Arranging meetings#

It is common to receive queries in the mailbox that require a short meeting with the querier in order to clarify their question, their needs, and their expectations. The Ask-JGI student who has been assigned a query is responsible for setting up this meeting.

Please see instructions below on the following:

How to set up meetings#

If meeting with the querier seems to be the most productive next step, reply to their email (including the tracking identification number) and suggest some times that you are able to meet.

  • If you use your university Outlook calendar, you can either suggest that they book a meeting directly into your calendar at a time convenient for them. For example:

    Dear XXX,

    Many thanks for getting in contact with Ask-JGI. Would it be useful to have an introductory Teams call (30 minutes, say) to go over your query in a little more detail and see how we might be able to support?

    I can also explain how we might go about assisting and work out which of our team would be best placed to help you.

    I’ve cc’d my email address into this email – if you can get access to my calendar then I’m happy for you to schedule something at a time that suits you.

    Kind regards, XXX {AskJGI-XXX}

  • or, you can ask permission to book a meeting in their calendar at a time where their calendar shows them as being free. For example:

    Dear XXX,

    Many thanks for getting in contact with Ask-JGI. Would it be useful to have an introductory Teams call (30 minutes, say) to go over your query in a little more detail and see how we might be able to support?

    I can also explain how we might go about assisting and work out which of our team would be best placed to help you.

    If you’d like me to set up a meeting then please let me know. I could do tomorrow afternoon or the following morning, for example? Alternatively I can try to find a slot in your calendar if it is up to date?

    Kind regards, XXX {AskJGI-XXX}

Following up after a meeting#

Once you have had a consultation meeting with a querier you should begin to compose a summary email to them as soon as possible. Doing this sooner rather than later helps to ensure that everything is fresh in your mind, making it less likely that you will forget something. Use any notes that you have taken during your meeting to help you.

Sending summary emails are important:

  • It is helpful to repeat your key takeaways from the meetings to make sure that everyone attending the meeting has left on the same page.

  • Having a written record from the meeting is helpful for any future follow-up with querier (particularly if the follow-up is handled by another team member).

When composing your summary emails try to include the following:

  • restate the purpose of the meeting, the key questions that the querier needed help with.

  • if there was some level of ongoing support or action agreed, make clear in this email at what level that the JGI will be able to support this.

  • sometimes these meetings help to clarify exactly what the querier is asking, and there might be several questions mixed up in there. Break the query down into its constituent parts in the email.

  • review what you discussed, using subject headings if appropriate to separate the different aspects of the problem.

  • link to any resources that you discussed during the meeting, or that you think might be relevant.

  • finish the email by stating the next steps, e.g.:

    • perhaps you agreed that the querier will take away this information and get back to Ask-JGI if they have any follow up questions.

    • perhaps you agreed that the querier will send you some data to look at, or perhaps you already have the data.

    • if there is further action already anticipated, from either you or the querier, include a timeline for when the next contact is expected.

If in any doubt, ask for help! The Ask-JGI coordinator and JGI Data Scientists will be happy to review any email before you send it.

Note

Remember to update the Ask-JGI tracker after a meeting to reflect what has happened and what is expected to happen next (if any follow-up is expected). Update the status field to indicate whether the query is resolved or still in progress.