ICT CLUSTER WORKSHOP OUTLINE

22 November 2005

Introductions - 15 minutes

• Welcome

• UB Team introduced

• Steve, Patrice and Helen

• Getting to know participants

• Who you are.

• Where you are from.

• Reason you chose to participate in today's workshop.

What are we here for? - 30 minutes

• Ballarat ICT Cluster Project - PowerPoint presentation used to bring participants
  up-to-date with project and progress to date.

  • Focus today will be on getting your input on potential future directions
    for the Ballarat ICT cluster.

  • What are the projects and activities that the cluster should be focusing on?

  • Who should be involved and contributing to the process?

  • What type of organisational structure will meet the sector's requirements best?

Where are we now? - 30 minutes

• SWOT activity

  • Identify two or three factors on current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the Ballarat ICT sector.

  • Record each factor on a separate post it note and then place these on butchers' paper around room.

  • Small groups will then organise the input for each area into themes and then report back to the group on what has emerged.

  • Facilitator to validate output with group as a whole.

Morning/Afternoon Tea Break - 15 minutes

What are the core imperatives that we need to address to improve the ICT industry in Ballarat? - 40 minutes

• In small groups explore core imperatives and discuss how these can be addressed. Consider what is already going on and what still needs to be done. You may choose to discuss areas of priority such as:

  • Catalysts for people and organisations working together

  • Connecting ICT firms to business opportunities

  • Infrastructure

  • Knowledge sharing

  • Marketing

  • Networking

  • Relationship building

  • Skills and training

  • Recruitment

  • Research

Action planning, implementation and delivery - 40 minutes

• How will we organise ourselves to deliver the strategy's actions?

  • What can we do ourselves?

  • What additional resources or support will we require?

• How can we get the most benefit out of jed.cecc.com.au/clients/bict_new?

• How will we know that the actions are working?
  

Where to from here? - 10 minutes

• Facilitator wraps up session

  • Outlines next steps.

  • Describes how information will be disseminated to participants and other stakeholders.

  • Invite participants to complete an evaluation form.