Star Trek's Enterprise: Operation Management (Ops)

Galaxy Class Starship
U.S.S ENTERPRISE NCC-1701-D
Operation Management (Ops)

Many shipboard operations involve scheduling resources or hardware (such as power or the use of sensors) that affect a number of departments. In many such cases, it is common for various operations to present conflicting requirements. It is the responsability of the Operations Management Officer (normally referred to as the Operations Manager or Ops) to coordinate such activities so that mission goals are not jeopardized. Having a crew member in this decision-making loop is of crucial importance because of the wide range of unpredictable situations with which a starship must deal.

Operation Management Control Panel (Cruise Mode)

The Ops panel presents the Operations Manager with a continually updated list of current major shipboard activities. This list permits Ops to set priorities and allocate resources among current operations. This is especially critical in cases where two or more requests require the use of the same equipment, entail mutually exclusive mission profiles, or involve some unusual safety or tactical considerations.

An example might be a situation where the Stellar Physics department is conducting an experiment using the lateral sensor array to study a nearby binary star. Simultaneously, part of the same array is being timed-shared with a long-range cometary population survey. A request from the bridge for a priority scan of a planatery system might jeopardize both studies unless Ops authorizes a minnor change in ship's attitude, permitting the Stellar Phisics observations to use the upper sensor array. Alternatively, Ops may weigh the option of placing one of the ongoing studies on a lower priority to provide the bridge with immediate use of the lateral array.

Priority and Resource Allocation

Most routine scheduling and resource allocation is done automatically by the Ops program. This frees the Operations Manager from routine activity, leaving him/her able to concentrate on decisions beyond the scope of the artificial intellingence software. The level of these decision filter programs can be set by the Operation Manager, and also varies with the current Alert status of the ship.

In cases where priorities are ambiguous or where specific Ops approval is required, the panel will display a menu of the most probable option for action. In virtually all cases, the Operations Manager alse has the ability to input choices beyond those presented by the action menus. This is important because it is impossible for missioni planners to anticipate every possible situation. Action menus may be displayed for any current activity (even those which would normally be handled automatically) upon keyboard request from Ops.

During crisis situations and Reduced Power Mode oprations, Ops is responsible for supervision of power allocation in coordination with the Engineering department. Load shedding of nonessential power usage in such situations is based on spacecraft survival factors and mission priorities.

The Operations Manager is also responsible for providing general status information to the main computer, which is then made available to all departments and personnel. Ops routes specific information to specific departments to inform them of anticipated changes and requirements that may effect their operations.

An example is a scenario where an Away Team is to be sent on a mission to a planetary surface. Typical Ops responsabilities might include:

Notification of Away Team personnel of the assignment and providing said personnel with mission objective information. When Away Team personnel are drawn from operational departments, Ops will sometimes coordinate to provide cross-trained replacement personnel from other departments.
Coordination with Mision Ops for assignment of comm relay frequencies and preparations to monitor Away Team tricorder telemetry.
Notification for insurance of tricorders, phasers, environmental gear, and other mission-spcific equipment.
Assignment of personnel transporter room to handle transport operations, as well as the assignment of a transpoprter chief to the mission. If available, Ops will also provide transport coordinates to the transporter chief.
Notification of Engineering to prepare for power allocation for transporter operations, as well as deflector shield shutdown, if necessary.

Such conditions are generally accomplished automatically without the need for active intervation by Ops. However, because preprogrammed functions cannot be expected to anticipate all possible situation, Ops is responsible for monitoring all such coordination activity and for taking additional action as necessary. Such flexibility is particularly important during alert and crisis scenarios, during which unpredictable and unplanned conditions must frequently be dealt with.


Copyright © 1997 Tan Ngo-Dang Contact: tangowebmedia@sympatico.ca URL: http://www.tht.net/~tan/ncc1701d/ops.htm	Created on 06/29/97 Updated on 12/08/97 Page status: final