ACCESS Support
Do you have a question about the ACCESS models, data and tools? Don’t despair, the ACCESS Support team is here to help!
The ACCESS User Support is a way to get help for the software infrastructure (models, configurations and tools) that is supported by ACCESS-NRI.
In order to get help follow just 3 simple steps (see figure below for more details):
1. Register to the ACCESS-Hive Forum
2. Create a new topic for your request (How to write a good help request? )
3. Tag the request with the label help
Next steps…
After a discussion topic is posted, the ACCESS-NRI and community experts will respond with the relevant information by following a 5-step process, as below:
1. ACCESS-NRI monitors the topics tagged with help keyword on a regular basis.
2. After a request is received, we will let you know within 1 working day if the request is in scope.
3. A helper will then follow the in scope, help request through to a resolution.
4. You will receive a progress update at least once a week.
5. Request is solved.
Why we have created the ACCESS Support Scheme
As a National Research Infrastructure, ACCESS-NRI’s mission is to support the ACCESS software framework and the users and developers who form the ACCESS Community. While we don’t have the resources or expertise to answer every question, our goal is to enable a framework that allows this to happen by connecting users with the experts that have the answers.
“For supported software products, we want our users to either receive dedicated help all the way through resolution or get redirected to places where they can get a solution to their problem. We are determined to support people by matching their query with the person that is best equipped to help”, says Dr Claire Carouge, team leader of the Land Surface Modelling team.
Inspired by the “Stack overflow model”, the User Support scheme will curate questions and their answers to build a knowledge base of climate and weather modelling science in Australia. This scheme will be built on the existing ACCESS-Hive Forum, which is the place for the community to assist one another.
“The support team includes ACCESS-NRI staff as well as technical specialists from partner organisations CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology. We have also approached community members to provide expert assistance to helpers when the issue requires specific domain knowledge. All members of the ACCESS-Hive Forum are also encouraged to pitch in and help according to their abilities” adds Dr Roger Edberg, Team leader of the User Training team.
Dr Aidan Heerdegen, team leader of the ACCESS Model Release team, is encouraging people to ask all sorts of questions, “Every question asked becomes part of a community knowledge base that everyone will benefit from. There is no point struggling with a problem in isolation when issues can be easily solved using this resource and at the same time increase the sum of knowledge and help the community to grow and become more vibrant,” he says.
“We are also welcoming other groups working with the ACCESS models to join us as expert helpers on this endeavour of building a community-curated knowledge base for climate and weather modelling in Australia, so if you are interested to be part of it, contact us” he adds.
Useful links:
Register to the ACCESS Hive Forum
What happens after I submit a help request?
How to write a question topic in the Hive-Forum to get prompt and effective help
Interested on becoming an expert helper? We love to have a chat! Contact us at access.nri@anu.edu.au