The first series of Ballarat ICT panel events was conducted in parallel with the Ballarat ICT 2030 consultation. Each of the four panel events was held at the Greenhill Enterprise Centre on Thursdays between 4pm and 6pm during the period between 9 November and 30 November 2006. Participation across the four events totalled 88. The events focused on

Panel members and participants appeared to enjoy the format of the events. Participant numbers grew across the four-week period (15, 21, 25, 27) with some individuals contributing to multiple events. Active participation was supported, diverse opinions were voiced, and animated discussions often continued during the post event networking. Outcome information and photos were posted to the Ballarat ICT website to provide a record of the events and inform those who were unable to attend.

The first panel session in the 2007 Ballarat ICT Cluster Panel Series, Business Growth Through Successful Tendering, was held on 8 May 2007 at the University of Ballarat Technology Park. Panel members included John Fullerton from the Industry Capability Network, Paul Mannix from Ballarat Health Services and Damian Lubeek from Regional Development Victoria. The panel was facilitated by Prof Julian Lowe and Dr Patrice Braun from CRIC.The forum was designed to gauge whether and how local ICT firms prepared convincing tenders and project proposals to win business from both private and public sector organisations; to discuss ways to improve Cluster members' chances of winning tenders and to explore opportunities for collaborating with other firms to win bigger projects. It provided local ICT firms with an opportunity to share knowledge on gaining new business through successful tendering. Private and public sector representatives also shared insights gained through assessing tender responses and identified a number of support services available to assist local businesses in preparing tender bids.The event attracted 23 attendees, 20% of which rated the event as excellent, 50% as very good and 30% as good. The forum provided new viewpoints and insights to a great degree to 30% and to a moderate degree to 40% of attendees. Feedback on what attendees liked most about the event included:How critical it is to have effective networking in Ballarat and [the] region to assist ICT growth and promote joint tendering opportunities; The realization by most that we all need to network more; Opportunity to understand others experience of tendering to corporates/ government; The frankness of all speakers to convey their message to everyone - the panel gave direct answers to questions that spelt out what is needed. Feedback on the least useful components of the panel session included:An expectation that the Cluster is going to walk business in the door for the individuals, without them doing anything - ongoing frustration within regions sector; The industry is so 'up its self' in IT prowess that it forgets to communicate effectively (note effectively) with 'the masses'. At all levels this needs to be addressed and focused upon. In effectively addressing this single issue more business will be won by Ballarat ICT businesses and individuals than any long-term strategy; I have now been to six of these meetings, and have noted the transience of each gathering. Apart from a recurring discussion on the need for a central person or Cluster facilitator to spearhead collaborative tenders, a key point that was made on collaborative tendering pertained to the fact that a comprehensive 'skills audit/profile' of IT firms in the Cluster is needed for use both by cluster members and external parties. The majority of cluster members were SMEs and these firms in particular had difficulty gaining credibility, establishing a track record and identifying potentially lucrative contracts at an early stage. There was a clear difference in expectations and expertise between these firms and the large organisations from the public and private sector. As an action outcome of the panel, participants agreed to submit a capabilities profile for inclusion in the ICT directory on the Ballarat ICT cluster website. To date the response has been low.A possible way forward, to stimulate this sort of activity, is for the Project Team to help in the assembly of teams of SMEs. This however can only happen around 'real' projects, and the next phase of the cluster development focusing around exports could use export projects as the vehicle for the development of capability and collaboration.

The second panel session in the 2007 Ballarat ICT Cluster Panel Series, Partnering with your ICT Professional for Business Innovation, was held in conjunction with the Ballarat Innovation Festival, on 23 May 2007 at the Ballarat Mining Exchange. Panel members included Darren Templar from PBSA, Lynne McLennan, from UFS Dispensary, Leanne Commons from Nevett Ford, Steve Pinson from Commander Centre and Ross Smith from Aviarc. The panel was facilitated by Dr Patrice Braun from CRIC.At earlier panels and events conducted during the Stage I Cluster and the ICT 2030 projects it was identified that business owners often believe their information technology professionals are speaking a different language when they seek to discuss their needs. This event was designed to bring IT professionals and business owners together to share their experiences; explore ways to bridge the communication gap and more successfully communicate IT needs; tap into local IT expertise; and increase opportunities for collaboration to add value to local businesses.The event attracted 22 attendees, 16.7% of which rated the event as excellent, 33.3% as very good and 50% as good. The forum provided new viewpoints and insights to a moderate degree to 33% of attendees. Feedback on what attendees liked most about the event included:Excellent representation in the room, guided discussion and roundtable setup; The ability to hear both sides as represented by both clients and providers; the discussion looked at the common problem which exists with firms to SMEs. Feedback on what attendees liked least about the event include:"Some of the IT professionals were from the big end of town and therefore of limited or no use to our size business"; It is a pity there were not more small companies represented; More time to question the panel and have further discussion. Over 66% of attendees indicated that they planned to attend future Ballarat ICT Cluster panel events.Again, a key and recurring message that came out of this panel session was the need for a central list of IT professionals locally and their specialities, which would help end users seeking to employ an IT professional for specific tasks. As one attendee reflected, "I would be stuck using word of mouth. I definitely would not use the Yellow Pages, as there so many cowboys out there".

The Ballarat ICT Cluster has spawned a number of successful spin-outs from University research, other large organisations, and growing SMEs. Some of these, like Triple G have become leaders in their field and eventually the take-over targets of large multinationals like GE Healthcare. Spin-outs are not the only output from the cluster. Commercialisation through knowledge transfer, licences and internal business growth is also important.The third Ballarat ICT Cluster Panel, Fostering Regional Research and Commercialisation through the Ballarat ICT Cluster, was held on 5 June 2007 at the University of Ballarat Technology Park. Panel members included Joel Epstein of the Institute of Regional and Rural Research and Innovation at the University of Ballarat, John Finch from AusIndustry, Maria Palmer from GE Healthcare, Robert Crompton from Information City Australia, Robert Hook, from the University of Ballarat Technology Park Advisory Group, and Richard Wilson from Wiltronics. The panel was facilitated by Prof Julian Lowe from CRIC. It attracted a total of 18 participants.The focus of the panel session was on knowledge transfer between research and industry as a key aspect of local innovation; how to build partnerships, skills and infrastructure to be able to experience the full benefits of research and development (R&D) in the region; and how to produce commercially viable outcomes that attract global interest. Part of the discussion was designed to gauge how the Ballarat ICT Cluster can best assist the research and commercialisation of ICT-related products and services in the region.The processes of commercialisation throughout the Cluster varied significantly. But the start of commercialisation was the research and identification of opportunities. The existence of a strong manufacturing and service base in the region provides a group of lead users who can set off this process of innovation. Several companies at the forum indicated this was critical to their innovation processes. This resonated very much with the ICT 2030 study for Ballarat, where the scope for the growth of ICT was seen through their relationships with users. Other sources of innovation identified in the Cluster were those associated with collaborative research with the University and various federal schemes to provide funding for R&D and commercialisation.The downstream commercialisation following discovery was a difficult problem, particularly for the Ballarat SMEs. Intellectual property protection and access to patient capital were important issues. Location was also important and in order to grow some spin-outs had to relocate. Nevertheless this whole issue attracted significant attention and needs, through State or Federal policy, to be a continuing focus for the Cluster.The event attracted 18 attendees, of which 33% rated the event as very good and 33% as good and 33% as fair. The forum provided new viewpoints and insights to a moderate degree to 66% of attendees. The aspects that attendees liked most about this event were:Input from panel members.One on one discussions before and after meeting.The opportunity to listen first-hand to those actually 'doing' research and commercialisation, especially Richard Wilson.Feedback on what attendees liked least included:Smaller numbers of other attendees - less input available. therefore, less discussion.The topic often wandered off research and commercialisation, although the discussion about retaining people in Ballarat was also interesting.The majority (66.67%) planned to attend future Ballarat ICT Cluster Panel events with 33.33% indicated that they 'Don't Know'. On participant noted the need to:Keep on having these events - I think there's value in them

The fourth Ballarat ICT Cluster Panel, Growing Regional Exports through the Ballarat ICT Cluster, was scheduled for 19 June 2007 at the University of Ballarat Technology. Research results from Stage 1 Cluster project indicated that only a small number of IT firms in the Cluster currently export and that there was enough interest in sharing experience and knowledge pertaining to the successful development of export opportunities. Initial registration numbers were relatively low (16). When a call around was arranged the Project Team learned that half of those registered would be unable to attend, so it was decided to cancel the session. Cluster stakeholders were informed via an email of the cancellation of the session and encouraged to submit information on export successes or promote services that might assist Cluster Members in growing regional exports to the Ballarat Cluster Newsletter or share information via the Website.

The Ballarat ICT Cluster Expo is being scheduled to coincide with the launch of Ballarat ICT Ltd (previously cBallarat) and the Ballarat ICT 2030 Strategy. Details for this event are still being finalised. In terms of format is likely that the expo activities will commence around 4 pm with a number of presentations showcasing members of the Ballarat ICT Cluster and conclude with a sit down dinner at the Greenhill Enterprise Centre for invited guests (Federal and State Reps, MMV, etc), key stakeholders and cluster members.

On October 6, 2006, a Women in IT Networking Lunch was held at Prospects Restaurant at the SMB campus of the University of Ballarat. The event was designed to bring together ICT professionals from regional and metropolitan Victoria, showcase women in the ICT industry and provide role models to young women interested in ICT, provide a platform to share current technological business practices, discuss work pressures and work-life balance issues.Program presentations included Multimedia Victoria, IBM, the City of Ballarat and members of the Project Team. As part of the program, Women in IT within the Ballarat ICT cluster were provided with overview of activities and support services available to women in the IT profession. They also shared IT practices and networked during the luncheon. The event attracted 35 participants. It also attracted in-kind support from organisations including Multimedia Victoria, Vic ICT for Women, the City of Ballarat, IBM and University of Ballarat. Many attendees confirmed that they would like to continue networking with women who are employed in diverse ICT roles across the Ballarat region.Building on the success of the luncheon and networking forum, the Ballarat Women in ICT Network was established with the support of the University of Ballarat, Multimedia Victoria and Victorian ICT for Women. The network aims to provide opportunities for women for personal and professional networking, knowledge and skills development, career and business development and access to and connection with others in ICT. Ballarat ICT for Women also expands opportunities for regional women to collaborate on and influence the direction of ICT in Victoria, share information and to celebrate local achievements in ICT.On April 20, 2007, a second 'Women in ICT' luncheon was held at the University of Ballarat Technology Park. The luncheon featured a panel discussion on opportunities and challenges for regional Women in ICT. The event attracted 33 women, 16.6% of which rated the event as excellent, 41.7% as very good and 33% as good. Participants indicated this event gave them new viewpoints and insights to a great (25.00%) or moderate degree (33.33%) degree. Over 83% said they would attend another 'Women in IT' event. Feedback on the panel session included:Meeting/hearing from other IT people in Ballarat. Moderator controlled the panel discussions well and did not let it run overtime.Networking and the lunch.Interacting with other women (and 1 man) who work in ICT.The networking and opportunity to meet and gain views from a very diverse mix of attendees - everyone wanted to be there which made a big difference.The interaction during discussion was great.The gathering of women employed & interested in the same thing.The energy and enthusiasm of people, their willingness to participate and share. The informal nature of it which made it non-threatening which, I suspect, is why people were willing to participate.The opportunity to contribute to the growth of women in the IT industry, to advertise the diversity and wonderful employer in IBM.The organisation of the event...the flow and balance of presentation and conversation.The motivation and enthusiasm from most of those attending and speaking. Delicious catering too I might add!Sit down lunch arrangement was much better than the finger food arrangement at the last lunch. It does allow you to chat with others and get to know them better. The finger food arrangement was much more disruptive to conversation flow. It was good to see and meet new people.In reflecting on what was least useful attendees indicated:All useful.N/ANothingNothing of significance. But if I had realised there was good coffee I would have liked a cup while the panel was on.Being amused by the fact that a man dominated the interaction with the panel and our table conversationsI had to leave early, so missed the last section. Disappointed about that.No statistics provided for other industries. Perhaps would have been useful to see nation wide data of Year 12 students - Which courses did they apply for? Which industry is getting more applicants? E.g. Teaching?Probably not enough structure for people prior the event. e.g. give agenda for the meeting to encourage people to think about what they might like to contribute on the day etc.The forum session - what did it truly achieve? It was too short to go into any depth. It was not touching on anything new, and it did not focus on the local cluster and what its goals, activities & issues might be.Suggestions for future events included:Guest speaker (keep it short and topical) - Some interactive brain storming sessions - input that could be leveraged ongoing by small working partiesI am not a feminist by far but I would like to see these events as 'women only'.I would like to hear people speak about their roles & challenges. I want to hear about what is happening locally. I want to hear about the 2030 strategy (& similar items) and understand where the group sits in relation to this. I would like to brainstorm or discuss action plans for activities by the Ballarat Women's ICT cluster in the community. I liked Annie's and Cameron's talks at the last function. Talks, such as these, introduce the speakers to other participants, they spark interest and allow participants to decide whether they wish to pursue a relationship with that person. There are some very interesting people out there doing very interesting work - I want to find out more.Maybe have speakers talk of their roles and how they came to be in IT.Perhaps small round table discussions on a particular topic, then all join a large forum.Start the event sooner - ie; function between 12.30-2pm, but people were not seated until 1pm. This meant meals were not finished until 1.30pm. Although 30 mins is plenty of time for discussion, I unfortunately was on a time constraint and had to leave earlier than expected, thus I missed some of the discussion.Try to have the meeting completed by 1.25 pm to enable guests to return to work on timeIn terms of other feedback and comments participants reflected:For years I have been looking for a professional organisation that relates to my work. Today I found itA very enjoyable opportunity. Look forward to the next one.Overall I enjoyed the lunchtime meeting, perhaps a venue closer to town could be alternated in futureOverall, very well organised.Food was good. Venue was good. Great organisation by you and your team, Kara.Great event - first I have attended, but not the lastGreat opportunity to gain further understanding of other women's roles in Innovation & CT within this regionI will be up front in saying that I work for IBM and by virtue of this I'm rather spoilt as a women working in IT. I participate in women's networking calls, I attend IBM Women in IT functions, I have flexible work arrangements within IBM policy, etc.. So my aims in attending these functions may be quite different to a couple of women from a shire, council, school or other company with a small IT group. I really think we need to define the purpose, aims & goals of a Ballarat Women's ICT group.I agree with appealing to the younger generation, to young women. But the best way to do that is to show mums coming back from the work force, into the Industry. Encourage all ages, so that it encourages diversity, and young women see that it is achievable at any age.I would love for someone to contact me as I would like to see a luncheon held in Bacchus Marsh with a push for year 10 and 11 students (women mainly) to attend as well so they can talk to us. I would be happy to discuss IT Training and the opportunities for those who wish to do this type of career. Each presenter could delivery an overview of their area of expertise. I thought of this driving back to work!Upcoming 'Women in ICT' events that form part of the ongoing Ballarat Cluster Engagement Program:27 July 2007 - Effective business networking26 October 2007 - Topic to be confirmedPanel members for the Effective Networking Luncheon will include Margo Ingolby (Multimedia Victoria), Judy Verlin and Jo Stevens (Premier PR). The Chair of VicICT for Women may also join the panel which will focus on exploring how women can maximise business networking benefits, learn about the tips, tricks and traps and understand why some people are more effective at networking than others.

The Ballarat Information Technology Specialist (BITs) Breakfast Network has been in operation for over three (3) years as a forum to encourage specialists, managers and IT enthusiasts. Breakfast meetings are held on a bi-monthly basis and the format is generally a panel discussion on topics relevant to IT business in Ballarat. The Project Team are actively involved in planning the BITs events; they assist in getting invitations out and provide facilitation and other resources including data projection facilities. Members of the Project Team also attend these events and ensure that information from the BITs Breakfast can be disseminated across the ICT Cluster via the Ballarat ICT website.BITs has proven to be a useful engagement forum to discuss ICT-related issues. At the forum on 27 March 2007, attended by 30 local IT specialists, the topic of discussion was the Ballarat ICT 2030 Strategy ICT 2030, a framework from which to develop ICT capacity, investment and employment opportunities critical to Ballarat's future. At this forum Ballarat ICT 2030 strategy objectives and goals were discussed and ICT firms were encouraged to get involved.In reflecting on the value of the time spent attending the BITS event 16.7% indicated it was excellent, 33% very good and 50% good. In terms of what people liked best:Comments from the floor Hearing from the panel members.. and the discussion generatedInteraction / networking with othersNetworking opportunity The relevant topic (ie. Ballarat's future IT plans).Action points that need to be addressed if Ballarat is going to make up ground in the take up of ICT Feedback on what was least useful included:Breakfast selection was very limited. Panel time was cut short limiting the questions that could be asked. Some of the presentation material was tedious Use of jargon can be off-puttingWhen asked whether they plan to attend future BITS events 100% responded 'yes'. Suggestions to assist the planning of future events included:Allocate a bit more time to networking and questions. ICT won't be picked up in a proactive way unless there is a dollar in it eg. productivity improvement that leads to increased profits and increased market shareEnsure the 'presentation' section of the event is no longer than 1 hour.Less academic presentations and speakers who can be leveraged to develop the local ICT businesses. Either with practical tips or with connection to decision makers who have the capacity to buy our local ICT providers particularly in the SME spaceUpcoming BITs events that form part of the ongoing Ballarat Cluster Engagement Program:26 Jun 2007 - BITS Breakfast Network - Voice Over IP (VOIP)26 Sep 2007 - BITS Breakfast Network - Topic to be confirmedThe VOIP panel will be facilitated by Prof Julian Lowe with panel members including Peter Zibell (Grahnet), Paul Mannix (Ballarat Health Services) and Colin Littlejohn from Neighbourhood Cable.

During the Stage 2 rollout of the program, meetings were held with the Ballarat ICT Cluster Working Group to discuss planned engagement initiatives and provide progress reports on activities. As the basis of the discussion, Committee members were presented with a workplan reflecting the engagement program initiatives the Project Team were scheduling, the objective(s) of each initiative, what stage the initiative was at, and within what timeframe the initiative would be completed. Initiatives reflected in the workplan included:

Given the number of other events and activities associated with the Ballarat ICT Cluster, the Steering Committee opted not to set regular meeting dates. Rather the Project Team was asked to keep up regular communication and call meetings only if major planning or review activities were required.

On 26 October 2006, the Ballarat ICT Cluster, in conjunction with Ballarat ICT Ltd, held an ICT Listening Forum at Oscar's Restaurant. The forum was aimed at Ballarat Region's SMEs and was advertised on the City of Ballarat Notice Board in The Courier of 21 October 2006 as an "ICT Listening Forum - ICT companies NOT invited!

The ICT Listening Forum was designed to discuss the challenges and frustrations experienced by the demand side in the region. The forum explicitly did not invite IT professionals to partake in the discussion to provide SMEs with an opportunity to discuss their ICT experiences, whether SMEs were getting the help and support they need. Experts with experience on both the demand and supply sides of ICT facilitated the forum. Despite repeated advertising of the event, ICT Listening Forum turnout was small. Participants discussed infrastructure and broadband issues; the need for 'technology interpreters', e.g., how to communicate with IT professionals); and the marketing, innovation and education needs of SMEs. Outcomes of the ICT Listening Forum were fed back to the Ballarat ICT Cluster and topics in need of further discussion were incorporated into 2007 ICT Cluster Panel series.

On 9 November 2006, Lead On and the City of Ballarat Youth Services hosted a Youth Panel and Forum at the Ballarat Learning Exchange. The purpose of the Youth Forum was to capture the views of the region's youth for the Ballarat ICT 2030 strategy, results of which would also feed into the Ballarat ICT Cluster. The Youth Forum was designed to gauge the current strength of Ballarat as an ICT centre for users and companies; Ballarat's major ICT related achievements over the last decade; what would make Ballarat a more preferred destination for ICT investment; the key challenges currently facing the ICT sector in Ballarat; what improvements were necessary; and how to get all parts of the Ballarat community excited about and engaged in ICT.

The Youth Forum was generally well received and considered a good opportunity for input by youth, although some would have like it to have been an Internet-based Forum rather than a face-to-face one. Ballarat was seen as a good lifestyle location with a good skill base, encouraged by two Universities; offering a broad range of jobs in ICT, in particular through IBM. Areas of improvement included better infrastructure, particularly access to broadband outside of the City boundaries; education for small business, older adults; more opportunities for University graduates; attraction and retention of IT staff. While ICT was perceived to play an important role in business and industry, education and as a social outlet for isolated youth, an over-reliance on technology was believed to lead to poor social skills and connections. An increase in Internet cafes throughout the region and education for general community and technical skills for future employees were noted as priorities to encourage local business development. The use of ambassadors was recommended to excite people about ICT.

Ballarat ICT cluster project team members have created a number of linkages to other networks and events to ensure ICT cluster members are exposed to product showcasing, marketing and networking opportunities. Details of upcoming events are also promoted via the Ballarat ICT website.

Between March and June 2007, visits took place with ICT firms and cluster stakeholders. Members of the Project Team met with a total of with seven (7) State Government officers; two (2) local government officers; five (5) local associations; and 35 local firms or organisations. Of those, seven (7) organisations were represented on the Ballarat ICT Cluster Steering Committee; one (1) organisation was represented on the Ballarat ICT Ltd Board; eight (8) organisations were involved in the Ballarat ICT 2030 panels; eight (8) organisations were located at the University Technology Park; and one (1) organisation was involved in Stage 1 workshops.

In response to the question "How useful was the visit", 36% of firms replied that it was very useful, 64% thought it was useful. Firms generally reacted positively to the Project Officer's approach to the visit and indicated that they found it useful to learn more about the function of the cluster.I was not clear on the function, objectives or focus of the cluster. I believe I am more informed. Firms also confirmed that it wasVery important to keep the dialogue going. In response to the question "How has this visit changed your perception of the Ballarat ICT Cluster", 23% responded significantly, 54% marginally and 23% not at all. Prompted to elaborate, firms reiterated that they had:Little prior knowledge of the Ballarat ICT Cluster, so this was an opportunity to find out; [That] the cluster is probably more useful to my business than I originally envisaged; [and that] the role of the cluster is becoming a little clearer, although there is still much work to be done.In terms of the latter, one firm felt thatSome common threads may have emerged from these meetings, so could be promising, but that it would depend on future actions being taken. In response to the question "What collaborative opportunities were identified during the visit?", firms identified assistance with information sharing, joint tendering and marketing as the main opportunities. Proposed avenues for these included:Encouraging awareness of other businesses by means of an online directory; BITS Breakfast, seminars, email list; Using the Courier's 'In Business' magazine to spread the word; Targeting 'interested' parties around practical projects or tendering opportunities. In response to the question "What opportunities would you like to continue to discuss", firms again identified showcasing IT firms through marketing, looking for collaborative opportunities and collaborative tendering as the main opportunities. Other responses included:Greater involvement of SME, local government and large corporations (consumers) in the project and encouraging these parties to place greater store in sourcing solutions locally; Seminars and forums for showcasing technological innovation and presentation of case studies highlighting success stories; and Ways of connecting with the university more.

The cluster stakeholder visits included visits to seven (7) State Government officers; two (2) local government officers; five (5) local associations. The majority of these visits were organised by the Project Manager, who built on prior relationships with these stakeholders to secure an appointment. The Project Officer successfully made some 'cold' calls to secure meetings.

In some cases, the visit served as an actual means to update the Cluster Stakeholder on the progress of the Stage 2 project and/or to introduce to the Project Officer to the stakeholder(s). The general feedback on visits to stakeholders was positive, although these visits were predominantly to enlighten the new Project Officer rather than cluster stakeholders. A good proportion of stakeholders have an intimate involvement in and knowledge of the cluster and support the cluster philosophy. These stakeholders tend to take a hands-on approach to the cluster, demonstrated in their consistent attendance of panel sessions and events. Others are more critical of the cluster processes. One stakeholder expressed the view that the competitive environment in which the industry operates prevents extensive cooperation and collaboration. Only one stakeholder did not see any benefit to engage with the cluster. This individual has since moved on from that role. The strategy to reengage with the new appointee has been successful. Joint marketing of activities and regular communication has been initiated.

To facilitate the continuous action-reflection evaluation design, online evaluation questionnaires were designed to support feedback processes on ICT firm and stakeholder visits by the Project Team in general, and in particular by the Project Officer who visited the ICT firms and cluster stakeholders (See Appendix 5). The Project Officer's feedback on all stakeholder consultations was used as part of the ongoing collection of ICT Cluster evaluation data. The Project Officer's feedback on firm and stakeholder visits was subsequently combined with other Team members' project evaluation notes, overall results of which will be discussed as part of the Cluster Evaluation (See Section 7).