Project Modus Operandi
The QESTRAL project is run by a co-ordination team comprising the project members in the University of Surrey and the representatives of the Sponsoring Organisations, namely Bang & Olufsen and the BBC. Once per quarter, this group meets at the premises of the University of Surrey. There the University members make detailed presentations of their studies to the Sponsoring members in a form of interactive seminars. The approach to each investigation, its methodology and its findings are subjected to rigorous, but constructive, appraisal. Detailed discussions are the norm and from such debates come the ideas and proposals for the next stages of investigation. All the while, the long-term aims of the project are kept clearly in focus, as are opportunities to spin off further related studies in subsequent or parallel projects.
One of the seminars in full flight, examining the details of Martin Dewhirst's analysis of the Supper model, one of the key components of the project's overall model on envelopment.
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In addition to the seminar debates, the group always take the opportunity to carry out their own aural assessments on the tests that are being conducted within the project. Here you see Soren Bech undergoing instruction on how the interface for the indirect envelopment tests should be operated. |
And all good groups require the services of a dedicated secretary.
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The other way in which cohesion between partners of a collaborative project
is enhanced is to ensure that the project activities specifically include a social
element. The existing project partners have worked together successfully in this way on
other, previous, projects and the social element has always been found to be
beneficial in easing tensions and in allowing each member to develop a better
understanding of the needs of the other members and their organisations.
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QESTRAL is no exception to this principle, and during the meetings there is always an opportunity to relax over a beer and a pleasant meal.