1. Some … Facts & Recommendations
System of Systems
Some …
Facts & Recommendations

2. Facts & Recommendations (1/4)
Variety of users: institutions, value added companies, private sector, academic, science,.. Users’ requirements and expectations vary a lot.
Users to be closely associated to any design process as well as Systems Designers, Systems Operators, Data providers,..
Close coordination with all users from all GEO tasks.
Various communities with own habits: data & information providers / users with specific system interfaces & data formats, own ways of processing information, ..
No revolution to be imposed in work habits but promote alternatives if needed.

3. Facts & Recommendations (2/4)
No Single System: Heterogeneous sets of world-wide distributed systems built over several years. Different technologies based on multitude of standards, proprietary solutions, in-house developments, ..
No new single architecture imposed to everyone. ,
Preserve the existing infrastructures as much as possible,
Simple and robust interfaces and formats (well documented, based on common and largely used standards/specifications).
Need for an Overall GEO Interface Control Document
Overall Coordination at interface level between all GEO tasks teams.
Progressive integration of thematic systems (whenever needed ! To be defined …)
Combined sources: Increasing user request for combined use of space and non-space data e.g. multi satellite missions with in-situ observation data
Need for proper inter-task coordination whenever needed / applicable

4. Facts & Recommendations (3/4)
Complex information flow: e.g. product order, satellite planning, data acquisition, processing, archiving and distribution
Proper (exhaustive) inventory of needs & adequate solutions to be proposed.
User Interface: Increase demand from users for enhanced quality of geo-spatial data, information and services with more user-friendly, faster, easier and transparent access
Users to be involved during the whole executions of task sheets
Prototypes to be developed if necessary

5. Facts & Recommendations (4/4)
Dependency between GEO tasks: risks that optimum solutions (technical, programmatic, data policy, ..) for a given task are sometimes incompatible across-task
Regular monitoring across ALL tasks
Proper overall coordination
Open system: the SoS should be opened enough to grow & attract third-party data & service providers
Use of open architecture (simple, open and stable standards, non-proprietary solutions, ..)
Combination of services & data “validated/approved” by GEO and others not “GEO-stamped”