This document sets out the roles and their responsibilities for
implementing the video conference service.
Roles:
Site Billing Contact
The Billing Contact is provided by the organization that pays for the
site. Billing Contacts are expected to:
- handle all MN.IT billing-related issues,
- be available during normal business hours,
- be up-to-date on MN.IT policies and procedures, and
- ensure that MN.IT has current contact information (e.g.,
pager number).
A single Billing Contact may support multiple sites. There need be
only one Billing Contact for a site.
Site Room Contact
The Room Contact is provided by the organization that owns the
site. Room Contacts are expected to:
- be generally familiar with the site;
- handle any requests for special equipment or configurations;
- handle any site-related requests from participants, including:
- directions to the site
- parking or transporation
- building access (e.g., locked doors, sign-in procedures)
- directions to the room
- room access
- room setup
- pre-event setup and testing
- restrooms
- vending
- train participants as necessary in handling the video equipment
- train participants as necessary in operating other equipment
(e.g., VCRs, the local PC, and related)
- assist as needed to handle any issues that arise during the event
- post-event teardown
- be familiar enough with the specific systems used at the site to
assist in the pre-event setup and testing and the post-event teardown;
- notify MN.IT of any changes to the room's or equipment's
configuration;
- be available during normal business hours and whenever an
event is scheduled for that site;
- be up-to-date on MN.IT policies and procedures;
- ensure that MN.IT has current contact information (e.g.,
pager number); and
- be able to follow directions given over the telephone and to
knowledgably support MN.IT's problem diagnosis and correction efforts.
A single Room Contact may support multiple sites. They need not be
on site for every event, but if they aren't on site, they should have
a clearly designated person who is on hand cover the event.
Each site should have at least three Room Contacts. They can share
the role equally, be primary/secondary/tertiary, or any
combination.
Site Scheduling Contact
The Scheduling Contact is provided by the organization that owns
the site. Scheduling Contacts are expected to:
- be generally familiar with the site;
- handle all scheduling-related issues;
- work with the Room Contact to handle any requests for special
equipment or configurations;
A single Scheduling Contact may support multiple sites.
Each site should have at least three Scheduling Contacts. They can
share the role equally, be primary/secondary/tertiary, or any
combination.
Site Technical Contact
The Technical Contact is provided by the organization that owns the
site. Technical Contacts are expected to:
- be generally familiar with data networking and audio/visual equipment;
- be familiar with the specific network equipment used at the site
and the site's specific network configuration;
- be familiar with the specific systems used at the site;
- notify MN.IT of any changes to the room's or equipment's
configuration;
- be available during normal business hours and whenever an event is
scheduled for that site;
- be up-to-date on MN.IT policies and procedures;
- follow MN.IT's video best practices;
- follow MN.IT's standard install process for the site;
- adhere to MN.IT's room standards;
- test and maintain equipment in conjunction with MN.IT video staff
and troubleshoot problems;
- coordinate with suppliers the installation, repair, and
replacement of equipment;
- work with other Technical Coordinators on system and process
development;
- ensure that MN.IT has current contact information (e.g.,
pager number); and
- be able to follow directions given over the telephone and to
knowledgably support MN.IT's problem diagnosis and correction efforts.
A single Technical Contact may support multiple sites. They need
not be on site for every event, but they should be able to respond to
problems in a timely manner.
Each site should have at least three Technical Contacts. They can
share the role equally, be primary/secondary/tertiary, or any
combination.
Event Host Site Coordinator
The Host Site Coordinator is provided by the organization that
sponsors the event. Host Site Coordinators are expected to:
- notify MN.IT about the event and provide MN.IT with the Host Site
contact information;
- determine the event's schedule;
- determine which sites are involved in the event;
- coordinate with all involved sites' Application Contacts regarding
the schedule;
- determine any special needs and coordinate with all involved
sites' Application Contacts to meet those special needs;
- function as the point of contact for all problems that arise
during the event's lifetime;
- report problems, issues or questions to MN.IT;
- authorize any changes, including changes to the event schedule or
participant sites: any requests for such modifications received by
MN.IT from other parties will be referred to the Host Site
Coordinator;
- authorize MN.IT staff to enter the event while in session if
necessary: any requests for such joining received by MN.IT from other
parties will be referred to the Host Site Coordinator for approval
(see also the When MN.IT May Join a
Video Conference page);
- pay event-based fees as appropriate;
- be available during normal business hours and whenever an event is
scheduled for that site; and
- be up-to-date on MN.IT policies and procedures.
A single Host Site Coordinator may support multiple events. The
Host Site Coordinator normally participates in the event. Such
participation is not a requirement, but if they aren't participating,
it may take significantly longer to diagnose and correct any
event-related problems than if they are.
Event Participant Site Coordinator
A Participant Site is a site that is participating in an event.
Participant Site Coordinators represent those sites and are expected
to:
- work with the Host Site Coordinators and/or Application Contacts
as appropriate before the event;
- direct any requests for changes to the Host Site Coordinator;
- commit to the Host Site Coordinator's schedule;
- communicate any known issues or special requests to the Host Site
Coordinator in advance of the event, allowing enough time for the Host
Site Coordinator to address them;
- be at the event site and ready to start at the event start time;
- be up-to-date on MN.IT policies and procedures;
- follow any directions given by the Application Contact about the site;
- follow any directions given by the Host Site Coordinator about the
event; and
- if a problem arises during the event, notify the Host Site
Coordinator, Application Contact, or MN.IT.
MN.IT General
MN.IT's general responsibilities are to:
- create a user community of public and private organizations that
adheres to common practices and processes, thus enabling seamless
connectivity among all;
- determine and document the service and its best practices for
operating and supporting video conferencing services;
- offer training programs for all site and event roles;
- organize and offer user group activities; and
- provide documents and communications in support of operating
video conference services.
MN.IT Video Reservations Center
The MN.IT Video Reservations Center's responsibilities are to:
- provide general information on the video service;
- educate all users on the service;
- assist Host Site Coordinators with location rooms, scheduling,
policy issues, charges, and billing events;
- provide liaison services for events crossing organizational
boundaries;
- assist in finding rooms nationwide
- coordinate certification tests;
- perform billing;
- maintain the white page listings
- provide a common calendaring and notification system mechanism to
coordinate and communicate schedules;
- issue confirmations;
- issue event identification numbers; and
- send out notifications of changes to the event.
MN.IT Service Desk
The MN.IT Service Desk's responsibilities are to:
- accept calls from site or event contacts;
- create tickets for every call;
- notify the caller of the ticket number;
- determine the best group to handle the calls; and
- escalate the ticket to the correct group.
MN.IT Network Services
MN.IT's Network Services' responsibilities are to:
- maintain a white pages listing of available video sites;
- maintain the list of Technical, Application, and Billing Contact
information;
- provide the sites' E.164 numbers;
- provision and maintain the network resources required to meet the
purchased needs;
- provide Quality of Service to the best extent possible;
- provide monitoring and reporting on the service;
- perform inter-operability testing and certification of video
codecs, software, and configurations and to maintain a list of those
approved for use with this service;
- perform initial testing and acceptance of video site connections;
- maintain contracts and vendor relationships with video equipment
providers;
- maintain contracts, connections and vendor relationships with
video network and service providers to enable world-wide connectivity;
- manage process hand-offs to other video service providers;
- for some service levels, provide and/or manage bridge ports (MCU)
and gateway ports; and
- bill event-based fees as appropriate.
