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NOAA WebShop 2007

Announcements

 

October 9, 2007

MEMORANDUM FOR:	NOAA Employees, Contractors and Partners
FROM:	Joseph Klimavicz NOAA Chief Information Officer
	Anson Franklin Director, NOAA Communications
SUBJECT:	Rescheduling of the 2007 NOAA Virtual WebShop Conference

The 2007 NOAA Virtual WebShop Conference has been rescheduled to November 13, 14, and 15, 2007. The NOAA Web Committee, based on a recommendation of the WebShop planning group, determined that additional time is necessary to test and implement the national video teleconference (VTC) network and Webcast virtual communication mechanisms. While VTC has been used routinely, use on this scale for this number of sites is unprecedented in NOAA. The technical coordinators are also at this time -- literally this week -- doing initial testing of a new Webcast implementation that will enhance connectivity and quality of streaming video. For these reasons, we have decided to give the planners an additional four weeks to ensure the best user experience for all participants.

The conference is planned for VTC access at specific primary locations throughout the country. These core VTC locations will be available for local audience access:

• Juneau, Alaska
• Boulder, Colorado
• Miami, Florida
• Suitland, Maryland
• Ashville, North Carolina
• Norman, Oklahoma
• Seattle, Washington
• Silver Spring, Maryland (Conference Main Site)

Additional sites will be identified as testing progresses. The conference will also be Webcast for access at individual workstations and in small groups that do not have VTC connectivity. Once testing is complete, directions and access locations will be posted on the WebShop Web site http://webshop.noaa.gov.

The conference program is in its final stages. Your responses to the survey were the starting point for the topical areas that were chosen. Additionally, collaborative sessions will take place so that participants can have an active role in shaping the Webshop experience. We will have the opportunity for real-time Q&A following each presentation, and there will be collaborative sessions to allow groups from throughout the country to meet on-line or face to face at different sites to discuss NOAA’s Web presence and provide feedback and ideas for future implementation. Please take a moment to review the updated WebShop Web site http://webshop.noaa.gov for details. You will find a preview of the schedule there.

It is our hope that the success of this WebShop event will pave the way for future events that will further all of NOAA’s scientific work by fostering better communications and collaboration throughout the agency. We appreciate your patience with the delay; we ask your assistance in making this conference a success; and we look forward to your participation.