Evaluate technologies
Enable specific, real use cases
Create artifacts (software installations, scripts, guides, live demos) which enable future applications
Reinvent the wheel (start a software engineering effort)
Exhaustively evaluate all available technologies
Try to create a one-size-fits-all solution
Initially select two use cases, one R-based, on non-R. For each, select a likely technology, and develop a working solution.
Emphasis on iterative development (first get working system, then add more features) and capturing "lessons learned" along the way.
Consider how to make computation open, reproducible (integrate with Synapse).
(not meant to be exhaustive or prioritized):
StarCluster / Sun Grid Engine: http://docs.amazonwebservices.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/using-spot-instances-cluster.html