Sep
28
Dante Pan-European Segmentation
September 28, 2007 |
Session 1, Day 1 of the TF-PR (Communications) meeting in Lisbon, September 2007
Normally two half day sessions run by Dante prior the Terena PR meetings, on this occasion reduced to one half day session focussing on the creation of the Dante segmentation project run jointly with Prodata
The objectives of the project cover:
- understanding of pan-Euro users
- build more formal communications with these users
- identify those users who might benefit from support to use the network more effectively
Early work is about trying to size the ‘universe’ of Geant 2 users and Dante along with Prodata have been working with a few NREN and are keen to build working relation ships with more NREN’s - perhaps 10 – and create a steering group . Time to complete the project thought to be around 8/10 months
The Prodata project will create a searchable database to assist in informing operational/communications targeting as well as directing strategic priorities. Database report outputs to cover segment universe size and add a new step to the work via EARNEST/SERENATE ) to give details such as how often do people need video conferencing, how many people, any need for parallel applications, what hardware needs etc – so greater details of user needs. Initial work will be centred on ‘how many users’ but will progress into areas such as capacity requirements and also any develop a series of user profiles e.g large number so f low capacity users, small groups of high capacity user etc.
Database will be about establishing common/mutual interests of NREN; operational objectives (communications opportunities), strategic objectives (comparing market sizes and positioning of various products), a tool that everyone can use and help forma a pan-European perspective of future usage.
Questions
Some fundamental issues were raised about why the project is needed. One key driver is that it is required under the EU governance and its delivery to the EU. The Commission is asking for segmentation because:
- the EU needs to evaluate value for money and it wants segmentation because it wants evidence that the network benefits the end users. The project needs to show evidence that the user needs were understood and that the network does deliver against these
- also the EU needs evidence of gaps in provision that need to be pursued in other development projects
There were a range of comments around the issue of whether the project should be primarily pan-European or whether it should respond to national issues? Probably it should be the former or else the aims of the project will be so blurred that it will not answer any needs adequately. The benefits of the project are firstly for Dante and secondly of possible use by national organisations
There is also concern about the move from stage one (the understanding of pan-European users) to the levels of promotion and communication. This is a fraught area that impacts on national level resource, expectations and objectives and whether promotion at this level is feasible
Equally a number of questions around data protection, management of the database, its accuracy and updating and whether the database is to be illustrative (ie examples of user profiles) or comprehensive (ie listings of all users). All these and further questions need to be addressed via the planned steering group inits work to help define the project parameters
