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Abstract The benefits of collaboration between the research and operational communities during the research-to-operations (R2O) process have long been documented in the scientific literature. Operational forecasters have a practiced, expert insight into weather analysis and forecasting but typically lack the time and resources for formal research and development. Conversely, many researchers have the resources, theoretical knowledge, and formal experience to solve complex meteorological challenges but lack an understanding of operation procedures, needs, requirements, and authority necessary to effectively bridge the R2O gap. Collaboration then serves as the most viable strategy to further a better understanding and improved prediction of atmospheric processes via ongoing multi-disciplinary knowledge transfer between the research and operational communities. However, existing R2O processes leave room for improvement when it comes to collaboration throughout a new product’s development cycle. This study assesses the subjective importance of collaboration at various stages of product development via a survey presented to participants of the 2021 Hazardous Weather Testbed Spring Forecasting Experiment. This feedback is then applied to create a proposed new R2O workflow that combines components from existing R2O procedures and modern co-production philosophies.
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Reflecting on the co-production ideal through practice
Abstract Co-production, or integrating a range of perspectives from researchers and non-researchers into the knowledge development process, is considered valuable for increasing the potential that scientific results will be applied by practitioners. While the literature around co-production often touts the benefits of such work, there is less focus on the potential costs of co-production, and discussions often lack nuance about the specific meaning of co-production in a particular context. In this perspective essay, we use an example co-production process focused on the development of a science agenda for a federal research program to consider the ideal of co-production. Specifically, we reflect on the appropriate level of non-researcher involvement throughout the full cycle of research, and position our process within the diverse range of existing co-production approaches. We suggest that the ideal of co-production is not necessarily one that integrates the maximum amount of non-research involvement throughout the full cycle of research at all costs, but one that focuses on mitigating the research-management gap while limiting the risks to those involved.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2224776
- PAR ID:
- 10570347
- Publisher / Repository:
- Springer Link
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Socio-Ecological Practice Research
- ISSN:
- 2524-5279
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s42532-024-00211-y
