to make it look like the rest of the titles.

I try to keep the ads “left” aligned.

I use the 160X600 vertical for people to see when they move
vertically down the website page.

I try to place images near the google ads. Images draw the eyes
near the ads.

I keep the site concise, clean and focused.

By using these tactics I was able to increase my adsense
clickthrough rate significantly depending on traffic level and
people’s interest.

Take my advice and give it try. I believe you will see a change
and hopefully make adsense a more pleasurable experience.