2014 SKA Engineering Meeting

Re-baselining workshops

The Engineering Meeting schedule includes workshops on the Thursday morning.

The purpose of the workshops is to gain the engagement of those at the Engineering Meeting in the Re-Baselining process for SKA-1. This is the process where the scope of the project will be reduced to fit in with the available budget of €650M.
 
Each consortia will deliver on 15 September 2014 an outline design description along with a budget and some ideas for reductions. These submissions will be clarified during the Engineering Meeting, but the suggestions for re-baselining given, along with some ideas from SKAO will be used during the workshop.


The workshop will be organized in the following way:
 
·       Briefing – Head of Project will give a briefing to the conference at the beginning of the workshop. This will include the introduction of the issues, the options and the format of the day. He will introduce the facilitators and the structure of the groups. It is suggested that we allocate 2 options to each group and also allow them to create another, should they choose.
 
·       Workshop Creation – The conference will be split into ‘random’ groups i.e. groups made up of members of a variety of consortia (See consortia profiles below). Each group will be allocated a facilitator and one member of the SKAO staff to act as interpreter for the facilitator. The SKAO staff member will not manage the group.
 
·       Workshop – The groups will go into their allocated rooms and discuss the options given and their own should they choose to suggest another. There should be sufficient time to discuss the options, refine them down to a minimal number with a key effect on cost, and then create SWOT ( Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis for each. They have from 0930 till lunch to discuss and then from 2.00 – 3.00pm to prepare their response.
 
·       Feedback – Each group will choose a spokesperson that will be allocated 15 minutes to present their group’s feedback to the meeting. It is suggested that they use PPT. It should be around 10 minutes presentation and 5 minutes discussion.
 
The facilitators should facilitate the discussions, taking care to allow everyone (even the ‘wallflowers’) to say their piece. I have asked all board members to be floaters and not become involved in the discussion.
 
The SKAO representative will be there to assist the facilitator in any questions they have and to give information. That representative should not become involved in the discussion or take any leadership role.