Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2001 15:05:28 -0700 (PDT)
From: Eric Rignot <eric@pib.jpl.nasa.gov>
Subject: Re: ASF User Working Group meeting
To: harry@apl.washington.edu

Harry,

To summarize my comments/inputs:

* ASF needs to better publicize its services to the community. This 
could be done in a more comprehensive newsletter (i.e. more than downtime
notification). Perhaps present a regular update in NSIDC newsletter,
in ARCUS, etc.

* ASF should inform the ASFUWG of the number of listed PIs, number of 
active PIs (likely only a fraction), what data they request, volume per
year, and level of satisfaction (which should be measured by requests for
additional services, failed processing, etc. contact with customer 
services, time delay between order and receipt, etc.). This should be 
done independent of the large projects. This discussion should also 
clearly identify how much of the available resources are available for
large projects, versus small projects, and how things should evolve in the
future to accommodate a growing number of users (hopefully).

* ASF should be able to report on customer satisfaction from a series of 
test PIs who would be willing to come to the next meeting and share their
experience with our group. 

* ASF's Web page needs to be more up-to-date. Examples: Description of 
Level Zero format, Swath format only posted in July 2001, many 
months (years?) after the format was instaured. No software available
to transform L0 into CEOS. I do not need to go through this, but in almost
ALL the pages I checked I found that the information was out of date. 
One example is the list of products available at ASF which was last updated
in October 1998. Web page should be updated at least once a month for
things such as software, product description, etc., with most up-to-date 
information. 

* Some tools/things which would be nice to have:
- access to a listing of interferometric baselines for Radarsat. I believe
all the elements already exist at ASF to do so. 
- electronic request for scanning of old data which - for one reason or 
another - have not been entered into the catalog. 
- make data available on CDs rather than tapes. CD may not be adapted for
long orbits, but would be much better than 8/4mm/DLTs for small scenes.

* Positive notes:
- The ASF level zero web page for placing orders is perfect. Fantastic
job. Slick page, efficient ordering procedure. Kudos for this one.
- The Level zero distribution is working well right now. Data come in 
about 2 weeks, there is a listing indicating which data are sent, which
are coming. Yet, more information needs to be made available to the 
customer when the processing fails or is cancelled. It still happens quite
a bit.
- PIs who put DARs are regularly informed of new data.
- The Swath format is quite reliable and practical. 
- Customer services, DAR people, Science center are all very responsive
to requests, more than in the past. Kudos. 

That's all

Eric