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ephicks@fastmail.net
Epsilon Delta Labs
Timezone: Central U.S.

Campus Champion
Research Collaboration between Science + Art
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-hicks-b3038b32a/

Interview was conducted on Monday 2/3 2-4 pm

Interviewers:
Christine Golus, Rebecca Eveland

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What one thing would you change about the program?
It would always work on my iPad.

Link to interview: video and transcript

Interview guide:

60–90 minute interview. Each task will take approximately 5-10 minutes.

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We ask that you “talk aloud” as you are completing your task – telling us what you are thinking about and looking for as you complete your task. Begin here:

https://access-ci.org/
Note:
Eliza transferred from the xsede program so her entry point into ACCESS was relatively straightforward. She has used Stampede 2/3, Ranch, and Expanse (formerly Comet). She enjoys reading about supercomputing capabilities. She is a Redhat Linux and Firefox user. Had trouble with some features of ACCESS on her iPad. Will follow up in a separate email with information.

• Task 1: Where would you go to find out what type of research is being conducted using ACCESS? Is your institution’s area of research activity represented on the ACCESS website?
  Went to News to find research. Then went to Site map. Eliza noted that she navigates at the top of the page and then will scroll down to the very bottom to find what she needs. She scrolled through and found a News stories that seemed close to fluid dynamics (wind Wind and water). Water science story). Usually she gets her info about ACCESS from the newsletter or emails. She reads the newsletter.
  
  

• Task 2: Where can you find information specifically targeted for you?
  Went to home page, Get Started button and page, then For Researchers. Had no trouble finding this page.
  
  

• Task 3: Are you eligible to use ACCESS? Where can you find eligibility requirements?
  Skipped to Allocations and then found Eligibility since she has been to this section of the website before. Spends a lot of time with the policies. Does not understand how a Project Upgrade worksUnderstands she is not affiilated with a university so eligibility for “I’m a researcher who is currently unaffiliated with an institution (e.g., retired or self-employed)” was pertinent.
  

• Task 4: Find information about the cost to use ACCESS.
  Noted there is a no cost statement on the Allocations home page. She remembered “no cost” from her first here earliest encounters with ACCESS. Difficulty encounter on ACCESS maybe on home page. Then she has difficulty getting to the ACCESS home page. Clicking logo lands you on various home pages.
  
  NOTE: Home page icon is not very visible and can be easily missed.
  

• Task 5: What is an ACCESS resource? Where can you find the type of resources that are available through ACCESS? How would you select an ACCESS resource?
  She went to Expanse via the Resource page. This is the resource she uses. Then immediately went the user guide (which is located off the ACCESS page on the UC San Diego SDSC website). Looks for information that is important to her:

  • queues

  • maximum number of cores (what is the biggest and smallest jobs I can do)

  • technical info how much resource sharing.
    
    We ask as you scan the entry for Expanse within the Resource Catalog, what information is important to her:

  • summary is important (what is the resource and how is it used)

  • confusion with the phrase test-bed

  • CPU computer vs. GPU

  • What is the memory

  • Wall time

  • Petaflops sounds big, but uncertain what that is and how that affects her work.
    
    How to distinguish between
    
    Make an account too early.
    
    Results for Resource Advisor goes to operationsto operation

Even if she reads about computing capabilities she will still need to test the system for her project.

NOTE: No longer “start up” credits/allocation to test a system. Did not know what ACCESS OnDemand was within the resource catalog and could not click on it for information (just a tag).

• Task 6: What is an allocation? What types of allocation projects can you apply for? How do they differ from one another?
  The Allocation project table was very clear.
  
  How to upgrade between projects? Upgrading
  
  How to manage Project Upgrade? needs to be cleared up.
  

• Task 7: Where would you go to find the definition of an unfamiliar term or phrase used in ACCESS?
  Search the site.
  Glossary
  

• Task 8: Where can you go for help to use the ACCESS system? Where can you go to open a help ticket?
  
  Starts to go to resource to find user guide, then goes to
  

• Task 9: If you want to get involved and volunteer with the ACCESS community where would you go?
  Signed up for an Affinity Group, volunteer…
  
  Found Community section.
  

• Task 10: What’s the first step to get started using ACCESS?
  

• Task 11: Where can you find information about citing ACCESS in your publications?
  

• Task 12: Where do you go to find Systems Status?
  
  Really reliable.
  

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