Transcript How to talk to scientists? Gareth Smith Steve Wilson Steven McGough

How to talk to scientists?
Gareth Smith
Steve Wilson
Steven McGough
web: www.omii.ac.uk
email: [email protected]
Overview
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How to talk to scientists
Facilitator – Steven McGough
Scribe – Steve Wilson
Methods for communication between scientists and
computer scientist
• Extension of problems in communication between
scientists and computer scientists
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web: www.omii.ac.uk
email: [email protected]
Problems
• Communication barrier between computer scientists
and scientists
• How to achieve the end goal isn’t obvious
o
Standard software engineering brings in further problems in
another field
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web: www.omii.ac.uk
email: [email protected]
Project management
• Shouldn’t use project management terms to the
scientist
o
Can ‘scare’ the scientist away
• Early adoption will result in better solution
• Informal 1on 1 meetings with fast review can
help identify goals
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Discussion with more member of the group and find
gaps in knowledge space
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web: www.omii.ac.uk
email: [email protected]
Finding the right person
• Requires a particular type of personality
• Requires knowledge in both fields
• Are they based in the science or development
group
• Knowledge in area can allow identification of
potential bottlenecks early in development
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web: www.omii.ac.uk
email: [email protected]
Building an understanding
• Developer placed in research group for a short
period
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Gains a layman’s understanding of the problem
Enough to allow computer scientist to actively work
within the research group
• Start with a basic solution and build up to a
more complex system
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Allows for checking of understanding for both sides
This can be seen as ‘test cases’
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web: www.omii.ac.uk
email: [email protected]
Conclusions
• Use proper software development
methodologies
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Often best to be hidden from the scientist
• Particular methodology determined by the
project goal
• Need a ‘code of best practise’ for more than
just development
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Communication between groups
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web: www.omii.ac.uk
email: [email protected]
Future work
• Software sustainability
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Not taught well at Universities
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web: www.omii.ac.uk
email: [email protected]