Decision Support Services (DSS)

1. 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) DSS Definitions • “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.”

2. Decision Support Services (DSS) So What is DSS?

3. 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)

4. Decision Support Services (DSS) Example of the Explosion of Information Need to look no further than the Web

5. Decision Support Services (DSS) Example of the Explosion of Information The Fort Worth Forecast

6. Decision Support Services (DSS) Example of the Explosion of Information We contribute our share

7. Decision Support Services (DSS) We need to extend our reach utilizing new technologies Legacy NWS Business Info Forecaster Product

8. Decision Support Services (DSS) We need to extend our reach utilizing new technologies The New NWS Web Briefing Recorded Briefing Live Virtual Briefing IC Center On-site IC Incident On-site Info Forecaster Services

9. Decision Support Services (DSS) We need to extend our reach utilizing new technologies The “reach” is rapidly becoming two-way, interactive, and more personal

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

11. Decision Support Services (DSS) Rapid Technological Advances

12. Decision Support Services (DSS) The value of our science has improved

13. Decision Support Services (DSS) NWS = Decision Support (Population at Risk) Coastal Population Wildland Urban Interface

14. Decision Support Services (DSS) NWS = Decision Support So these folks are doing decision support

15. Decision Support Services (DSS) NWS = Decision Support But so are these folks! Severe Weather Operations - our bread and butter!

16. Decision Support Services (DSS) • 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

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

18. 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!