Projects start-up meeting Information Environment 2009-11 & Virtual Research Environment July 22, 2009
Posted by sarahhorrigan in : D&I , trackbackAttended this event at Leicester University, with Angela Trikic (acting project lead) and Jon Tepper (Requirements Gathering wp lead). This get together was kick-started by a ginormous electrical storm, with the largest crack of thunder I have heard for a long time. JISC could not have planned it better. There were lots of useful presentations crammed into the day and a half. Excellent advice on project management and how to stay in touch with your progamme manager, from phone to tweets, including reporting on the good, the bad and the ugly. Some compelling if mind boggling stuff from the VRE (Virtual Research Environment) Programme http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/vre2.aspx JISC had also pulled out the stops in relation to getting us all talking and sharing. Including on the first night a dance card with a list of related projects that you should hook up with. This was followed by each project providing a 30 second pitch the next day, a pack of plain cards was used to determine the order – very clever, we were 2 of diamonds, I think we did it in 26 seconds – no prize but all 3 of us were involved, we got a positive comment on our collaborative approach. With respect to our project it was reassuring to know that we are heading in the right direction. The particular things that I came away with were:
- think of your audience when describing your project
- try connect with other projects that are undertaking similar activities
- think about using critical friends or get an outsider to review some of your outputs
- think about how to make your reports interesting – use a narrative
- consider how you can change your users from being passive to creative.
Overall a very useful if intensive event. I always like the novelty factor of staying in student accommodation. I also managed to do some post conference tweets. I feel all enthused now to start working. It’s amazing what the impact of an electrical storm can have.
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