national computational science alliance boston university communicating effectively over the access...

Boston University National Computational Science Alliance

Communicating Effectively over the Access Grid


Many Thanks

These slides are based in large part on slides developed by Sherine Mansour of Sheridan College

We are grateful to Sherine in all her help in preparing us for SC Global


Today’s Agenda: Modeling the Training

Personal Performance Event facilitation strategies for SC Global Practice sessions TOT action items

[Note: These slides will serve as a general template for the trainings during the Production Institute; I’ll make a slightly-revised copy and make it available for download so you can use it in September.]


Context: SC Global 2001

The SC Conference (www.supercomp.org) is the premiere technical and industrial meeting for high-end networking and computing and computational science.

At SC2001, we will create SC Global, the first truly global technical conference on the Grid: a multi-national and multi-cultural meeting place for communication and discussion of ideas relating to high-end computing and communications and its impacts on science and society.


Context: The Access Grid

Group-to-group collaboration across the Grid Often used to support large-scale distributed

meetings, collaborative work sessions, seminars, lectures, tutorials and training

Experience with previous large-venue, distributed events suggests that a series of preparations is necessary for these However, speakers, facilitators, and others

conducting meetings and other smaller events over the AG often need little, if any, training and orientation


Context: The Production/Technical Team

Each site will have a production/technical team to manage the site’s participation in SC Global

Team members must trust each other and work closely together, especially if any issues arise during the course of the event (technical or otherwise)

SC Global is no ordinary AG event – most AG events do not require this level of support


Section One: Personal Performance


Making the most of your presentation

Maintain confidence - maintain camera “eye contact” You may need to work with the technical staff to

ensure the camera is placed well Speak clearly and slowly

Work with your technical staff to learn appropriate microphone use

Use high-energy delivery


Making the most of your presentation (2)

Pause if technology fails - be sure to inform your “virtual” audience what is happening Work closely with your Producer and Technical

Director Remember that your “virtual” audience is very

much real – and in some cases will vastly outnumber the audience which is physically in the same room as you are


Communicating effectively over the AG

All speakers should learn the strengths and limitations of AG technology We encourage – nay, require – participation in the

Mega-Cruise, week of October 16 Find ways to repeat who you are, what you are

speaking about and where you are speaking from to include all “late-comers”

During the event, explicitly state how participation will be facilitated More on this later


Communicating effectively over the AG (2)

Design slides carefully; keep presentations strong and simple All visual aids should be pre-tested and basic in

nature during lectures Remember that your slides will be seen on a

variety of screens, in a variety of sizes Ensure your PowerPoint slides are compatible

with Distributed PowerPoint DPPT Guide listed at http://www.accessgrid.org/agdp

/guide/ Test slides locally using dppt before event


Communicating effectively over the AG (3)

Remember to tailor your presentation for the audience and group dynamics of the whole event, not just the people in your physical room Being on camera does not always mean being

formal Conversely, being with a small, informal group at

your physical location does not always mean being casual


Motivating your audience “virtually”

Be animated in your delivery - you don’t have the luxury of in-room body language But stay in camera range please!

Remember possible cultural differences - know who you are speaking to when possible

Reduce and try to completely eliminate all “detractors” (pauses filled with “um…” etc)

Pretend you are speaking to one person Invite audience participation and interactivity

when possible (with explicit statements of how it will be moderated)


And finally….what should I wear?

In general, avoid patterned clothing, especially busy, detailed patterns

Choose solid, bright colors that will translate well over the AG technology

If possible, seat yourself, or stand under bright light Work with your production/technical team

Ensure there are no lights behind you or any source of lighting such as a window


Section Two: Event Facilitation Strategies for SC Global


Several Types of Events

Primarily discussion Birds of Feather sessions

Primarily lecture Talks Workshops Tutorials

Other Panels Art


A Kit of Simple Facilitation Tools

Each event will have a Production Plan, developed by the Producer Work closely with your Producer before the event

to develop the plan All Production Plans should draw from the same

kit of tools, developing new ones only if necessary Consistency of facilitation will make it easier for

people inexperienced with the AG to participate in SC Global.


A Guiding Principle

At any given time, one site has “the floor” “The floor” is passed around the sites in a

predictable order


A Simple Example: Plan for a Lecture

Sites A, B, and C are participating. The speaker is at site A.

1. Master of Ceremonies (MC) at site A introduces speaker, asks participants to hold questions until after the talk is finished

2. Speaker gives talk

3. MC at site A explains that questions will be solicited from sites in the following order: A, B, C, and D.


A Simple Example: Plan for a Lecture (2)

4. MC at site A solicits questions from participants at site A; speaker responds to questions

5. MC at site A “passes the floor” to MC at site B6. MC at site B solicits questions from participants at site

B; speaker responds to questions7. MC at site B “passes the floor” to MC at site C8. MC at site C solicits questions from participants at site

C; speaker responds to questions9. MC at site C “passes the floor” to MC at site A10. [repeat for as many rounds of questions as

desired/necessary]11. MC at site A thanks speaker and participants, closes

event.


Section Three: Practice Sessions


A Dry Run

Volunteers, please, for the following roles: At one site: MC, Speaker, others will act as

participants All all other sites: MC, others will act as

participants Do a dry run through the Simple Example, with

the trainer coaching MCs and the Speaker (but not the participants!)


Training-of-Trainers Action Items

Create training schedule for Production Institute Volunteer for creating one-pager for speakers,

MCs? Thoughts about any major changes to the

slides, or the training in general?

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