NWS Gets Results from Customer Satisfaction Surveys

Results from several customer satisfaction surveys in 2003 indicate the NWS is performing well in serving customers, when compared to businesses and other Federal agencies.

Emergency managers, media, aviation (pilots and dispatchers), and marine/tropical customers were the first to participate in the customer satisfaction surveys, conducted by a nationally-known research group used by hundreds of government agencies and private companies such as Wall Street.

“Businesses and government agencies measure satisfaction for several reasons,” said Greg Mandt, Director, Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services (OCWWS). “The insight we gain from customer satisfaction surveys will help us link customer satisfaction with expectations and desired outcomes; help us identify areas for improving quality of service provided to customers; benchmark NWS performance against the best in business and government; and, set a baseline for NWS customer satisfaction so we can measure our progress.”

Data from the surveys may also provide critical information for annual performance plans to Congress (required by the Government Performance and Results Act).

NWS program managers are using the survey findings to adjust their annual plans and focus efforts where customers have said they have greater needs. Results from the surveys also are being briefed to NWS focal points, partners, and customers.

NWS’s survey scores compare well with the scores of other organizations. Emergency manager satisfaction scored an 80, the marine/tropical score was 78, the aviation score was 77, and the media satisfaction score was 76. All four of these NWS customer segment scores are above the aggregate score of 70 for Federal agencies and also above the aggregate score of 74 for all organizations.

The number of respondents varied depending on the survey and the targeted audience:

• Aviation (phone survey): 250 respondents
• Emergency Managers (targeted web survey): 479 respondents
• Media (targeted web survey): 529 respondents
• Marine (open web survey linked to NWS Tropical Prediction Center): 6,298 respondents.

OCWWS hired the Federal Consulting Group to manage the surveys through Claes Fornell International (CFI) Group, an OPM-approved research company. OCWWS worked directly with representatives from the CFI Group to design, conduct, and evaluate the results of the surveys. Nearly all questions originated within OCWWS (with input from NWS Regions) and were constructed with help from CFI. The exceptions included standardized benchmark questions formulated by CFI. These questions were used in surveys conducted for other clients, which allows clients to compare their results to the customer satisfaction results gathered for other organizations. The questions deal with overall satisfaction with products and services, products and services compared to expectations, and products and services compared to an ideal.

The information gathered so far will be used to validate current products and services, establish requirements for future products and services, and feed into future strategic planning Mandt said.

The focal points in OCWWS for the four completed surveys are: Doug Young, National Public Weather Program - Emergency Managers and Media Surveys; Brian LaMarre, National Marine Program - Marine Survey; and, Carl Weiss, Aviation Program - Aviation Survey.

New Troubleshooting Guide Available for AWIPS WarnGen

The Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) Site Support Team has released the Operational Build 2 (OB2) software version of the WarnGen (Warning Generation software) Troubleshooting Guide.

The guide represents more than a year's worth of effort by Mike Rega, AWIPS Site Support Team (SST) member, said Vico Baer, AWIPS Support Branch Chief. The guide documents information learned by the Site Support Team in troubleshooting the AWIPS field use of WarnGen and covers aspects of AWIPS localization, AWIPS geography processing, WarnGen templates and product creation, and WarnGen's interface with other AWIPS software.

The guide is available on the AWIPS "One Stop" web page (under the "Software Manuals" link) and on the AWIPS System Administration Page.

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Marine Professional Development Series Modules Underway

NWS is working with University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) scientists, NWS Forecast Office marine subject matter experts, and the Navy to develop marine weather Professional Development Series (PDS) learning modules.

The first module in the marine PDS, “Wave Types and Characteristics,” was released August 1, 2003.

Richard May, Marine and Coastal Branch, NWS Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services, said NWS partners are progressing on the second module, “Wave Life Cycle: Generation,” which should be released by January 2004, and work has started on the third module, “Wave Life Cycle: Propagation and Dissipation.” Outlines for the fourth and fifth modules, both on marine winds, are underway, and planning for a sixth module, on rip currents, has begun.

NWS and the UCAR scientists are producing the marine PDS under the auspices of the Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education, and Training.

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NOAA Honored for Lightning Safety Awareness Campaigns

A NOAA team led by the NWS Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services recently earned a 2003 Annual Lightning Safety Recognition Award from the National Lightning Safety Institute (NLSI) in Louisville, CO.

Recipients of this award are groups and individuals who provide leadership for lightning safety issues and who serve as role models for others. This year's United States Government Service (Organization) Award went to: “The NOAA Lightning Safety Awareness Week (LSAW) Team” for “three years of initiative in developing effective campaigns which achieved heightened awareness about lightning safety throughout the USA.”

The NWS holds its annual lightning safety awareness week during the last full week of June each year.

"We are honored that NLSI has recognized the NWS with this award,” said Steve Kuhl, National Warning Coordination Meteorologist (WCM) Program Manager and current LSAW Team Leader. “This is truly a team award which goes out to all our members, including other government and private sector partners, plus all 122 of our field WCMs. This group of dedicated professionals has helped spread the word about lightning safety across our country since Lightning Safety Awareness Week first began three years ago."

NOAA Lightning Safety Awareness Week team members include employees from NWS Headquarters, NOAA Public Affairs, NWS Regional Offices, local WFO's, and the Storm Prediction Center. Kuhl said he, Donna Franklin, and Melody Magnus coordinated the outreach effort.

LSAW Team partners include: the NLSI; American Red Cross; FEMA; U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron; Institute for Business and Home Safety; Federal Alliance for Safe Homes; Vaisala Inc.; Lightning Strike & Electric Shock Survivors International, Inc.; PGA Tour; Women's United Soccer Association's Washington Freedom; University of Illinois at Chicago's Lightning Injury Research Program; and, several lightning strike survivors.

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Golfers, Mark Your Calendars

The 19^th annual Central Region/NWS Golf Association golf outing is scheduled for June 14-18, 2004, in West Lafayette, IN. Information is available on the new NWS golf web page.

Sam Lashley of the Northern Indiana Weather Forecast Office (WFO) is the 2004 host, and he has already made arrangements and negotiated group discounts for the outing. Lashley says the two golf courses for the outing are of “high quality” and a good value. Lashley also is the new webmaster for NWS golf information.

Brian Hahn, NWSGA Chairman, from WFO Milwaukee/Sullivan, WI, says he will send out a reminder e-mail early in 2004, and the association will distribute a web-based sign-up form by May 1, 2004.

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