6. Performance Targets
The NOAA five-year research plan (2005-2009), "Research in NOAA", identifies
the desired outcomes and performance objectives for each mission goal (listed
in Appendix VI), as well as specific research milestones, establishing a
framework for SOCD research and development. Performance measures can be
tracked from the activity level through the Mission Goal level, linking SOCD
goals and objectives to high level Mission Goal Priorities, creating the
NOAA performance measurement pyramid. Performance measures are evaluated
at each level to ensure quality and continuity within every level of
research, development, and operations.
Division Performance Measures
SOCD performance evaluation addresses accomplishments in four areas,
achievements that that Sustain/Master existing activities, is
Better/Improved, is New/Creates, and/or is First/Invests. Contributing
to Divisional-level performance measures, each science team has an
overarching performance measure, as well as at least one performance
measure for each task listed in their RPPs (listed in Appendix V).
SUSTAIN (master)
This focus describes research or development that pursues
incremental advancement or diffusion of existing ideas or tools.
The goal is to generate incremental advances in
knowledge and to master, extend, or share existing ideas, techniques,
fields, or technical areas. Progress is also indicated
by research to apply existing theories to new problems, prove the
accuracy of a theory.
- On an annual basis, sustain the determination, documentation,
and correction of the quality of NOAA operational satellite
ocean remote sensing products through regular calibration and
validation activities, maintaining current assessments and
adjustments to 100% of NOAA's operational satellite ocean
remote sensing data streams.
- On an annual basis, sustain 90% locally-controllable
availability of experimental and selected non-NOAA satellite
ocean remote sensing products for community use and evaluation.
BETTER (improve)
This focus describes research or development in either scientific
understanding or production that pursues incremental advancement or
improvements in existing products, processes, or technologies. The
goal is to incrementally improve or standardize an existing model,
technique, product, process, or technology for mission use. The goal
of this type of research is to understand or solve an immediate
problem, determine standards, or to incrementally improve the
functionality of a technology or manufacturing process or lower
its cost. Progress is judged by measurable incremental improvements
in product or process cost, performance, or characteristics that
can be linked to R&D.
- On an annual basis, implement improvements in the methodology
and/or quality of one to three NOAA operational and/or experimental
algorithms and products.
- On an annual basis, improve the technology transfer to users
of satellite ocean remote sensing, as measured by new products
made available and a trend of increasing number of available products.
- On an annual basis, improve the outreach to users of satellite
ocean remote sensing, as measured by a trend of increasing unique
users of satellite ocean remote sensing data/products.
- On an annual basis, improve public education on satellite
ocean remote sensing, as measured by unique new education
modules made available.
- On an annual basis, improve public education on satellite
ocean remote sensing, as measured by a trend of increasing unique
users of SOCD education modules.
NEW (create)
This focus describes research or development that pursues
radically or fundamentally new ideas or tools, either with or
without a specific application in mind. The goal is
to come up with fundamentally or radically new ideas, techniques,
theories, problem statements, or prototypes. Problems addressed
are complex. In science, the goal of this research is to
understand phenomena, with or without an application in mind. In
technology development, the goal is to search for a concept for a
new product or process. This is high-risk, long-term research.
Progress is proof of a concept, or an increase
in understanding of the problem, or additions to methods for
exploring how to solve a problem, or narrowing the number of
acceptable theories by proving hypotheses or identifying dead
ends. The research may result in the emergence of new fields of
inquiry or the emergence and adoption of new terms and techniques.
- On an annual basis, develop one unique new (or new improvement
to) operational or experimental technique, algorithm, product,
or service for satellite ocean remote sensing.
FIRST (invest)
This focus describes research or development that pursues
radically or fundamentally new products or process, new
scientific facilities or theories. Be First implies an application
of an idea. The goal is to develop a radically new
understanding, process, or product and be the first to get that
product accepted for mission application. In science, the goal of
this type of research is to develop a fundamentally new understanding
of techniques and tools. The potential applications for the
research are known. Progress means agreeing on
definition of the problem, developing research tools to test
hypotheses, and narrowing down the number of competing theories.
- On an annual basis, be the first to provide one new satellite
ocean remote sensing algorithm, product, or service.
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Overarching Science Team Performance Measures
- Sea Surface Temperature:
Produce the best SST products from individual satellite measurements
and merged satellite measurement.
- Sea Surface Height:
To maximally utilize satellite altimetry, complementary sea
level, SST, and wind speed measurements, to advance our
knowledge of climate variability, ocean dynamics,
gravity, and bathymetry.
- Ocean Surface Winds:
To provide the highest quality remotely-sensed wind products
over all environmental conditions in support of NOAA's
operational mission
- Ocean Color:
Develop and maintain the capability to produce climate
quality Ocean Color derived products.
- Sea Ice:
Development or transition of at least one NIC sea ice
product or application that exploits the availability of
unique NIC time-series in support of climatological research.
- Sea Surface Roughness:
Research, develop, and demonstrate marine applications of
SAR data leading to greater use and acceptance of these
products in operational offices of NOAA and/or other Government agencies.
