# Presentation: 288877

## Thread Example(Goal Need to Observing System Recommendation)

**Following slides:**
**Mapping Mission Goal to Observation Needs**
**Comparing Observation Needs to Existing Observation Capabilities**
**Observation Gap (Need – Capability) Analysis**
**Trade Study or Solution Analysis**

**Notes:**
In the following slides, I’ll walk you through an example thread that proceeds from identifying a goal need and ultimately producing an observing system recommendation.  

## Mapping Mission Goal to Observation Needs

**Serve Society’s Needs for Weather and Water Information**

- Environmental Modeling

- Measure Wave Height

- Weather & Water Forecasts and Warnings

- Measure Water Column Temperature

- Ecosystem Modeling

- Measure SST

**Goal**

- Outcome Performance Measures

**Program**

- Program Performance Measures

**Program Components or Capabilities**

- Program Component Performance Measures

**Task/Activity**

- Task/Activity Performance Measures

**Notes:**
Here is a real NOAA case.  
The Goal being “to serve society’s needs for Weather and Water information.”
The Program being Environmental Modeling and one of the capabilities requirement by that Program being “Weather and Water Forecasts and Warnings.”
In order to achieve success, within that component of the Program, the Program needs observations; a Task/Activity.
Now how does this fit into the NOSA/requirements process?
Next slide

## Comparing Observation Needs to Existing Observation Capabilities

**Comparing Observation Needs to Existing Observation Capabilities**

**Serve Society’s Needs for Weather and Water Information**

- Environmental Modeling

- Measure SST

- Weather & Water Forecasts and Warnings

- Measure Water Column Temperature

- Ecosystem Modeling

- Measure Wave Height

- Mission Goal

- Program

- Capabilities

- Task/Activities

- Programs  & Capabilities that Support Goals

- SST

- NPOESS

- SST

- OAR TAO

- SST

- NWS MAN

- Task/Activity

**NOSA Baseline**

**=**

**=**

**=**

**=**

**=**

**=**

**Notes:**
Let’s walk thru an example.
Here on the top of the slide you have the same information, or Program requirements flow, but now on the bottom, you also have the observation systems that measure the parameter needed by the Program.  The NOAA Program, Environmental Modeling, needs SST measurements, to some performance measure.  There are several observing systems that measure SST to some level of accuracy, coverage and timeliness.
The question is, does the collection of observing systems, or current architecture, meet the Program requirements?
Click on next slide

## Observation Gap (Need – Capability) Analysis

**Observation Gap (Need – Capability) Analysis**

**Serve Society’s Needs for Weather and Water Information**

- Environmental Modeling

- Measure SST

- Weather & Water Forecasts and Warnings

- Measure Water Column Temperature

- Ecosystem Modeling

- Measure Wave Height

- Mission Goal

- Program

- Capabilities

- Task/Activities

- Programs  or Capabilities that Support Goals

- SST

- NPOESS

- SST

- OAR TAO

- SST

- NWS MAN

- Task/Activity

**NOSA Baseline**

**=**

**=**

**=**

**=**

**=**

**=**

- Gap Analysis

**Notes:**
The process of comparing requirements to current capabilities is commonly called a Gap Analysis.  This gap can be positive or negative.  There can be a shortfall in satisfying a capability requirement or there can be redundancies that need to be investigated.  Redundancies are not necessarily a bad thing—some are necessary.

## Trade Study or Solution Analysis to Target Architecture

**Trade Study or Solution Analysis**** to Target Architecture**

**Serve Society’s Needs for Weather and Water Information**

- Environmental Modeling

- Measure SST

- Weather & Water Forecasts and Warnings

- Measure Water Column Temperature

- Ecosystem Modeling

- Measure Wave Height

- Mission Goal

- Program

- Capabilities

- Task/Activities

- Programs  or Capabilities that Support Goals

- SST

- NPOESS

- SST

- OAR TAO

- SST

- NWS MAN

- Task/Activity

**NOSA Baseline**

**=**

**=**

**=**

**=**

**=**

**=**

**Gap Analysis**

**Trade Study or Solutions Analysis**

**Target Architecture**

**Notes:**
Once the gap has been identified and verified, a set of trade studies and various solutions are looked at as well as costed so that an investment analysis can be conducted.  There can be a whole range of solutions from investing in a new observation system, to upgrading computer or communications capabilities, to discontinuing a particular system, to transferring the responsibility for meeting the requirement to another agency within the government or the commercial sector.