"A centre of excellence in digital information management, providing advice and services to the library, information and cultural heritage communities."

UKOLN is based at the University of Bath.

City of Manchester Stadium Conference Centre

Thursday 3 - Friday 4 September 2009 (last date for booking 27/08/09)

The Rapid Innovation in Development event is being organised by UKOLN and will be held over 2 days, from Thursday 3rd to Friday 4th September 2009, in Manchester. This event is invitation only, and there is NO registration fee and one night's accomodation will be provided free of charge for eligible guests. The last date for booking is midday Thursday 27 August 2009.

The main audiences for this event are:

• Software developers from the recently funded JISC Rapid Innovation Projects in the Information Environment Programme
  http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/inf11.aspx and http://www.netvibes.com/amcgregor/tab/inf11#inf11
• Invited guests who are developers or innovators either working on (or were/are hoping to work on) other rapid innovation projects in education, industry or elsewhere

We hope the event will follow an exciting, fun and intense format, very much in the spirit of recent Dev8D gatherings which promoted collaboration and creativity across different areas of research. Indeed, we are working very closely with the organisers of Dev8D in the planning for this event.

What will happen at the event?

The main objective of the event is that you will be given the opportunity to explore ways in which you can sell and market your projects/ideas more effectively to wider audiences in order to get more people interested in using your software / or listening and understanding your ideas better. The format for the event is very interactive. For example, during the first day, you will be expected to give a 45 second verbal summary either of your project, an idea or what you are currently working on and no powerpoints allowed!

There will be ‘lightning talks’ and ‘show and tell sessions’ delivered by renowned experts and guru developers in the area of rapid software application development. These sessions will cover ideas in the ‘now’, will be very focused and to the point with an opportunity for questions and discussion.

There will also be plenty of opportunities to:

• Network with familiar and new colleagues
• Explore avenues for co-operation
• Share and brainstorm new ideas
• Showcase some of the work you are doing (e.g. examine each other’s code and brainstorm)
• Most importantly have a bit of fun!

There will be bloggers and media experts who are there to help you in communicating more effectively to a wide audience and who will also be recording the outputs of the event e.g. interviews, live blogging, and creating pod/vod casts throughout the two days.

Please note, the tag for this event is:

#jiscri

You will be able to follow announcements about the event via twitter (as well as feeds from blogs and websites etc) by searching for the above tag. If you are new to twitter, please visit, http://www.twitter.com and create an account for yourself, we will be using technologies like this frequently, before, during and after the event.

If you require a twitter client (software to keep up to date with the latest twitters), several can be found at http://www.twitstat.com/twitterclientusers.html.

Booking for the event

It is important to note that this event is invitation only *.

The booking sysetm is now closed for new bookings, but you are still able to modify existing bookings at:

http://asp.artegis.com/jiscri-2009

** If you are representing a JISC-funded Rapid Innovation Projects and have not yet registered, please email events@ukoln.ac.uk **

Please note that once you have filled in your booking form you will be able to get login details to allow you to return to the form if you want to amend any of the information you have previously input. If you are unable to attend the meeting (once you have booked) please try and get a replacement, otherwise you may be liable to a late cancellation fee.

If you have a picture or icon you use of yourself, please e-mail it to events@ukoln.ac.uk. It will be used for badges and networking throughout the event. Remember to include your name in the e-mail!

Payment

The event is free to all invited guests, there is no registration fee. There is a no show fee, if you are unable to attend (once booked) and unable to find a replacement without good reason.

Hotel accommodation is free for one night only which includes breakfast (night of 3rd September, 2009) and paid for by the event organisers.

If you need an additional night’s accommodation as an event facilitator, either contact the event organisers, events@ukoln.ac.uk or provide further details on the booking form.

JISC Funded Rapid Innovation Projects

Delegates representing JISC-funded Rapid Innovation Projects will be expected to pay for their own travel and subsistence through their project budget.

Invited Guests

Invited guests and facilitators will be able to claim their travel (Standard Class travel only) and reasonable subsistence expenses through the event organisers. Claim forms will be provided for the relevant delegates when they register for the event on the day of arrival, together with instructions on how to make a claim.

*How to get an invite

If know someone who might be interested in attending this event that *has not been invited*, please contact Mahendra Mahey, at m.mahey@ukoln.ac.uk.
They should tell me about the work they are doing in Rapid Development and how they may be able to contribute to the day, e.g. with work they are currently doing, work they were thinking of doing or an idea they are working on. I can then discuss this with colleagues and we can get back to them as soon as possible whether we will be able to accommodate them.

Programme

Please note that this programme may change closer to the event date.

Day One

Delegates may wish to drop their bags earlier at the Hotel (see Accommodation) before the conference begins at the City of Manchester Stadium Conference Centre. Remember that the main venue for the event is the City of Manchester Stadium Conference Centre *not* the Hotel.

12.00	Registration and Lunch
13.00	Introduction
13.30	45 second verbal introduction from each project and invited guests
14.45	Session 1
18.30-23.00 approx	Drinks, meal, networking and bus back to hotel

Day Two

09.30 (sharp) - Bus to take delegates from the Hotel to the Conference Centre.

09.50	Introduction to day 2
10.00	Session 2
12.30	Lunch
13.30	Session 3
15.30	Close
15.40	Bus to take delegates from Conference Centre to Hotel to collect bags (2 minutes' walk from Manchester Piccadilly Train Station)

 

The venue

The venue where the event is taking place is the City of Manchester Stadium Conference Centre (East Stand Entrance F). The accommodation (where you are sleeping) is a different place, for more information see Accommodation.

Pictures of the rooms at the venue

Getting to the venue

Train

The nearest main line train station to the venue is Manchester Picadilly Train Station.

Bus

There are many bus routes from the city centre and from all directions north, west, east and south that stop at or close to Sportcity. The various bus operators offer good fare rates and the frequency to the site, particularly from the city centre and Ashton-under-Lyne is exceptional.

Services direct to Sportcity (the Stadium): 53, 54, 185, 186, 216, 217, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236,237, X36, X37.

Visit http://www.gmpte.com for latest information and an online journey planner or call +441612287811 or +448706082608

Car

If you are travelling specifically by car, then you may find this map useful:
http://www.cityofmanchesterstadium.co.uk/assets/files/Directions%2009.pdf

More details of how to get the stadium, by car, train and bus can be found here:
http://www.mcfc.co.uk/The-Club/Visiting-the-stadium

There is complimentary parking at the venue at Car Park 7- see directions in the 'When at Venue' section.

Taxi

A taxi from the Manchester Picadilly Train Station, costs in the region of £4.50 - £6.50 during the day. Please tell the taxi driver to go to City of Manchester Stadium East Stand Entrance F. Rates in the evening will vary.

Walking

The City of Manchester Stadium Conference Centre is around 20-30 minutes walk from Manchester Picadilly Train Station.

A safe, well lit and sign-posted walking route from the city centre and Piccadilly Station to Sportcity (the Stadium) has been developed along Store Street, Pollard Street, Ashton New Road and Holt Town. The walk from Piccadilly Station is around 20 minutes and from Piccadilly Gardens around 25-30 minutes. Watch for the blue Sportcity directional signs.

For a walking route, please see: http://tinyurl.com/l2zqvj

When at the venue

Once you get to the City of Manchester Stadium it is important that you head for the East Stand Entrance F, as it can be quite easy to loose your way in such a large venue.

There is a handy map of the venue, here:

Remember you are going to 'F' on the map. We will be using 'The 1894 club' (number 6 on the map) and 'The Legends' Lounge' (number 5 on the map).

Once you get to the Stadium additional directions on how to get to the Conference Centre are below:

1. Enter Sport City via Gate 11 (on Ashton New Road, A662) passing the Mercedes showroom. Please note that if you are travelling by car a one-way system operates.
2. Once through Gate 11, follow the internal road around the stadium (passing the Regional Athletics Centre and the club shop).
3. If you are travelling by car, complimentary parking is available in Car Park 7.
4. Blue badge parking is available along Eastland’s Way (internal ring road).
5. Please enter the stadium through entrance F (Glass fronted reception).
6. Registration will be available on the ground floor.

Locating your hospitality suites and floor plans.

We will be using the 1894 and Legends' Lounge Suites, shaded yellow and light green on the map.

Floor plans

The 1894 Club floorplan

The Legends's Lounge floorplan.

 

For further information

If you have any further questions about this event, please contact the events team, events@ukoln.ac.uk or ring Natasha Bishop on 01225 386256 or Michelle Smith on 01225 384488.

If you would like to ask questions to the event organiser, please contact Mahendra Mahey, m.mahey@ukoln.ac.uk or ring him on 01225 384594.

Accommodation

Accommodation for an overnight stay on the night of 3rd September 2009 and breakfast on the morning of the 4th of September 2009 will be provided free of charge to all registered delegates (one night). We therefore urge you to complete your booking form as soon as possible as there are limited spaces!

The hotel for this event is the Macdonald Manchester Hotel & Spa.

The Macdonald Manchester Hotel and Spa provides the usual complimentary towels and some toiletries (do not forget to bring your toothbrush though!). There is wired complimentary internet access in all rooms, so please try and remember to bring an Ethernet cable (and laptop) if you require internet access in the hotel. The Hotel can provide an Ethernet cable free, with a returnable £5 deposit.

Please note that you are liable for any additional nights and any extras (e.g. use of room phone, films, extra food and drinks etc).

Getting to the hotel on foot from Manchester Piccadilly Train Station

The Macdonald Manchester Hotel and Spa is 2 minutes' walk from Manchester Piccadilly Train Station, see:
http://www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/manchester/pdf/manchestermap.pdf

For more information about how to get to the hotel, by train and from Manchester Airport (The hotel is about a 20 minute rail journey from Manchester Airport to Manchester Piccadilly Train Station, and then a 2 minute walk) see: http://www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/manchester/location/index.htm

Getting from the hotel to the City of Manchester Stadium Conference Centre

Please note that we expect you to make your own way to the Conference Centre for the start of the conference. However, we will be organising coaches to get you from the conference centre to the hotel at the end of the first day and to and from the hotel to the conference centre on the second day. For more up-to-date information, please see the Programme page.

If you would like to know how to get from Manchester Piccadilly Train Station to the City of Manchester Stadium Conference Centre, please visit the subsection of the Venue page: Getting to the venue

Car parking at the hotel

There are 85 parking spaces available on a first-come, first-served basis in the Macdonald Manchester hotel's secure car park, 6 of which are fully accessible for disabled guests and visitors. Cars are left at owners' risk and a keycode is required on exit which can be obtained from reception following payment. Car park fees are currently £12 for 24 hours or £9 per day (the first 2 hours are free). Please enter Berry Street, M1 2AR into your satellite navigation if you are travelling to the car park.

The car park is shown on the the following map: http://www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/manchester/pdf/manchestermap.pdf

There is also an NCP car park nearby (NCP - SHEFFIELD STREET) it does not offer secure parking but is cheaper, for more information, please see: http://www.ncp.co.uk/multimapForm.aspx (post code to search is M1 2PG),

telephone number +448450507080

Address of hotel

Macdonald Manchester Hotel & Spa
London Road,
Manchester,
M1 2PG.
Tel: 0844 879 9088
Fax: 0161 272 3214