Number of stocks in TAF dropping off between 2019 -> 2020

[neil-ices-dk]

Summary

While preparing status reporting for Bureau, I updated the metrics for TAF and noticed something rather worrying (see slide below), which I also reported to Bureau. I know Mark has already raised this after Bureau in the ACOM leadership meeting, and I’m now following up with suggesting we form a response based around WGTAFGOV to this challenge.

Colin and I have had a small brainstorm on this, and this could be input to a wider response that we can put together among the people on this email. I hope you can see the pressing issue, especially with the looming target of 200 stocks in TAF now looking in peril, and agree to be part of a response group to this. meeting set for 28th April, 10:00

agenda points to discuss

• [ ] Sense check the assumptions below about the drop-off
• [ ] Discuss the current prioritisation of tasks within TAF/TAFGOV
• [ ] Discuss adaptations or new tasks (within the resources we know of) to address this issue in the short/medium term

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[neil-ices-dk]

1) discussion on background cause online workshops - tend to be less well attended, the physical workshops are a better format for getting people comfortable with Git/R etc.

Is the system too complex to onboard experts?

• is the technical competence of experts sufficient for them to work within the system?
• the experts are not seeing this as part of their operational workflow, but as an addition to their 'real' work
• is the support (resource) sufficient to support a community of this size
• barriers in getting data/meta data in? there is a learning curve to this, and some guidance is needed on the first couple of iterations of this

Colm: One issue that has been raised with me is delays in setting up repos and permissions for shared repos. I know there are resource constraints and competing priorities but I would be useful to think about how we might improve processes. From my perspective TAF needs to be user friendly and user focused system to drive uptake. Colin response: There has certainly been a delay, and the reason was that some of the github webservices had changed, and my short term solution was to create these manually…. In the last weeks I have tried to get the workflow automated and linked to SID to identify the stock assessors. I can happily say that this is done now, and this morning I initiated the procedure to create repositories for all active stocks in 2021. This has resulted in the creation of 266 repositories with the correct read and write access (group and assessor) and 144 emails sent out the individual stock assessors on a stock by stock basis.

2. TAFGOV prioritisations Currently this is:

• Documentation (user guide, the cook book) for 👍 functions (inline in script)
• SAG

3. Potential Mitigating actions Training

• return to physical workshops
• training in advance of ADG's, a stick to ensure stock assessors get their stocks into TAF
• micro workshops in Secretariat to familiriase with Github?
• Deprioritise the big guidance manual and prioritise online guidance, micro-video snippets of 'how to...' preferably with 2nd tier adopters;
• produce an example video snippet as a 'template'

Resource

• note that we are not in normal mode, COVID 19 has had an effect
• more support resource; all professional officers should be able to run TAF and be more competent with code; for coding, support from Luca, Cecilia

Functionality

• auto creation of new Repo's and Permissions 🥇
• connection to SAG (sag.ices.dk) incentive; part of the ACOM-TAF ambassadors initiative to enhance auto-generated reporting and reduce workload. #41
• for 2nd tier users: more features and independence of WebAppGUI from the Git/Github underlying it;
• a) copy of year 1 to year 2

Process

• making TAF an accepted part of workflow i.e. seal of approval for using TAF as opposed to a non-TAF stock; ACOM top down (stick)

Feedback

• online user survey: to identify the top 3 hurdles i.e. habits, missing functions, skills, training etc. @colinpmillar and @neil-ices-dk to start this #43