Andy Lawrence
AstroGrid Project Leader
University of Edinburgh
E-mail: al@roe.ac.uk
Here is the schedule we set ourselves, and a summary of how we are progressing. This was roughly in place in Januray, but "Original date" means the formally agreed schedule at the April telecon, and "Revised Date" the schedule agreed at the last telecon (June 7th).
| Item | Orig.Date | Rev. Date | Completion Date | Status | Note |
| agree membership, initial approach | Jan 31 | ---- | Jan 31 | DONE | |
| agree doc plan and schedule | March 8 | ----- | March 8 | DONE | |
| discussion at NAM | April 1 | ---- | April 1 | DONE | |
| Telecon progress review | April 8 | ---- | April 8 | DONE | |
| Consortium meeting | April 8 | ---- | April 26 | AGLI meeting held | |
| draft design study | April 8 | ---- | June 7 | DONE | Note (i) |
| outline project plan | April 8 | ---- | June 7 | key principles laid out | Note (ii) |
| final design study | May 15 | July 7 | June 29 | essentially complete | Note (i) |
| draft Project Plan | May 15 | July 7 | June 29 | part complete | Note (ii) |
| review Project Plan | June 1 | ---- | June 7 | key principles agreed | |
| sign-off project plan
and milestones |
June 7 | TBD | ---- | Note (ii) | |
| send plan to PPARC | June 7 | TBD | ---- | Unknown delay | Note (iii) |
| receive GSC feedback | mid-June | TBD | ---- | Unknown delay | Note (iii) |
| revised Project Plan | July 1 | TBD | ---- | Unknown delay | Note (iii) |
| announce staffing plan to staff | July 1 | ---- | ---- | On schedule (just) | Note (iv) |
| Design Reference Architecture | Oct 1 | ---- | ---- | On schedule |
Note (i) : Design Study. The first cut at the design study (Technical Scope doc) was well ahead of schedule. The Science Scope doc appeared just before the last telecon. The Vision Doc is the opening part of the new Project Plan. Fairly detailed architecture notes from Guy have now also appeared. Detailed design will continue, but the study required to make a rational project plan is now essentialy complete.
Note (ii) : Project Plan. This is is some way behind where we wanted, but is at last coming into view. At the last telecon we agreed the key principles of the project plan and a revised dates for a "good draft". The key components are the work plan and staffing plan, which follow on from the results of the design study. These are drafted but require AGLI approval. Deliverables, milestones, and risk plan still need to be done. Given the uncertainty of the PPARC context (see below) the slipping of the overall Project Plan isn't too crucial, but we decided last time that we must keep the staffing plan on schedule, which requires an agreed work plan.
Note (iii) : PPARC context. As noted at the last telecon, we are still waiting to hear what hoops we have to jump through for which committee. (We will probably be reporting to a re-formed AstroGrid oversight committee and occasionally to an overall PPARC computing committee). Agreeing the staffing plan, and beginning to negotiate new grants, is probably more important just now for Swindon office, just as it is for us.
Note (iv) : Staffing Plan. Confidential rankings for existing staff are fairly well agreed. Proposals for new staff have been received and will be reviewed at this telecon. The main uncertainty remains the level of EC funding. A work plan is drafted which will help inform final decisions. The target for today should be a preliminary agreement on a complete staffing plan, and firm agreement on some immediate short term actions.