January 2018
André-Nicolas Chené
Gemini’s Users Provide Valuable
Feedback for the Future
Initial results from Gemini’s Short Surveys are helping staff
to address issues shared by our user community, especially
regarding the performance of Gemini’s software tools (PIT
and OT). Among other items, users provided staff with
valuable insight into the quality of data received by Principal
Investigators. Most respondents shared their appreciation for
the support they received from Gemini staff, and their current
efforts to improve actionable items.
The Gemini Science User Support Department 1 has begun direct dialog between the Ob-
servatory and its users by sending out routine Short Surveys (2–3 questions) at every critical
phase of Gemini’s user programs (Table 1). The effort has several key objectives: 1) monitor
the usefulness and usability of our software tools and documentation; 2) determine how
well the observations went; and 3) assess how satisfied the Principal Investigator (PI) is with
the data. Another objective is to identify actionable items that can improve the whole ob-
serving process at Gemini. In brief, the Short Surveys provide a direct way to listen to what
is most important to our user community.
As the name Short Surveys indicates, the surveys are designed to be short; they should take
only a few minutes to complete. Still, for users who want to have more lengthy communica-
tions with Gemini staff about the topics covered, the surveys always include one question
offering a text box that has no length limit. All of these comments are read by Gemini staff.
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1
The Gemini User Support Department was formed in 2015 to create a collaborative community of users and staff.
In addition to the Short Surveys, the department is working on a next generation helpdesk system, Gemini website,
and data reduction suite.
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GeminiFocus
January 2018 / 2017 Year in Review