A Woods Hole Virtual Organization?

A Woods Hole Virtual Organization?

Peter Fox (RPI and WHOI)Virtually: in a lot of places

Peter Fox (RPI and WHOI)Virtually: in a lot of places

What’s aheadWhat’s ahead

A bit of history An example Some definitions and characteristics Aspects of VOs to consider Some experience Opportunities for Woods Hole Discussion and concluding remarks

A bit of history An example Some definitions and characteristics Aspects of VOs to consider Some experience Opportunities for Woods Hole Discussion and concluding remarks

A bit of history A bit of history 5th Generation of Work:

First generation work was essentially hunting and gathering;

Second generation work started farming the land and raising crops and other food products;

Third generation work moved to cities with factories and small businesses; and

Fourth generation work moved to the office Research on organizations dates back

to the 50’s.

5th Generation of Work: First generation work was essentially

hunting and gathering; Second generation work started farming

the land and raising crops and other food products;

Third generation work moved to cities with factories and small businesses; and

Fourth generation work moved to the office Research on organizations dates back

to the 50’s.

ExamplesExamples

Earth System Grid Earth System GridThe Earth System Grid (ESG; http://www.earthsystemgrid.org) was established to enable community access to, and analysis of, the large data sets produced by climate simulation models. ESG serves as a gateway to more than 100 terabytes of climate model data and supports more than 6,000 registered users. The project team behind this effort is composed of members from the computer and computational science, climate, data management and analysis, and high-end computing operations communities. The U.S. Department of Energy funded this collaboration to overcome the hurdles associated with making environmental simulation output available to researchers. Previously, accessing and analyzing the vast quantities of data produced by the simulations was cumbersome. To that end, the ESG team has built a system of rotating storage, deep storage archives, middleware, databases, and desktop client applications that alleviate many of the computational difficulties associated with climate analysis.

The Earth System Grid (ESG; http://www.earthsystemgrid.org) was established to enable community access to, and analysis of, the large data sets produced by climate simulation models. ESG serves as a gateway to more than 100 terabytes of climate model data and supports more than 6,000 registered users. The project team behind this effort is composed of members from the computer and computational science, climate, data management and analysis, and high-end computing operations communities. The U.S. Department of Energy funded this collaboration to overcome the hurdles associated with making environmental simulation output available to researchers. Previously, accessing and analyzing the vast quantities of data produced by the simulations was cumbersome. To that end, the ESG team has built a system of rotating storage, deep storage archives, middleware, databases, and desktop client applications that alleviate many of the computational difficulties associated with climate analysis.

DefinitionsDefinitions

A VO is a group of individuals whose members and resources may be dispersed geographically and institutionally, yet who function as a coherent unit through the use of cyberinfrastructure (CI).

A VO is typically enabled by, and provides shared and often real-time access to, centralized or distributed resources, such as community specific tools, applications, data, and sensors, and experimental operations.

A VO is a group of individuals whose members and resources may be dispersed geographically and institutionally, yet who function as a coherent unit through the use of cyberinfrastructure (CI).

A VO is typically enabled by, and provides shared and often real-time access to, centralized or distributed resources, such as community specific tools, applications, data, and sensors, and experimental operations.

Another – focus on location

Another – focus on location

A virtual organization or company is one whose members are geographically apart, usually working by computer e-mail and groupware - while appearing to others to be a single, unified organization with a real physical location.

A virtual organization or company is one whose members are geographically apart, usually working by computer e-mail and groupware - while appearing to others to be a single, unified organization with a real physical location.

Another – focus on goalAnother – focus on goal

a geographically distributed organization whose members are bound by a long-term common interest or goal, and who communicate and coordinate their work through information technology

a geographically distributed organization whose members are bound by a long-term common interest or goal, and who communicate and coordinate their work through information technology

Roles and relationshipsRoles and relationships

The virtual research organization: in which members of various corporate and academic research units voluntarily come together to advance a technology on an ongoing basis.

These members assume well defined roles and status relationships within the context of the virtual group that may be independent of their role and status in the organization employing them (Ahuja et al., 1998).

The virtual research organization: in which members of various corporate and academic research units voluntarily come together to advance a technology on an ongoing basis.

These members assume well defined roles and status relationships within the context of the virtual group that may be independent of their role and status in the organization employing them (Ahuja et al., 1998).

Coupled elementsCoupled elements

Technology

Communication Patterns

OrganizationalStructure

CommunicationCommunication

A key feature of virtual organizations is a high degree of informal communication

Because of a lack of formal rules, procedures, clear reporting relationships, and norms, more extensive informal communication is required.

A key feature of virtual organizations is a high degree of informal communication

Because of a lack of formal rules, procedures, clear reporting relationships, and norms, more extensive informal communication is required.

Also known as … ?Also known as … ?

The term VO can encompass, at least in part, systems known by other names such as collaboratories [Wulf], e-Science or e-Research [Hey and Trefethen], distributed workgroups or virtual teams [O’Leary and Cummings], virtual environments, and online communities [Preece].*

The term VO can encompass, at least in part, systems known by other names such as collaboratories [Wulf], e-Science or e-Research [Hey and Trefethen], distributed workgroups or virtual teams [O’Leary and Cummings], virtual environments, and online communities [Preece].*

Operational ModalitiesOperational Modalities

Formal or informal Planned or unplanned Transient or long lived May involve, informal exchanges,

international scientific collaborations, rapid business innovation processes, or disaster response teams.

Formal or informal Planned or unplanned Transient or long lived May involve, informal exchanges,

international scientific collaborations, rapid business innovation processes, or disaster response teams.

CharacteristicsCharacteristics

Distributed across space, with participants spanning locales and institutions;

Distributed across time, with asynchronous as well as synchronous interactions;

Dynamic structures and processes at every stage of their lifecycle, from initiation to termination;

Distributed across space, with participants spanning locales and institutions;

Distributed across time, with asynchronous as well as synchronous interactions;

Dynamic structures and processes at every stage of their lifecycle, from initiation to termination;

CharacteristicsCharacteristics

Computationally enabled, via collaboration support systems including e-mail, teleconferencing, telepresence, awareness, social computing, and group information management tools; and,

Computationally enhanced with simulations, databases, and analytic services that interact with human participants and are integral to the operation of the organization.

Computationally enabled, via collaboration support systems including e-mail, teleconferencing, telepresence, awareness, social computing, and group information management tools; and,

Computationally enhanced with simulations, databases, and analytic services that interact with human participants and are integral to the operation of the organization.

Inevitable or enabled?Inevitable or enabled?

The recent blossoming of CI and of Internet technologies more generally has put VOs within the reach of most people, enabling both the support of existing communities through technology and the emergence of brand new communities.

The recent blossoming of CI and of Internet technologies more generally has put VOs within the reach of most people, enabling both the support of existing communities through technology and the emergence of brand new communities.

Collaboration DriversCollaboration Drivers

CollaborationCollaboration

VOs enable, and are enabled by, technologically mediated collaboration

Relationship between VOs and technology: 1. how information technologies are incorporated

into, and potentially shape, VO processes and procedures, and

2. how VO characteristics place demands on information technology, and ultimately, how they may shape the evolution of that technology

VOs are an Informatics field of study

VOs enable, and are enabled by, technologically mediated collaboration

Relationship between VOs and technology: 1. how information technologies are incorporated

into, and potentially shape, VO processes and procedures, and

2. how VO characteristics place demands on information technology, and ultimately, how they may shape the evolution of that technology

VOs are an Informatics field of study

Fox Informatics and Semantics, © 2008

19

(Re)emergence of Informatics

• There is/ was still a gap between

science and the underlying

infrastructure and technology that is

available

• Cyberinfrastructure is the new research environment(s) that support advanced data acquisition, data storage, data management, data integration, data mining, data visualization and other computing and information processing services over the Internet.

Informatics - information science includes the

science of (data and) information, the practice

of information processing, and the engineering

of information systems. Informatics studies the

structure, behavior, and interactions of natural

and artificial systems that store, process and

communicate (data and) information. It also

develops its own conceptual and theoretical

foundations. Since computers, individuals and

organizations all process information,

informatics has computational, cognitive and

social aspects, including study of the social

impact of information technologies. Wikipedia.

Contrasting a Virtual Information Organization with a

Traditional one

Contrasting a Virtual Information Organization with a

Traditional one

A few words about leadingA few words about leading

Each instantiation must be led Clear role of leader in context of VO and

not in context of institutional role (unless these coincide)

Some one must have the whole view and be able to convey that when required

Leaders must be able to communicate well and lead by example

Each instantiation must be led Clear role of leader in context of VO and

not in context of institutional role (unless these coincide)

Some one must have the whole view and be able to convey that when required

Leaders must be able to communicate well and lead by example

Networks versus ‘Webs’Networks versus ‘Webs’

This gets a little too semantic … Network tends to propagate communication

through it (the network), e.g. an email list, supports formal communication

Web tends to be ‘hyper’ (more like email) Web (and email) supports informal

communication Network models used extensively, especially

computing ‘complexity’ & Metcalfe’s law: utility of network ~ possible connections O(N2)

What is the law for the web model? Power law?

This gets a little too semantic … Network tends to propagate communication

through it (the network), e.g. an email list, supports formal communication

Web tends to be ‘hyper’ (more like email) Web (and email) supports informal

communication Network models used extensively, especially

computing ‘complexity’ & Metcalfe’s law: utility of network ~ possible connections O(N2)

What is the law for the web model? Power law?

Earth System Grid redux*Earth System Grid redux*

Successful but how efficient? Multiple leaders Communication: We had to “Post it to the

list” Teams too big, formed, re-formed No one with the encompassing view but

use cases may have saved the day The distillation to basic user needs meant

success; high internal to external complexity ratio

Oh yeah, did I mention the Nobel Prize?

Successful but how efficient? Multiple leaders Communication: We had to “Post it to the

list” Teams too big, formed, re-formed No one with the encompassing view but

use cases may have saved the day The distillation to basic user needs meant

success; high internal to external complexity ratio

Oh yeah, did I mention the Nobel Prize?

ExamplesExamples

Southern California Earthquake Center

Southern California Earthquake Center

The Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC; http:/www.scec.org/) was founded in 1991 to better forecast and analyze the consequences of earthquakes, particularly in Southern California.The collaboration involves more than 600 scientists from 16 core institutions and 46 participating institutions. Over the years, they have moved toward doing more of their analytical work through simulations. This work—assessing whether buildings will survive earthquakes—requires the integration of multiple disciplines and the creation of a community modeling environment.Because building failure is catastrophic, they need to trust the data they use in their simulations as well as engender trust in the professional engineers who rely on their analyses. Gathering the data that they use presents challenges for recording, archiving, and attaching metadata carefully and thoroughly. This process is even further complicated by the fact that the occasions to gather data are exactly the moments when their infrastructure is most likely to be compromised and when media and emergency response outlets are most likely to need their input. This presents unique challenges for balancing research desires and disaster responses.

The Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC; http:/www.scec.org/) was founded in 1991 to better forecast and analyze the consequences of earthquakes, particularly in Southern California.The collaboration involves more than 600 scientists from 16 core institutions and 46 participating institutions. Over the years, they have moved toward doing more of their analytical work through simulations. This work—assessing whether buildings will survive earthquakes—requires the integration of multiple disciplines and the creation of a community modeling environment.Because building failure is catastrophic, they need to trust the data they use in their simulations as well as engender trust in the professional engineers who rely on their analyses. Gathering the data that they use presents challenges for recording, archiving, and attaching metadata carefully and thoroughly. This process is even further complicated by the fact that the occasions to gather data are exactly the moments when their infrastructure is most likely to be compromised and when media and emergency response outlets are most likely to need their input. This presents unique challenges for balancing research desires and disaster responses.

NEES Resources

Field Equipment

Laboratory Equipment

Remote Users

Remote Users: (K-12 Faculty and Students)

Instrumented Structures and Sites

Leading Edge Computation

Curated Data Repository

Laboratory Equipment

Global Connections

(Faculty, Students, Practitioners) Simulation

Tools Repository

Lesions (um, I mean lessons) (l)earned1. Users and technologists need each other to succeed2. You must have a clear target and know how to reach it 3. Leadership should be a partnership between

technologists and domain specialists4. Effective project management is essential at all levels5. Clear communication is crucial 6. Good software development practices need to be

established7. Experiment-based software deployment is effective for

helping users to own the software8. Cyberinfrastructure is a living entity

Lesions (um, I mean lessons) (l)earned1. Users and technologists need each other to succeed2. You must have a clear target and know how to reach it 3. Leadership should be a partnership between

technologists and domain specialists4. Effective project management is essential at all levels5. Clear communication is crucial 6. Good software development practices need to be

established7. Experiment-based software deployment is effective for

helping users to own the software8. Cyberinfrastructure is a living entity

Electronic Geophysical Year

Electronic Geophysical Year

50th year recognition of IGY 2 years of planning for the ‘year’ (18mo) Several themes, 3 successful, 2 unexpected Executive played a key role to engender

loyalty and participation, leadership was key, time and effort

Very simple structure Not a funding program Has fringe benefits (like a real organization) Definitely a VO! And (in name) it has ended! www.egy.org

50th year recognition of IGY 2 years of planning for the ‘year’ (18mo) Several themes, 3 successful, 2 unexpected Executive played a key role to engender

loyalty and participation, leadership was key, time and effort

Very simple structure Not a funding program Has fringe benefits (like a real organization) Definitely a VO! And (in name) it has ended! www.egy.org

Climate and Weather of the Sun-Earth System

(CAWSES)

Climate and Weather of the Sun-Earth System

(CAWSES) 2004-2008 (I) and now 2009-2013(II) Builds on 3 previous programs – decades of

history but the foci changes Tasks (6) (one on eScience and Informatics!

And Virtual Institute) International community, regular meetings

and project office Has conducted several successful virtual

workshops People make it work!

2004-2008 (I) and now 2009-2013(II) Builds on 3 previous programs – decades of

history but the foci changes Tasks (6) (one on eScience and Informatics!

And Virtual Institute) International community, regular meetings

and project office Has conducted several successful virtual

workshops People make it work!

Successes focus on valueSuccesses focus on value

Use casesUse cases

IMHO: VOs succeed more often when they are formally use case driven

Can be used for big goals, small goals, science and technical (more sustained)

Are great for capturing state and value Have greater value when joined with

input and output metrics (i.e. is anything valuable being done?)

IMHO: VOs succeed more often when they are formally use case driven

Can be used for big goals, small goals, science and technical (more sustained)

Are great for capturing state and value Have greater value when joined with

input and output metrics (i.e. is anything valuable being done?)

Short story Short story

Looking back to look forward; treat VOs as semi-empirical constructs

Plenty of experience gained delayed value if we learn what

outcomes were valued and what were not and how the VO achieved that (or not)

Looking back to look forward; treat VOs as semi-empirical constructs

Plenty of experience gained delayed value if we learn what

outcomes were valued and what were not and how the VO achieved that (or not)

Stepping back a bitStepping back a bit

Virtual organization activities: leaders within a VO must know what most of them are, learn the new ones; adapt

It seems essential that a VO is organized so that it is agile when needed (numerous books on this for organizations) and sustainable and resilient to when people are in the VO and when they are not

Effective communication is built on content; manage it, deliver it

Use cases and baseline metrics – value of outcome -> benefit

Virtual organization activities: leaders within a VO must know what most of them are, learn the new ones; adapt

It seems essential that a VO is organized so that it is agile when needed (numerous books on this for organizations) and sustainable and resilient to when people are in the VO and when they are not

Effective communication is built on content; manage it, deliver it

Use cases and baseline metrics – value of outcome -> benefit

Suggest: VOs consider these

Suggest: VOs consider these

Organizational structure: Communication patterns: Technology: Goals/Metrics: Roles and Responsibilities: Dynamism: Record: Place: Time:

Organizational structure: Communication patterns: Technology: Goals/Metrics: Roles and Responsibilities: Dynamism: Record: Place: Time:

Inventory for your VO Inventory for your VO

Same Different

Same Organizational structure:Communication patterns:Technology:Goals/Metrics:Roles and Responsibilities:Dynamism:Record:

Organizational structure:Communication patterns:Technology:Goals/Metrics:Roles and Responsibilities:Dynamism:Record:

Different

Organizational structure:Communication patterns:Technology:Goals/Metrics:Roles and Responsibilities:Dynamism:Record:

Organizational structure:Communication patterns:Technology:Goals/Metrics:Roles and Responsibilities:Dynamism:Record:

Time

State of the VOState of the VO

The higher degree of casual exchange means that it is harder for most (inside and outside the VO) to know its state and direction

All the relevant information on the state exists but no coherent view of it may exist

What is the situation with WH?

The higher degree of casual exchange means that it is harder for most (inside and outside the VO) to know its state and direction

All the relevant information on the state exists but no coherent view of it may exist

What is the situation with WH?

A Woods Hole VO?A Woods Hole VO?

Marine Biology Laboratory National Academy of Sciences NOAA Fisheries SEA USGS Woods Hole Foundation Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole Research Center … others

Marine Biology Laboratory National Academy of Sciences NOAA Fisheries SEA USGS Woods Hole Foundation Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole Research Center … others

Mission clash?Mission clash?

Does funding help or hurt?Does funding help or hurt?

Goal, geography, gestalt?Goal, geography, gestalt?

What are the goals that bring WH together?

Ocean/marine data? Policy? Education? …? Name it, form it Give it a lifetime

What are the goals that bring WH together?

Ocean/marine data? Policy? Education? …? Name it, form it Give it a lifetime

Woods Hole <what>Woods Hole <what>

June 2009-2011 Consider an eGY/CAWSES

approach This is what we can discuss

afterwards (a few more slides)

June 2009-2011 Consider an eGY/CAWSES

approach This is what we can discuss

afterwards (a few more slides)

Concluding remarks (1)Concluding remarks (1) There as many articles on why VOs fail as there

are on recipes for success – likely that there is no one recipe -> semi-empirical approach

Effective, dynamic and agile communication patterns seem to underlie success

Size and working history are very important (7-9)

Complexity of internals versus externals: general rules may not apply when the line between internal and external is blurred

VOs seem to be deemed successful when: new, or limited competition exists

There as many articles on why VOs fail as there are on recipes for success – likely that there is no one recipe -> semi-empirical approach

Effective, dynamic and agile communication patterns seem to underlie success

Size and working history are very important (7-9)

Complexity of internals versus externals: general rules may not apply when the line between internal and external is blurred

VOs seem to be deemed successful when: new, or limited competition exists

Concluding remarks (2)Concluding remarks (2)

Are VOs organized or not? Well, yes. Emerging trend for large (real) organizations to be

part of VOs. What have we learned about the rules of engagement?

Persistent presence and record of activities and process – needed: state and metrics/ value

Facilitate sustained activities (getting on/ off),and support the notion of nested VOs

A VO must be prepared to change technology, often

Are VOs organized or not? Well, yes. Emerging trend for large (real) organizations to be

part of VOs. What have we learned about the rules of engagement?

Persistent presence and record of activities and process – needed: state and metrics/ value

Facilitate sustained activities (getting on/ off),and support the notion of nested VOs

A VO must be prepared to change technology, often

NotesNotes

Material from the NSF workshop BEVO and a report from an earlier workshop (Sept. 2007): Beyond Being There (2008)

Material from the NSF solicitation – VOSS, talks at ESIP, NSF, CAWSES.

Thanks to the Web! And > 8 VOs I work(ed) with

Material from the NSF workshop BEVO and a report from an earlier workshop (Sept. 2007): Beyond Being There (2008)

Material from the NSF solicitation – VOSS, talks at ESIP, NSF, CAWSES.

Thanks to the Web! And > 8 VOs I work(ed) with

Comment: Translucent VOs

Comment: Translucent VOs

Along the spectrum from opaque (bad) to transparent (unsustainable) is a balance

Applies to (at least) leadership, communication, feedback

Posit: balance arises out of flowing requirements consistently to the working level of the VO and percolating direct experience and outcomes up (see state and use cases)

Usually depends on the right person

Along the spectrum from opaque (bad) to transparent (unsustainable) is a balance

Applies to (at least) leadership, communication, feedback

Posit: balance arises out of flowing requirements consistently to the working level of the VO and percolating direct experience and outcomes up (see state and use cases)

Usually depends on the right person