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Martha Avila is in charge of the space created by CUDI to facilitate its communities work, she worked together with RedCLARA’s software engineering team in order of bring VC Espresso to CUDI’s platform. In this interview we talk with Martha about this experience.

How does the CUDI platform for communities and technical groups operates?
CUDI’s platform it is formed by the collaboration and learning spaces created for the Communities and Technical Groups of CUDI, it allows users to interact in a flexible and friendly way and it seeks to foster the active participation of its members.

The users of CUDI’s platform have their own space called My Site, in that space they can store and share files with other users, organize their schedules, describe their profile, and make of their own the collaborative spaces for communities and of technical interest groups.

What kind of interaction levels has this platform ?
The project's goal is to be the environment of collaboration, learning and research , of the National Research and Education Network in Mexico, generating:

• Participation and sharing of scientific knowledge.

• Identification and recognition among academics and researchers.

• Participation and collaboration among members of CUDI’s partner institutions.

• The formation of groups of study and discussion borned within the collaborative spaces.

• Publication and dissemination of research articles and/or research projects through their sites.

• The contribution of contents and ideas within the community and / or technical groups.

• The dissemination of information about projects that are under development over CUDI’s network.

• The dissemination of announcements and events generated by CUDI’s technical groups and communities.

How did the idea of strengthening CUDI’s communities work (its platform) with the RedCLARA’s VC Espresso system arouse?
VC Espresso is an essential service for the implementation and development of CUDI’s platform; it is the tool through which we can achieve the interaction between those researchers, academics and students that are interested in the issues treated by the communities and technical groups .

We found that through VC Espresso we have a standardized platform regardless of the brand of the connected equipment.

In September 27, 2010, in the context of the RedCLARA Meeting held in Managua (Nicaragua), for the first time CUDI introduced the project of its platform as a collaboration site to publish the information of the NRENs that were part of the LA Public Relations Network. We were seeking to integrate tools such as:

- Videoconference

- Electronic whiteboard

- Desktop sharing

- Chat

VC Espresso is now an integral part of the CUDI’s Platform because it contains all these elements .

What kind of work was carried out with RedCLARA to strengthen this platform? Did you have the need of tayloring VC Espressso to your needs?
For the integration of VC Espresso we had the support of Carlos González, from RedCLARA, and of Rafael Morales, University of Guadalajara. Through CUDI’s Platform - developed in Sakai CLE – it was achieved the implementation of the Meetings service (we call this “Virtual rooms” in the collaborative spaces), thus integrating both systems by means of the trusted exchange of data between them , preventing users of CUDI’s Platform to sign themselves twice.

Which do you consider is the contribution of VC Espresso to CUDI’s communities and technical groups?
It is a tool for the collaborative work that is carried out by our coordinators and allows to comment and modify documents in real time, thus breaking the barrier of physical distance, as CUDI members are distributed throughout the country it allows instant communication via audio and video.

How do you evaluate the work done together with RedCLARA for strengthening CUDI’s communities?
RedCLARA’s support was key for the implementation of VC Espresso, the availability and expertise of the technical support facilitated and streamlined the integration of the tool to the collaborative spaces .

How was the feedback received from community members regarding VC CUDI Espresso?
The coordinators and researchers who have used the service have been satisfied Espresso VC and continue to use the service.

Would you recommend the use of this tool by other NREN?
Amply.

Does CUDI has plans to integrate another RedCLARA tool to its platform?
In CUDI we are planning to implement the Big Files Transfer service, generating collaborative spaces accounts .