Decision Support Services (DSS)What is this about?

NWS Future Direction - Improving forecaster-provided interpretive services for decision makers (Jack Hayes, NWS Director 09/25/2008)

“Better decisions for America by improving forecaster-provided interpretive services for decision makers” (All hands meeting, 12/08)

“Specific, mission-based, situational information, including our expert interpretation and explanation, provided in formats and language our users understand”

“Helping America make better decisions by delivering valued information, knowledge, and/or expertise on environmental conditions (including the probability of their occurrence) to decision makers affected by those conditions – whether through direct contact with the decision maker or through intermediary systems and/or experts who advise decision makers.”

“Any characterization of current, past, or expected environmental conditions, including the state of knowledge about those conditions, that helps America make better decisions.”

“Enabling the Public and governmental decision-makers to make better decisions by providing environmental data, forecasts and warnings, through intermediary systems or direct, expert collaboration, to protect lives and property, and enhance economic prosperity.”

“Environmental data, forecasts, warnings, information, and expertise provided directly to public- sector decision makers and through communication technologies to commercial activities and the Public, to protect lives and property, enhance economic prosperity, and help America make better decisions.”

DSS Definitions

So What is DSS?Decision Support Services (DSS)

The Simple Answer – The National Weather Service (NWS) is Decision Support

The NWS mission has not changed…the environment in which we deliver our mission has! How?

• Example of the Explosion of (instantly available) Information • Our reach has been extended (i.e., the new collaborative world)• 9-11• Rapid technological advances• The value of our science has improved• The Population is at Risk• How do make this happen?

Yet we are still product centric versus services centric (Need a NWS Standard Framework to provide the services needed)

Decision Support Services (DSS)

Example of the Explosion of Information

Need to look no further than the Web

Decision Support Services (DSS)

The Fort Worth Forecast

Decision Support Services (DSS)Example of the Explosion of Information

We contribute our share

Decision Support Services (DSS)Example of the Explosion of Information

Legacy NWS Business

Info Forecaster Product

We need to extend our reach utilizing new technologiesDecision Support Services (DSS)

Info Forecaster Services

Web Briefing

Recorded Briefing

Live VirtualBriefing

IC CenterOn-site

IC Incident On-site

The New NWS

We need to extend our reach utilizing new technologiesDecision Support Services (DSS)

The “reach” is rapidly becoming two-way, interactive, and more personal

We need to extend our reach utilizing new technologiesDecision Support Services (DSS)

9-11, DHS, and ICS (Incident Command System)Decision Support Services (DSS)

Rapid Technological AdvancesDecision Support Services (DSS)

The value of our science has improvedDecision Support Services (DSS)

Coastal Population Wildland Urban Interface

Decision Support Services (DSS)NWS = Decision Support (Population at Risk)

So these folks are doing decision support

NWS = Decision SupportDecision Support Services (DSS)

Severe Weather Operations - our bread and butter!

But so are these folks!

Decision Support Services (DSS)NWS = Decision Support

•Standard National Weather Service Framework• IRIS (Inter-Regional Integrated Services Framework)• Move from Product Based Services to Service Based Services

•Explosion of (instantly available) information • Acceptance of the new interpretative role of the forecaster• Enhance our expertise (e.g., we need to be the best)

•Our reach has been extended (the collaborative world)• Take advantage of this • Train and recruit necessary new skill sets• Talk to our core partners about DSS

•9-11• Understand the environment in which many of our core partners operate• Use ICS ourselves where applicable• Train the way our partners do and train with them

•Rapid technological advances • Increase our productivity (e.g., much smarter systems)• Provide/promote a two-way collaborative environment• Move quicker to utilize and test new technologies

•The value of our science has improved• Continue to heavily invest in improvements

•Population at risk• Utilize social and decision sciences to understand the risks and the impacts

of decisions

What Needs to Happen Decision Support Services (DSS)

Future of NWS will be focused on supporting high impact events where weather is a factor. NWS will provide decision support services to core partners with a similar mission.

Southern Regions DSS Statement (From the SR DSS Team)Decision Support Services (DSS)

Challenges •Resources

•Backroom operations support (science, systems, etc)•On-site support resources•Skill sets, training of employees•Pace of science, technology•Partnerships, relationships, collaborative environments•Policies and IT Security•Demand for services•Change Delivery of our Core Mission!

• The NWS mission has not changed…the way we deliver our mission has!

Decision Support Services (DSS)