In 2023, ASTRON took the step of incorporating a dedicated User Experience (UX) designer into its software development process. This decision aimed to enhance the accessibility and usability of services providing access to our data holdings, as well as to optimize the design of services within the SKA Regional Centres Network.

The field of astronomical software development has historically underemphasized UX design. ASTRON's initiative represents a shift, not only in improving our own tools but also in demonstrating to the broader community the value of integrating UX expertise into development teams.

This presentation will explore the impact of embedding a UX designer within our organisation. We will discuss:

• The rationale behind hiring a dedicated UX professional
• The integration of UX methodologies into our software development lifecycle
• Challenges and lessons learned in this integration process
• The potential for wider adoption of UX-focused approaches in astronomical software development

By sharing our experiences, we aim to contribute to the ongoing dialogue about best practices in software engineering within astronomy and astrophysics, emphasizing the critical role of user-centered design in creating more effective and accessible tools for the scientific community.

By pushing the boundaries of discovery, several modern astronomical observatories are daunted with the challenge of processing and storing up to many petabytes of data per year. To tackle the challenges of processing and storing those massive amounts of data, organisations are increasingly adopting heterogeneous and distributed infrastructures for computing and archiving to leverage the opportunities for scalability and collaboration. Typically, such architectures can be built based on custom-built systems, national infrastructures, up to and including commercial clouds.

In this session, representatives from various facilities will share their experiences, plans and strategies for managing those complex processing and archiving systems. After a brief introduction, we will transition into a moderated discussion, encouraging participants to share their insights, ask questions, and engage in a collaborative exchange of ideas and solutions.

The goal is to foster a productive dialogue that can help the community better understand and address the unique challenges of managing heterogeneous processing systems and archives in the context of modern astronomical research.

Possible topics of the discussions could be
* Architectural design and implementation of distributed computing systems for data processing and analysis
* Effective strategies for integrating and orchestrating heterogeneous resources
* Best practices in data management and archiving approaches
* Emerging technologies and trends that may shape the future of heterogeneous computing in astronomy
* Operational concerns, like scheduling and provisioning