Annual or Exit Survey
An Annual or Exit Survey is designed to be given 1) once a year, either to all or selected resource users, or 2) to users who are closing their accounts. This survey has the following purposes:
- Measure impact of ACI-REF assistance using metrics of experience, time saved, publications and other research outcomes
- Gather feedback from users on how to improve
This document contains a suggested introduction and a variety of possible questions. Not all questions included here would be necessary; facilitators should choose questions that are relevant to the information they want to gather.
Suggested Introduction
Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. Your responses here on the use of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (ACI) resources (e.g. cluster or cloud computing, high speed/software-defined networks, large storage arrays) will be used to gauge the impact of the ACI-REF program, both locally and nationally. We appreciate your honesty and answering to the best of your ability. Again, we appreciate your time and thank you for your cooperation.
Suggested Questions
Name or LoginID
Demographic info (Skip these questions if this data already on file or collected in a previous survey):
- Campus ID/username
- Email address
- Lab/PI
- Department
First consultation date
Please indicate your current familiarity with the following computing concepts or methodologies:
| Never heard of it | Heard of it but never tried it | Novice | Use regularly | Fluent and experienced | |
| Unix command line | |||||
| Installing/compiling software in unix | |||||
| Writing scripts | |||||
| HPC/HTC/Cluster systems | |||||
| Use of a batch/scheduling system | |||||
| Cloud computing | |||||
| Large disk arrays | |||||
| Software defined (on-demand) networks |
For which aspects of your work did you consult an ACI-REF (select all that apply):
| _____ Help with grant proposal |
| _____ Help via ticketing system (for items not listed here) |
| _____ Have ACI-REF speak at lab/group meeting (or research gathering) |
| _____ Discuss storage options |
| _____ Discuss compute options |
| _____ Use an high-performance or high-throughput system (cluster) |
| _____ Use one or more software packages |
| _____ Install software |
| _____ Scale a functioning program to HPC/HTC |
| _____ Optimize/troubleshoot a workflow |
| _____ Develop or adopt a workflow |
| _____ Other ______________________________________________________________ |
Describe how ACI resources are a critical component of your research
Please tell us about your research outcomes that were made possible by your ACI-REF interactions. Or, if more appropriate, what may not have been possible.
Please tell us about additional outcomes made possible from ACI-REF assistance (sucn as papers, posters, dissertaions, funding, awards, distinctions, postions, collaborations) </li>
As best to your ability, please estimate the approximate time that you saved by working with an ACI-REF, if applicable (please check one): __ Hours __ Days __ Weeks __ Months __ N/A
Did you use the skills & expertise you gained from the ACI-REF to assist others:
- Other grad students? _____ Yes _____ No
- Other post-docs? _____ Yes _____ No
- Other faculty? _____ Yes _____ No
Have you used these skills in other communication methods not related to scholarly articles? (e.g. blog posts, tweets?) __ Yes __ No
Did you use any other alternatives to accomplish your goals?
- ACI-REF documentation _____ Yes _____ No
- Other documentation _____ Yes _____ No
- ACI_REF training _____ Yes _____ No
- Other training _____ Yes _____ No
- On-Camput persons _____ Yes _____ No
- Off-campus persons _____ Yes _____ No
Are there any other persons that we should contact who could use our assistance?
Do you have any suggestion/comments for improvements?
Might we use some of this information for our web site? __ Yes __ No
If so, do you wish to be anonymized? __ Yes __ No