Exploring opportunities for efficiency in NOAA's weather research & development transition process : Findings from a human-centered evaluation of the OAR-NWS transition pipeline

The Weather Program Office (WPO) conducted a baseline assessment of how NOAA's weather-related research-to-operations (R2X) process functions in practice between the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) and the National Weather Service (NWS). The challenges and opportunities summarized here reflect insights shared directly by NOAA staff through 30+ interviews across line offices, roles, and disciplines. These findings represent participant perspectives and lived experiences within the R2X process and establish the R2X problem space for future prioritization and solution development.