UCISA-SDG DITSS Meeting - 18 Nov 2011 - University of Reading 

Present

Tony Brett (University of Oxford)
Steve Gough (University of Reading)
Paul Mazumdar (University of Cambridge)
Dave Valentine-Hagart (University of Nottingham)
Marina Whitmore (Cardiff University)

1. Apologies

Raj Mistry (Birmingham City University) 

2. Notes of Last Meeting

Agreed. No amendments required.

3. Matters Arising

3.1 Actions

Collaboration:

• Google Docs.  Some changes from Google require a re-think/re-try. Action: TB and SMG to convene to re-try.
• DVH and PM had a 1-2-1 via Adobe Connect.  PM on Linux & DVH on Win7 (64bit). Adobe Connect is Flash based. An app exists for the iPad.  Action: PM to setup a trial using Adobe Connect.
• MW reported that Google are due to come to a Cardiff event to talk about new things.

The group noted that a lack of a more firm/permanent collaboration space has made sharing work difficult.

Recording of presentations & plenaries at UCISA events.  There was some discussion about cost/benefit.  MediaSite are doing some of the one day UCISA workshops.  We briefly discussed what level of quality might be acceptable for recording UCISA events.

PM noted that it requires a lot of effort to do video properly and well.  There may be a lack of training in this area?

4. Future Plans

Should the group seek a more facilitating role within UCISA and between groups?

Are our institutional silos an insurmountable barrier?  Initiatives that the group  would like to pursue have been difficult due to different institutional priorities/technologies/geographies etc.

Online forums: timetabled and focused sessions, led by one institution but with open participation by all comers.  First topic could be The Challenges of Career development in the Distributed IT Support model.  We would need representatives from Distributed and Central models.  SMG will report back to SDG.  If agreed we should be able to move forward, with UCISA support and branding.    

Blogging:  Should we do it?  What would we say?  For example:

• As lead up to the larger events.
• As a way of posting info with immediacy but not longevity?
• Moderated comments should be allowed otherwise it's just another broadcast.  Allows 'many to many' conversations to begin.

Action: SMG and TB to identify suitable platform so all can contribute.

Action:  DVH to start a blog and open it to DITSS group members, and share internally. Use this meeting as seed for content.

5. UCISA-SDG 

SMG gave a review of proceedings of last Staff Development Group meeting. See UCISA-SDG minutes for full details.

Items of interest to DITSS:

• JANET skills workshops - teams and how teams work
• Info on JANET brokerage services (John Milner)

6. UCISA-SSG

Nothing to report. See UCISA-SSG group area on UCISA site (http://www.ucisa.ac.uk/groups/ssg)

7. Review of Symposium 2011

Overall ‘a highly rated event’.

PM is interested in the separation of feedback from (Cambridge) day attendees vs full event attendees.

8. User Support Conference 2012

Discussion on the relationship between the UCISA SSG/SDG Conference and the DITSS symposium.  How different are the two events?  Perhaps DITSS need a place ‘inside’ the conference.

This will be held at Crewe Hall Hotel’s conference centre and will be a 3 day event.

Themes:  Customers. Services. Staff

Will be scope for DITSS involvement?  A poster session?  Something involving joint working between the DITSS and the Communications group?

1. Service Catalogues
2. Social Media
3. NHS-HE and collaborative networks
4. JANET and partner networks
5. Distance learning
6. Data / clouds / iPads / the problems with keeping data in sync etc
7. Data security for new mobile paradigms
8. Information Security.  (Action: DVH to send contact details of UoN IS Security Manager to TB)

9. Symposium 2013

Possible venues:  Heriot-Watt. Sheffield. Manchester. Edinburgh.

10. AOB

Central vs Distributed - is it time for a refresh on this debate?

DVH did an abbreviated run through to the group of his 2011 Symposium presentation / workshop on Change and managing change for merging teams.

11. List of actions

TB and SMG to re-try Google Docs	TB & SMG
PM to setup a trial using Adobe Connect	PM
SMG will report to SDG on suggestion of holding online seminars	SMG
SMG and TB to identify suitable blogging platform	SMG & TB
DVH to start a blog and open it to DITSS group members, and share internally. Use this meeting as seed for content.	DVH
Can we get symposium feedback separated into day attendees vs full event attendees?	SMG
What’s the scope for DITSS involvement in 2012 Conference?	SMG & TB
DVH to send contact details of UoN IS Security Manager to TB	DVH

12. Dates of next meetings

Fri 17 Feb 2012 - Video-conf meeting
Weds 9 May 2012 - Oxford