Research Team: Shubhechchha Sharma, Apoorva Joshi, Chip Gobs, Ashley Peters, Sudhir Shrestha, David R. Vallee, Olivia Watson
Insitution: University of Minnesota, NOAA Office of Water Prediction
Start Date: August 1, 2022 | End Date: July 31, 2023
Research Theme: Forecast Design and Community Resilience
Recent open data accessibility priorities have emphasized the importance of responsible data stewardship. One of the priorities that requires additional attention is increasing service equity – specifically, increasing data product accessibility and use of underserved communities, individuals, and diverse publics. One opportunity to increase service equity is using social science principles and methods to improve the design of water data products and tools so that they can be correctly interpreted and used by a spectrum of stakeholders.
The goal of this research project is to collaborate with the NOAA Office of Water Prediction (OWP) to improve the visual design and communication of water data products and tools to improve their understandability, interpretation, and usefulness. This work has three priorities, including 1) understanding the breadth of NOAA water data products and user groups, 2) providing actionable recommendations on the National Water Prediction Service (NWPS) mapping tools given a synthesis of existing social science research on how to improve the understanding of OWP products for diverse public users, and 3) conducting focus groups with NOAA Warning Coordination Meteorologists (WCMs) and Service Coordination Hydrologists (SCH) to understand effective communication and translation approaches for water data products, including flood and drought information.
After engagement and consultation with different NOAA offices, the research team partnered with OWP to support the operationalization of social science research into NWPS mapping tools that will be publicly available in 2024. Using a combination of visual diagnostic principles and an extensive literature review, through a series of monthly meetings, the team collaborated with OWP to discuss best practice solutions including
- More effectively using colors and shades so that users can interpret the level of risk or alarm.
- Decluttering the auto-loading map so that the map functions properly on lower bandwidths and highlights areas of the greatest initial concern and interest.
- Complying with Section 508 and web accessibility standards, including recommended colors and tones that accommodate visual differences, for example, in those with color blindness.
- Improve mobile device functionality.
In addition to improving NWPS, the team is conducting focus groups to understand how hazards, like floods and droughts, are communicated by WCMs and SCHs. The team will identify the ways that WCMs modify communication strategies depending on the types of constituents, including what channels are used to reach underserved communities. The results will provide insight into the service equity barriers and best practices.
The team has already collaborated on operationalizing evidence-based social science research into the pre-public release of NWPS. Additionally, the project will result in publications, presentations/briefings, and peer-reviewed operational recommendations to improve the translation and use of NWPS for diverse users. Overall, this work will increase the correct interpretation and, ultimately, use of OWP water products and recommendations to advance NOAA’s service equity goals to provide reliable and actionable information to communities and decision-makers.