To: n42-dt@MIT.EDU Cc: ilead@MIT.EDU Subject: n42 meeting notes Date: Thu, 07 Nov 1996 16:55:25 EST From: Mike Barker [I am circulating these to Ilead to make sure that you have information to share with your team about the project.] My Notes on N42 Project Meeting, 11/6 Attending: Architects: Steve Perry (scperryaia@aol.com), Oliver Radford (oradford@aol.com) MIT: Carla Fermann, Tom Coppeto, Rob Smyser, John Dunbar, Dave Myers, Bob Hawes, Erin Hoffer, Mike Barker, Bob Kaynor, Bill Fitzgerald, Jim Bruce There are three parts to these Notes. First is the schedule, then a summary of Jim Bruce's presentation on the moves involved in the project, and finally a short summary of the discussion. Future Schedule: Tuesday 11/12 1-3:30 Site Visits starting in E40, then moving to Building 11. We will probably look at other offices at MIT during this time also, looking for examples of good and bad IS work environments, and different kinds of open work environments. Tuesday 11/19 2-3:30 Review Generic Program Summary My note: What have the architects learned from us Tuesday 12/3 2-3:30 Schematic Design: Two Contrasting Alternatives My Note: These are expected to be extremes which are not necessarily acceptable. Part of the point is to learn exactly what we don't like about these plans. The IS members of the N42 project team will try to distribute this information as fast as possible, and collect your responses by Friday. Friday 12/6 2-3 Feedback re: 12/5 schemes Tuesday 12/17 2-3:30 Final Schematic Design Presentation The IS members of the N42 project team will try to distribute this information as fast as possible, and collect your responses by Friday. Friday 12/20 2-3 Feedback re 12/18 scheme We mentioned adding two items to this schedule, but I don't think we set dates. First is to look at examples of work environments outside MIT. Second was to look at N42. In looking at the Draft Project Schedule, there are also two more IS review points during the design development phase, one about January 16 and one about January 30. One point of discussion during the meeting was that there is a period from early August into mid-September which will NOT be used for moving. I.e., we move before August 1 or after Sept. 15, roughly. The Meeting: Jim Bruce talked first about some of the parameters surrounding what may be moving where. There are two main areas which must be cleared for other uses - Building 11 and E40. There are several areas involved in providing space for these moves, including the new building N42. Building 11 can be considered as five parts. 1. The ATIC lab will NOT be moving to N42. It will probably be expanded and located somewhere in the main campus, although Planning has not yet identified exactly where it will be. 2. The two "fishbowl" clusters. With over 1000 logins per day, these are understood to be extremely important. These also will NOT be moving to N42, and Planning must quickly identify what will be done to replace this facility. 3. The training lab (2nd floor). The functions represented by this space will probably be spread over more than one area. They may be partially moved to W89, although the "short course" presentations currently conducted here will require some thought as to centrally located facilities for meeting the needs. 4. The help functions (help desk, OLC, etc.) Most of this will probably NOT move to N42. Instead, thought is being given to providing space for this and other similar functions in a centrally located area. 5. Other pieces. Some of these will move to N42, while others may follow related functions. E40 has at least 4 parts. 1. The machine room. This may move to N42. It may also move to E19. Further weighing of requirements and designs will be needed to determine which location will be used. 2. The visitor's center. There will probably be some kind of electronic conference room in N42. It may be a further refinement of the "visitor's center" design, or there may be multiple areas providing parts of this function. 3. The Network Operations Center. This will probably follow the machine room. 4. Others - this part, representing most of the staff in E40, is the main group currently being considered to move to N42. There are at least two other areas which may be involved in moves related to this. First, there are some help functions in E19 which may be moved to a central location with similar functions from Building 11. There may also be some rearrangement to support moving the machine room and network operations into that building if that option is selected. Second, there is some computer room and office space available in W91 which may be used to locate some teams that can work effectively from that location. I think one way to summarize the expected moves is to recognize that we are "giving up" temporary space in E40 and building 11 to gain a building designed for IS occupancy (N42). It is also important to realize that the location of teams in various buildings and facilities may not be either full-time nor permanent, especially as we learn more about how to work with teams in the new processes. Discussion: We then spent more than an hour going over concerns, desires, and other points about the many different kinds of IS work that may need to be accommodated in the new facility. We agreed that this is a difficult time to be doing this project, but that it is also an exciting opportunity to develop working spaces tailored to various kinds of work that IS teams are involved in. We noted that the project should provide benefits for those who move and for those who don't move. Among other points, we noted that the new facility should provide respect for privacy (e.g., you shouldn't have to go somewhere else to call your doctor or talk to someone without whispering) and it should be esthetic. We also spent some time discussing the possibility for using the moves to foster relationships between groups, and to put teams where they can be most effective. Finally, we discussed the range and complexity of kinds of work that IS is involved in. We mentioned both the programmer who needs 30 minutes or more of uninterrupted "setup time" just to reach the point of psychological focus where they can begin work and the extremely reactive "on call" help desk "front line". We talked about faculty liaisons and others working closely with faculty, department heads, and others. We tried to indicate that there are many kinds of work going on, and that an individual may do many kinds of work. In summary, we spent considerable time providing the architects with information about the "cultures" of the IS groups involved. Next week, we'll show them the spaces that we currently are using and some of the people doing the work. Mike