APT: HST Proposal Preparation Environment for the Second Decade
Executive Summary
The Tools of the Future Working Group was formed to study improvements to the proposal preparation tools we offer our user community (scientists and operation specialists), with two goals: (1) to facilitate scientific investigation for observers, and (2) to decrease the effort spent on routine matters by observatory staff. In this report, we propose:
1. A modern set of proposal tools and an environment that integrates them. Compared to existing RPS2 software, the proposed software will be more intuitive, visual, responsive, interoperable, and extensible to other observatories.
2. A management structure that supports innovation. We propose to divide development activities into innovating and fielding efforts to prevent operational pressures from inhibiting innovation. This will allow us to use of up-to-date technology, and to remain fluid and responsive to changes. This strategy will ensure state-of-art tools for proposal preparation for the user community.
3. A delivery plan that puts the earliest tools in the hands of the users in time for the next Phase I and II proposal submission cycles. We plan continued frequent deliveries of new tools and capabilities over the next twenty-four months.
APT, the Astronomer's Proposal Tools, is our vision of the proposal preparation tools environment.