1. NRAO End to End Integrated Operations
Nicole M. Radziwill
N. Radziwill
EVLA Advisory Committee Meeting
May 8-9, 2006

2. EVLA Advisory Committee Meeting
The Organization
After a three-year period of focusing software resources on meeting the objectives of individual telescope projects, the NRAO End to End Organization was revitalized on April 3, 2006.
Currently consists of N. Radziwill (management) and Ed Fomalont (science)
Key stakeholders include Richard Prestage, Jim Ulvestad, Brian Glendenning, Debra Shepherd, Gustaaf van Moorsel, Bryan Butler, Mark McKinnon, John Hibbard
Many staff already involved in e2e related work
N. Radziwill
EVLA Advisory Committee Meeting
May 8-9, 2006

3. EVLA Advisory Committee Meeting
Mission
To broaden access to NRAO facilities, enabling astronomers specializing in all wavelengths to focus on the science and not the instrumental details
To make progress towards quality goals such as improving user satisfaction and increasing inter-site collaboration
To help NRAO better leverage its investments in software (e.g. through reuse of ideas, models, systems and information stores)
N. Radziwill
EVLA Advisory Committee Meeting
May 8-9, 2006

4. What is e2e Ops. Development?
Establishing cost-effective processes and facilities for proposal submission, science software and the data center (incl. VO accessible science archive), employing technical and operational standards, to ensure a common experience for users of all NRAO telescopes
Substantial preexisting work in concept development (e.g. VO for NRAO), prototype development (Archive), shared services (Proposal Submission) to be heavily leveraged!
N. Radziwill
EVLA Advisory Committee Meeting
May 8-9, 2006

5. EVLA Advisory Committee Meeting
Rationale
Why do we think this can work now as an organization outside of operations, when we (operations groups) have not been enthusiastic about it in the past?
Strong executive sponsorship
Stakeholders involved from the beginning
Several smaller intermediate deliverables; tightly coupled feedback from scientists and lead users
Operationally driven: set realistic goals, compatible with affordable resources in development and maintenance stages
Simplify ideas, clarify objectives/task definitions, communicate across sites more effectively – must answer the critical question for many staff at NRAO: how do I fit in?
N. Radziwill
EVLA Advisory Committee Meeting
May 8-9, 2006

6. ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Efforts Starting Q2 06
TECHNICAL EFFORTS
ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
VLA/VLBA Pipeline Vitalization
Data Center (Archive & VO) Gap Analysis
Catalog Repository
Science Capabilities Blueprint
CASA to Users
Proposal Tool/Data Model Summit
Develop strategic plan, which will include:
Normalize and integrate tactical plans from all groups (VLA/VLBA, EVLA development, GBT, NAASC)
Organizational Plan (incl. roles, responsibilities)
Survey employees
Develop unified management metrics
N. Radziwill
EVLA Advisory Committee Meeting
May 8-9, 2006

7. ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
2006 Strategic Goals
TECHNICAL EFFORTS
ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Results available from initiatives launched in Q2 2006
Data Integration Plan complete
CASA metrics collected and interpreted; adoption plan developed and in place
Determine 80/20 balance to guide development priorities
Increased involvement in CASA, esp. for EVLA
Common operational model defined (VLBA, EVLA, ALMA/NAASC, GBT)
External, annual review process in place
N. Radziwill
EVLA Advisory Committee Meeting
May 8-9, 2006

8. EVLA Advisory Committee Meeting
Current Activities
Organizational plan under development
Discussions about resource allocation and goals/objectives in progress
Pursuit of Strategic Plan for Integrated Operations driven by EVLA needs in near term
N. Radziwill
EVLA Advisory Committee Meeting
May 8-9, 2006