Character Sketch of Mark Turner - Tape Copier.

This text was prepared for use in a Joint Training Services (JTS) exercise and is not a representation of any current or past employee.

Mark Turner is 22 and although British was recruited under local terms and conditions ie a Spanish contract. His job is part-time (4 days per week) on a fixed term of 2 years which will complete shortly. Mark is the partner of the ING electronics engineer Martina Kennard whose initial contract has recently been extended for 5 years. Martina's contribution to the ING re-engineering project is highly valued.

Mark has worked as a travel agent in the UK and is happy to have a job, although not as interesting, to keep himself occupied on La Palma. Before Mark had a job it was widely known that Martina and Mark were considering returning to the UK. Mark is aware of the Observatories acute dependence on his partners contribution and once in a moment of temper stated "I've had enough of this boring job. It was a mistake our coming out here and we would be better if we were to go back to the UK...".

Mark's main tasks include the reproduction of cassette tapes containing observational data for the purpose of sending them to an archive in Cambridge, to give them to visiting observers at the conclusion of their visit and also to post to astronomers at institutes all over the world when observations are done on their behalf by ING astronomers ("Service Observations").

Mark's other task is to manage a stock of consumables at the telescope site (cassette tapes, tape drive cleaning kits, printer ribbons and toner cartridges). While he has no budget he is responsible for initiating purchase requisitions for the store.

Mark is ordered and tidy in his work and record keeping is flawless. However he has no technical background in computers and when the tape reproduction programs fail he is helpless to resolve these events and interrupts the work of whoever is around in an attempt to get them to sort the probelm out. Mark is well liked and others rarely refuse to help but this has resulted in conflicts between Mark's line manager Owen Johnson (Head of Computing Facilties Group) and Clare Evans (head of Instrument Software Systems ISS). Clare has objected to Owen on the distraction to the ISS programmers caused by Mark's interruptions. Clare is Marks Countersigning Officer.