The Team Bulletin Board (TBB) was introduced as a mechanism to encourage the Yohkoh data users to openly exchange information on their research in the form of proposals. Once scientists think up a research plan using the Yohkoh data, they are requested to write a short proposal. The TBB keeps all the on-going research projects that utilize the Yohkoh data. By accessing the TBB, one finds what projects are now vigorously undertaken by who, and may either think of a project nobody is working on, or one that is similar to existing proposals. In the latter case, ideally, the Data Use Coordinators (DUCs, see below) may make certain suggestions in order not to jeopardize the proposals that have already been started. It is important that an on-going project initiated by a graduate student in particular should not be taken away by a more experienced scientist.
The lead authors of proposals are requested to report on what they have found every time major progress is made. Without such a report, the proposal will be regarded as not on-going and will automatically disappear six months after the submission. Now, as the data are put into public domain, the Yohkoh team invites every scientist who uses the Yohkoh data to participate in this system.
Every project that will become part of somebody's master's or PhD thesis is included in one sub-directory, that is separate from the general projects. The TBB also offers addresses of the scientists who have submitted proposals and meeting and travel reports.