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To determine what time is available for the new proposals, I first have to build an Available Time Model (ATM) for my facility. The ATM needs to know about pre-committed time from previous approved proposals (e.g., multi-semester, monitoring), sponsored time, maintenance periods, tests, and then also carry-over from the previous semester. I want to be able to import files to specify this information, inspect the imported information, and modify it on the fly as I need. The ATM also depends on the weather and the hardware sometimes (e.g., VLA configuration).
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| title | A1 |
|---|
| A1 | Define ATM | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| A1.1 | When the ATM is first defined for my facility I want it to use the execution period set in the Solicitation. | 1 |
| A1.2 | As a scheduler I want to be able to modify the execution period the ATM uses for my facility so I can support my facility specific scheduling requirements. | 4 |
| A1.3 | As a scheduler I want to be able to make late modifications to the execution period my facility references so I do not have to delete all of my work. | 4 |
| A1.4 | As a VLA scheduler I want the configuration defined in the Solicitation to each have an execution period in the VLA ATM. | 4 |
| A1.5 | As a VLA scheduler I want to modify the execution periods per configuration so the available time per configuration is accounted for correctly in the VLA ATM. | 3 |
| A1.6 | As a scheduler I want algorithms to build the ATM for my facility using facility specific constraints so I can add projects and precommitted time to it. | 2 |
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| A2 |
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| Update ATM with Pre-committed Time | Priority | |
|---|---|---|
| A2.1 | As a scheduler I want to import projects that constitute pre-committed time so the time is correctly reserved for these projects. | 1 |
| A2.2 | As a scheduler I want to manually add pre-committed time to the ATM so it is accounted for. | 2 |
| A2.3 | As a s scheduler I want to easily discern the different types of blocked off time in the ATM so I know how the time is being accounted for. | 2 |
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| title | A3 |
|---|
| A3 | Update ATM with Maintenance Time | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| A3.1 | As a scheduler I want to define maintenance periods for the facility so ADs will not be scheduled in those blocks of time. | 1 |
| A3.2 | As a scheduler I want to be able to upload a file with LST/GST, duration, date, and name/description that defines the maintenance periods. | 3 |
| A3.3 | As a scheduler I want to be able to manually add maintenance periods. | 2 |
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| A4 |
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| Update ATM for carryover | Priority | |
|---|---|---|
| A4.1 | As a scheduler I want to define time in the ATM for carry-over projects so ADs will not be scheduled in those blocks of time. | 1 |
| A4.2 | As a scheduler I want to import the details of carry-over projects so the time is accurately accounted for in the ATM. | 3 |
| A4.3 | As a scheduler I want to manually add the details of a carry-over time. | 2 |
To inspect the ATM, it is most useful to use a pressure plot, which is essentially a histogram of number of the hours requested by the OSDs per time. This tells me how many hours in a certain time bin is being requested or is available. The amount available is many inputs, including weather, frequency, and pre-committed time. The amount requested depends on the OSDs of the new proposals. I need to balance the new request against what is available. To do so, I need to really understand the details of both the available time and the requested time. It would also be nice to have a calendar-like view of the ATM, as some of the pre committed time is fixed date.
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Small adjustments in the ATM or and OSD can have big consequences for the available time. As a scheduler, I explore how these changes can make an efficient schedule. As there are a lot of working parts though (many proposals, many inputs to the ATM), I like to return to previous states to assess the impact of a small adjustment. I would like to be able to save a version the schedule so I can return to it later if needed. I would like a detailed version history so I can inspect many different versions if I need to.
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| A5 | Inspect ATM | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| A5.1 | As a scheduler I want to inspect the ATM so I can check it is correct. | 1 |
| A5.2 | As a scheduler I would like to generate a Pressure Plot to represent the ATM so I have a holistic view of the available Time. | 1 |
| A5.3 | As a scheduler I want to inspect the ATM in detail so I understand where it may be under or over subscribed. | 2 |
| A5.4 | As a scheduler I want a view that is like a calendar so I can review specific days for fixed date observations of pre-committed time. | 3 |
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| title | A6 |
|---|
| A6 | Modify ATM | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| A6.1 | As a scheduler I want to modify the ATM manually at any point so it can be accurate. | 2 |
| A6.2 | As a scheduler I want to be able to edit or delete existing pre-committed time periods. | 4 |
| A6.3 | As a scheduler I want to be able to edit or delete existing carry-over time. | 4 |
| A6.4 | As a scheduler I want to be able to edit or delete existing maintenance periods. | 4 |
| A6.5 | As a scheduler I want the visual tools I use to inspect the ATM to update when I change the ATM so they will be correct. | 3 |
| A6.6 | As a scheduler I want version control on my ATM so I can easily access different versions of the ATM that I am building. | 1 |
Now that I have the ATM, I can start to assess how the new requests will fit into it. I will need to modify the requests but I want to preserve the original request too. I likely will need to do detailed modifications, like to the sources, resources, or requested time, but sometimes I only want to do broad changes, such as total time. Sometimes these changes will have profound impacts on the intent of the request so I want to make sure I can let the PI and the TAC know about these proposed changes. My main intent is to determine preliminary scheduling priorities and to make sure the information needed for the TAC is accurate.
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| A7 | Modify OSDs | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| A7.1 | As a scheduler I want modifications to OSDs to not affect OSs so I do not modify what the user requested at submission. | 1 |
| A7.2 | As a scheduler I want a way to restore one or more ODs to what the user requested in their OSs. | 2 |
| A7.3 | As a scheduler I want to inspect the contents of ADs:OSDs so I can ensure they are accurate for the request. | 1 |
| A7.4 | As a scheduler I want to modify the contents of ADs:OSDs as needed so they can be efficiently added to the ATM. | 2 |
| A7.5 | As a scheduler I want to see the results of the Review Process phase so I know how to schedule the proposals. | 1 |
| A7.6 | As a scheduler I want to be able to set a flag per ODS that indicates to the system and the PI that the ODS cannot be processed through the usual proposal creation algorithms. | 2 |
| A7.7 | As a scheduler I want access to algorithms that will optimize a modified OSD so it is faster to efficiently fill the ATM (e.g., re run Observing strategy) | 3 |
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| A8 |
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| Assign Scheduling Priorities | Priority | |
|---|---|---|
| A8.1 | As a scheduler I want each Observation Specification Disposition to have a Scheduling Priority. | 1 |
| A8.2 | As a scheduler I want the OSDs to have only one of the Scheduling Priorities defined in the system so the algorithms know how to process the OSD. | 2 |
| A8.3 | As a scheduler I want OSDs associated with external facilities to be processed differently than internal joint proposals. | 4 |
| A8.4 | As a scheduler I want an algorithm to apply a preliminary Scheduling Priority. | 3 |
| A8.5 | As a scheduler I want to manually apply a preliminary Scheduling Priority. | 2 |
Once I am satisfied assigning scheduling priorities and providing comments for the TAC, I want to export a Preliminary Facility Report based on a specified version of the ATM+OSDs. A Preliminary Facility Report includes the pressure plots for my facility and a csv with the data (TBD). I will take this data and the pressure plots and externally generate a pdf that is the Facility Report. Eventually, I will want to upload materials for the TAC to use during their discussions. For my facility, I want to upload the Facility Report (pdf) and a presentation (pdf). These documents should accessible through the TAC interface and their access is restricted to the TAC and TTA members. I may need to upload a different copy later, so I will want to replace (without versioning) the uploaded files.
For my proposals requesting my facility, I want to generate a Facility Proposal Summary, where the facility is VLA, VLBA, and GBT. This information should be generated into the TAC page so the TAC members can view it for their meeting. I may want to update the data in the Proposal Summary later for example, after the Large Proposal Meeting is finished.
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| A9 |
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| Generate Reports for TAC | ||
|---|---|---|
| A9.1 | As a scheduler I want to provide a narrative about the ATM for my facility so the TAC understands the available time. | 1 |
| A9.2 | As a Scheduler I want to create a Proposal Summary so there is concise summary of the scheduling priorities for the TAC. | 1 |
As a TAC member, I am representing my panel while the TAC comes to consensus about scheduling priorities, proprietary periods, scheduling constraints, recommended times, and TAC Comments to the PI. The goal as a TAC member is to make recommendations for the Director's Review, not approve the requests; the Director's Review relies heavily on our recommendations. To do this, I need visibility to the entirety of a proposal, even the author list (as long as the Dual Anonymous Review Policies allows it). I also need visibility to all of the SRP Comments, Feasibility Comments, and the TTA member's Comments to the TAC. I need to know what the TTA member (scheduler) recommends (e.g., facility reports, proposal summaries) and how it compares to what the PI requested. There is a lot of information to keep track of here so I need slim, efficient views as well as detailed view. Usually in the TAC meeting, we talk through proposals first by the Large Proposal type, then Regular Proposals. We then order by Facility - Triggered - Score, so it would be nice if these were easy "preset" filters (or tabs) for me to jump between. Oh, and I'd like to print out the proposals and the reports in case I won't have access to my computer during the meeting. Finally, I really do need full visibility into the proposals. Even if I was marked as conflicted on a proposal in my panel, that shouldn't mean anything now.
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| A10 |
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| TAC Meeting | Priority | |
|---|---|---|
| A10.1 | As a TAC member I want to review ADs to make scheduling priority recommendations for the Directors' Review. | 1 |
| A10.2 | As a TAC Chair I need to coordinate the discussion and sign off on the recommendations for the directors' review. | |
| A10.3 | As a TTA member I need all of the powers of the TAC Chair so I can facilitate the meeting. | |
| A10.4 | As a TTA member I need to be able to modify the OSDs and ADs so I can record the recommendations by the TAC. |
At the Directors' Review, the directors need to see the Proposals/ADs/ODS information but I as the TTA member will be making the final edits to the information and then generating the reports after the review is over.
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| A11 | Directors' Review | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| A11.1 | As a participant in the Directors' Review I want to be able to see the recommendations made by the TAC. | |
| A11.2 | As a TTA member I need to update the ADS/OSDs to reflect the result of the Directors' Review so we can communicate the results to PIs. | |
| A11.3 | As a TTA member I need to generate Directors' Reports so we can communicate the results of the review. | |
| A11.4 | As a TTA member I want to change the Allocation Disposition State of ADs so I can record the results of the Director's Review. | 1 |
Story board for OSR
| B1 | Recommend Scheduling Priorities | B2 | Approve Scheduling Priorities |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 | B2 | ||
| TTA-L1-99 Observatory Site Allocate Process |
As a TTA member for the OSR process, one or more of us will collaborate on reviewing a proposal. Typically for proposals in the OSR process, we don't modify the requests to the extent as in the PPR process: we either accept what they have proposed or decline it. It would be good to have the same tools to edit OSDs as the PPR process, but I won't define ATMs and build reports because this is just one proposal. I will have external information to understand the available time and if this proposal can be accommodated. After modifying OSDs, as a TTA member I perform the Science and Feasibility reviews as well as form the recommendations for Proprietary Time, Approved Time, Scheduling Constraints, and Scheduling Priorities. I need to modify these attributes and provide OSC Comments to the PI and Internal Comments for the OSC in case I want to capture any specific comments for the PI. Once I have made my recommendations, I want to finalize the review.
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