Description:

The purpose of this session is to provide the R2O conference-goers a perspective on putting user needs and responding to user needs on the front end of the R2O working model. It opens to all aspects, challenges, examples of user engagement, and how groups incorporate user needs information to make decisions on product and service development and improvement.  The talks will show examples of how user needs information informs the value chain including demonstrated successes in transitioning user needs to use-inspired science, to the development of operational products and delivery to the user.

Speakers will include examples from NOAA line offices, partners, and stakeholders that can demonstrate the use of needs information to make decisions on their research, operation, and service delivery models.

Within NOAA, key users of end-user need information are products and services producers and delivery groups.  The session also invites the discussion between the R2O community with the User Engagement community about how to improve users' needs and information collected so that they become more useable for the NOAA's research and operation community.