World Meteorological Organization PTC-2012/Doc. 6.4
2012 MEETING OF PRESIDENTS OF Submitted by: The Secretariat
TECHNICAL COMMISSIONS Date: 20.I.2012
Distribution:
Geneva, 30 January - 1 February 2012 (a.m.) Original Language: English
Agenda Item: 6.4
CONSIDERATION OF THE DRAFT IMPLEMENTATION
PLAN OF THE WMO STRATEGY FOR SERVICE DELIVERY
SUMMARY
ISSUES TO BE DISCUSSED:
Implementation Plan for the “WMO Strategy for Service Delivery”
ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL RESOURCES REQUIRED:
None
DECISIONS/ACTIONS REQUIRED:
Presidents of Technical Commissions (PTCs) to define the role of the Technical Commissions (TCs) in the
implementation of the “WMO Strategy for Service Delivery”
REFERENCES:
1. Abridged Final Report with Resolutions of the Sixteenth World Meteorological Congress
(WMO-No. 1077)
2. Abridged Final Report with Resolutions of the Sixty-third Session of the Executive Council
(WMO-No. 1059)
CONTENT OF DOCUMENT:
Summary of the steps taken so far in the development process of the Implementation Plan for the “WMO
Strategy for Service Delivery” and the role that TCs could play
Appendix for inclusion in the final report:
Draft text for inclusion in the general summary of PTC-2012
Annex to the appendix, for information:
Draft of the “WMO Strategy for Service Delivery”
PTC-2012/Doc. 6.4, APPENDIX
$DRAFT SUMMMARY FOR INCLUSION IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY OF PTC-2012
6.4 CONSIDERATION OF THE DRAFT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE WMO STRATEGY FOR
SERVICE DELIVERY (agenda item 6.4)
6.4.1 The Presidents of Technical Commissions (PTCs) noted that the “WMO Strategy for
Service Delivery” had been adopted by the Sixteenth Session of the World Meteorological
Congress (Cg-XVI, Geneva, Switzerland, 16 May - 3 June 2011) as presented in the annex to this
appendix. The Strategy was developed under the guidance of the Executive Council Working
Group on Disaster Risk Reduction and Service Delivery (EC/WG DRR&SD). The development of
the Strategy included inputs from several of the Regional Associations (RAs) and Technical
Commissions (TCs), the Executive Council (EC) subsidiary bodies and the WMO Programmes. In
approving the Strategy, Congress had requested that an implementation plan be developed to
guide Members’ efforts at national level.
6.4.2 While much has been done by WMO Members to build infrastructure and improve
modeling capabilities to enhance products, developments in service delivery have not always
matched the improvement in technical capabilities. The implementation of the Strategy is intended
to address this gap and to serve as a tool to evaluate and guide the development of service
delivery practices by Members.
6.4.3 In response to the request by Congress to develop an implementation plan for the
Strategy, the meeting of experts to draft an Implementation Plan for the “WMO Strategy on Service
Delivery” was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 31 August to 2 September 2011. The meeting
was chaired by Mr Abdalah Mokssit, Chairperson of the Executive Council Working Group on
Service Delivery (EC/WG-SD). The PTC noted that the Meeting had recommended that the
Implementation Plan for the Strategy should be aligned with the work of the TCs. The
implementation of the Strategy should also be closely linked to the work of the GFCS UIP as well
as to the WMO Quality Management Framework (QMF).
6.4.4 The Presidents were informed that the Draft Outline is in the process of being
developed into a draft implementation plan through a consultancy arrangement between WMO and
the UK Met Office. It is planned that the draft implementation plan, when ready, be circulated to
Presidents of TCs, Presidents of RAs and the WMO programmes for their input.
6.4.5 The main objectives of the Implementation Plan will be to develop the capabilities and
capacities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) to evaluate their status
of service delivery, how to achieve higher levels of service delivery, determining what resources
are required, creation of feedback mechanisms between NMHSs and users, and to carry out
continuous assessment and evaluation of service delivery levels of NMHSs. The Plan will be
tested in at least one NMHS while being developed and will contain examples of service delivery
from various NMHSs as a demonstration and “how to” guidance to other NMHSs.
6.4.6 The PTC, noting their important role in the implementation of the WMO Strategy for
Service Delivery agreed to:
a. contribute their input into the Draft Implementation Plan of the “WMO Strategy for
Service Delivery” once the draft implementation is circulated to them;
PTC-2012/Doc. 6.4, APPENDIX, p. 2
b. include discussions, during their respective sessions, on how TCs would
streamline the “WMO Strategy for Service Delivery” into their respective fields of
operation; and,
c. recommend how Members could be effectively supported within their efforts to
implement the Strategy.
_____________
PTC-2012/Doc. 6.4, APPENDIX, ANNEX
THE WMO STRATEGY FOR SERVICE and users are more likely to receive services
DELIVERY that meet their needs.
PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT The ability of NMHSs to meet national
service needs is put to its most critical test
The purpose of this document is to provide a when an extreme hydrometeorological event
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) occurs. Even the best forecast, issued on
Strategy for Service Delivery that will assist time, is no defense if, for various reasons, it
National Meteorological and Hydrological did not generate the desired response from
Services (NMHSs) in the provision of those at risk. In other words, the forecast had
weather-, climate- and water-related services little impact. Most of the utility of weather-,
to the public and decision-makers. The climate-, and water-related information
Strategy incorporates assessment of user occurs in communicating the information to
needs and the application of performance users and the response of those users based
metrics. on information received. Ultimately, the utility
of weather-, climate-, and water-related
While there is no prescriptive way to information is the degree to which it has a
provide services, the Strategy serves as a beneficial impact on societal and economic
foundation to improve service delivery by outcomes. If the currently available
sharing best practices, supporting mutually information is underutilized, value can be
agreed upon guidelines, and by increasing increased by improving the forecast,
user engagement throughout the delivery improving communication, and by improving
process, recognizing the many differences in the decision-making process. Effective
cultures, structures, operational practices, service delivery, then, is about providing
resource and development levels across products and services that bring utility to
NMHSs. users and customers.
This Strategy, which is at once broad Much has been done for service
yet flexible, seeks to do two things: (1) serve delivery by the WMO through various
as a tool for evaluating current service international and regional institutions,
delivery practices; and, (2) serve as high- programmes and structures, such as World
level guidance for developing more detailed Meteorological Centres (WMCs) and
methods and tools for better integrating users Regional Specialized Meteorological Centres
into the service delivery process. It is (RSMCs), to prepare and provide products to
adaptable to the unique needs of providers in serve as a basis for NMHSs to use in the
both developed and developing countries, provision of services. Similarly, at the national
regardless of who the users are and whether level, many NMHSs have focused significant
providers deliver public or commercial efforts on improving service delivery by
products and services. The role of the WMO building relationships with various user
Secretariat in the implementation of this communities to better understand and
Strategy is to serve as facilitator and respond to their needs.
coordinator.
The present Strategy seeks to build
INTRODUCTION upon and institutionalize such practices to
strengthen service delivery across the entire
The bottom line for most government WMO by describing key strategy elements
organizations is their mission. To achieve the and activities related to a service-oriented
mission, organizations need resources, but culture. The Strategy focuses on
resources are often in short supply and must understanding the users’ value chain to gain
be shared among competing organizations. knowledge about users, the decisions they
This competition for scarce resources must make, and how weather-, climate-, and
requires NMHSs to demonstrate their value water-related information is applied to
by realizing cost efficiencies while delivering minimize risk and realize benefits not only to
high-quality, useful products and services. a specific user group but also to society as a
Policy-makers and the public continually whole. With this knowledge, service providers
assess the effectiveness of NMHSs based on are able to develop, produce and deliver
their ability to meet the service delivery services that are useful, relevant and
standards of the nations they serve. By responsive. NMHSs are able to measure the
incorporating the role of users and customers value of their information to society and
in day-to-day operations, those customers continually evaluate and improve upon
PTC-2012/Doc. 6.4, APPENDIX, ANNEX, p. 2
services. Adopting a more collaborative strategy stands alone as a useful tool to
approach provides everyone in the service improve overall effectiveness of products and
delivery process – providers, users, and services and customer/user satisfaction.
partners – with a clear understanding of
service needs. AN EXAMPLE OF BASIC APPROACH TO
QMS
LINK TO THE WMO QUALITY
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (QMS) The Malaysian Meteorological Service (MMS)
FRAMEWORK has implemented a process-based QMS at
the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)
WMO encourages NMHSs to implement Forecast Center as a means of
Quality Management Systems (QMS) and institutionalizing effective service delivery.
has defined a Quality Management MMS implemented a QMS to improve the
Framework (QMF) to provide advice on provision of consistent products and services
development and use of QMS relevant to that meet customer requirements; to improve
meteorological and hydrological customer satisfaction through continuous
organizations. The ultimate goal of a QMS is process improvement; and to establish
to encourage and to support the continual quality metrics to measure, review, and
improvement of product and service quality, control the forecasting processes.
focusing on quality control, quality assurance
and quality improvement. The top management of the MMS is
responsible for the QMS processes and is
Quality management assesses not only constantly upgrading its effectiveness
the final product or service but the series of through:
steps or operations that occur for the final
product or service to be produced and Identifying customer needs and
delivered in a manner that satisfies the ensuring customer/client
customer. The insight gained through quality satisfaction through
management allows NMHSs to find, fix, and questionnaires, feedback, and
prevent failure that might lead to a faulty reviews;
product or service. In the context of weather Regular communication with
services, for example, the processes that Regional Forecast Offices to
make up a weather forecast and service ensure and fulfil customer
delivery are: satisfaction achieved through
various avenues like meetings,
Data collection and analysis; staff discussions, training, etc.;
Modeling for prediction; Determining the quality policy and
Model interpretation and forecast objectives;
production; Conducting management
Dissemination of products and reviews; and,
services received by users; and, Identifying and ensuring
Understanding and use of availability of resources like
forecasts. skilled personnel, infrastructure,
finances, training and internal
To improve the quality of weather audit teams.
products and services, NMHSs must assess
and analyze each step and sub-steps of the
forecast process to determine where root WHAT IS SERVICE DELIVERY?
problems may exist and how better to correct
them. For example, QMS processes may find Defining service delivery first requires a
that a high-quality product is of marginal use common definition of service, which this
because it is not received by the user in time Strategy defines as a product or activity that
for decision-making. meets the needs of a user or can be applied
by a user. To be effective, services should
Improvements in service delivery, then, possess these attributes:
are a natural consequence of using QMS.
The WMO Strategy for Service Delivery may Available and timely: at time
be viewed as a supplement to the WMO and space scales that the user
QMF. Even if NMHSs have no internal or needs;
external requirement to apply QMS, this
PTC-2012/Doc. 6.4, APPENDIX, ANNEX, p. 3
Dependable and reliable: organizations also engaged in
delivered on time to the required delivering services is essential in
user specification; maximizing the use of weather,
Usable: presented in user climate and water information for
specific formats so that the client decision-making; and,
can fully understand; The concepts and best practices
Useful: to respond appropriately of service delivery are applied to
to user needs; all WMO activities and accepted
Credible: for the user to by the entire WMO.
confidently apply to decision-
making; AN EXAMPLE OF COLLABORATION
Authentic: entitled to be AMONG DIFFERENT AGENCIES
accepted by stakeholders in the
given decision contexts; The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Responsive and flexible: to the Administration (NOAA) and the National
evolving user needs; Science Foundation in the United States
Sustainable: affordable and developed the Communicating Hurricane
consistent over time; and, Information Program (CHI) to focus on
Expandable: to be applicable to advancing the understanding by decision
different kinds of services. makers (e.g., emergency managers, elected
officials) and the general public of hurricane
Service delivery, then, is a continuous, outlooks, forecasts, watches, and warnings.
cyclic process for developing and delivering The program illustrates how national
user-focused services. It is further defined in agencies can partner to support integrated
four stages: weather-society work that advances
fundamental understanding and addresses
• Stage 1: User Engagement - agencies’ needs in fulfilling their missions.
identifying users and understanding
their needs, as well as understanding
the role of weather, climate, and water- MOVING TOWARD A SERVICE-
related information in different sectors; ORIENTED CULTURE
• Stage 2: Service Design and
Development - process between This Strategy defines six elements and
users, providers, suppliers, and associated high-level activities necessary for
partners of creating, designing, and moving towards a more service-oriented
developing services, ensuring user culture. The elements should assist providers
needs are met; in identifying current areas of success, which
• Stage 3: Delivery - producing, may be shared as best practices across the
disseminating, and communicating WMO, and areas where improvements are
data, products and information (i.e., needed. The elements and suggested
services) that are fit for purpose and activities described below serve as a
relevant to user needs; and, framework to guide the development of
• Stage 4: Evaluation and implementation plans that provide more
Improvement - process to collect user detailed processes, methodologies, and
feedback and performance metrics to tools.
continuously evaluate and improve
upon products and services.
Specifically related to weather-, climate-
and water-related services the following four
principles embody effective service delivery:
User engagement and feedback
are essential in designing and
delivering effective services;
Sharing best practices leads to
effective and efficient service
design and implementation;
Partnership with other
international and regional
PTC-2012/Doc. 6.4, APPENDIX, ANNEX, p. 4
WORKING WITH USERS IN related information. Users take many forms –
DESIGNING AND DEVELOPING from the general public to government
PRODUCTS - THE LEARNING ministries, military, and private industry. Many
THROUGH DOING (LTD) PROJECT OF NMHSs serve customers and users in
CHILE government, including disaster management,
agriculture, transportation, health, and
Since 2008, the Meteorological Service of tourism. NMHSs may also engage with
Chile (DMC) has been working with the intermediaries, such as the media, who
Public Weather Services Programme represent a user group or who further
(PWSP) of WMO to implement the Learning develop products and services for end-users.
Through Doing (LTD) project with the The role of the provider is to identify those
objective of enhancing Service Delivery to the users, including intermediaries, understand
fisheries, agriculture and transport sectors. what they need, and how NMHSs can meet
The Project is based upon engaging users those needs, either individually or in
from these sectors with a view to determining partnership with other providers and partners.
their needs and requirements, and to design The evaluation of user needs is not a one-
and produce improved products to meet time requirement but a continuous and
those needs. It also focuses on enhancing collaborative part of the service delivery
the dissemination and communication process.
channels to ensure that the users access
products easily. Multidisciplinary teams have Key Activities for Accomplishing
been formed between DMC and the user
sectors to steer the implementation of the Depending on the user group, the
project. provider should develop regular opportunities
to engage with users to discuss needs, and
For example, regarding the transport performance. These are opportunities for the
sector, services target the Los Libertadores provider to better understand the user’s
Border Complex which serves daily flow of business, including: their mission and goals;
traffic between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, the types of decisions made on a regular
Uruguay and Chile. Users for meteorological basis; how risk is managed; and how the
products and services include the public provider’s services may contribute.
transport services, tourists, freight
transportation companies, and passengers. Typical questions to ask of any user or
The needs of each of these users are customer are:
different, which requires different products
and services to meet their specific needs. What is your mission?
How do you do it?
The new line of products designed, What are your goals and how can
consists of daily weather forecasts and we contribute?
weather warnings. The full report including How do you use our services?
all the sectors is available at: How can we make it work better?
http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/amp/pwsp/ What types of decisions do you
Activities_and_Reports_en.html have to make?
What would help you make better
As of 2010 the project had developed decisions?
22 new meteorological products and How do you measure success?
services; improved professional and technical
skills in designing and implementing products Providers should facilitate
and services improvements; and enhanced communication and use of weather-, climate-,
dialogue and cooperation between users with and water-related information, and in some
the DMC, resulting in increased uptake of cases, provide training on specific products
meteorological products and services. and services. User engagement is also a
good opportunity to discuss, promote, and
facilitate interdisciplinary research and
development efforts for user-specific products
Strategy Element 1. Evaluate User and services.
Needs and Decisions
How to engage users will vary by user
At the core of effective service delivery group and by country. Interactions may be
is the user of weather-, climate- and water- formal or informal, in-person or virtual, and
PTC-2012/Doc. 6.4, APPENDIX, ANNEX, p. 5
may occur through user forums, focus
groups, workshops, meetings, conferences, NMHSs should leverage existing WMO
surveys, correspondence, or face-to-face with guidance and tool kits (see Appendix B), as
individual users. Frequency will vary, but well as new guidance and best practices
must be ongoing and most likely more than coordinated by the WMO Secretariat to build
once a year. Engagement should include not a core set of service delivery criteria. NMHSs
only the users, but also partners, such as should develop methods and tools to
private sector organizations and the media, document and validate user needs and
and other government organizations as expectations and to communicate them within
necessary. the organization and to other partners as
necessary. User needs should then be
AERONAUTICAL METEOROLOGICAL converted into requirements to be met by
SERVICES existing or new products and services.
Customer focus is the first and foremost of User requirements should be evaluated
the quality management principles to be to ensure that they fall within the mission of
adopted by aeronautical meteorological NMHSs and that NMHSs have the capability
service providers. Customer requirements to meet those requirements. Evaluating user
are documented through relevant ICAO and needs for such purposes is what this Strategy
national regulatory bodies, and the quality of calls fit for purpose. NMHSs should not
services as perceived by the customers is evaluate user needs in isolation, but do so
monitored. The means to achieve this include collaboratively with users, providers, and
verification and evaluation processes, the partners. Fit for purpose demonstrates an
conduct of regular customer satisfaction agreement, either implicitly or explicitly,
surveys, liaison group meetings with among all involved and acknowledges some
representatives of the customers (e.g., pilots, or all of the following:
dispatchers, air traffic personnel, civil aviation
regulators, etc.) and visits to the operation Current and evolving user needs;
facilities of airlines and to meteorological Provider capabilities, including
offices. User suggestions and feedback are strengths and limitations;
formally recorded and followed up. A formal What services will be provided
response is given to the user before a and how they will be provided;
suggestion or feedback is considered closed. How services will be used;
Specific to aviation, the liaison group Expectations of acceptable
meetings also provide a forum for considering outcomes and provider
and documenting agreements on local performance;
arrangements in the provision of the Acceptable cost or level of effort;
aeronautical meteorological services as and,
stipulated in ICAO Annex 3 / WMO Technical Risks inherent in applying
Regulations [C.3.1]. This user engagement information to decision-making.
process also goes a long way in satisfying
the audit requirements of the Quality
Management System and aviation safety
oversight.
Services for airports could be
considered an area for improvement. These
are not covered by ICAO regulations except
for TAFs and basic warnings, and have to be
agreed between airport operators and service
providers. This can lead to difficult situations
when airports experiencing serious
disruptions by weather elements are either
not relying on met information at all in their
operations, or receive them from independent
service providers which are not coordinated
with the services for airlines and air traffic
management.
PTC-2012/Doc. 6.4, APPENDIX, ANNEX, p. 6
TEMPLATE FOR BASIC COMPONENTS NMHSs have limited resources and
OF A SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT capacity, and therefore cannot be expected
to provide everything to everyone. A clear fit
Article I. Parties for purpose understood by all parties sets
Describe the parties involved in the SLA clear expectations and minimizes risk for
NMHSs while achieving the best possible
Article II. Scope solution for users. If appropriate, NMHSs may
SECTION 2.01 SCOPE want to explicitly outline the agreement
reached with the user in a service level
Describe the purpose and extent of the SLA agreement. Agreements with other suppliers
or partners may be documented in operating
SECTION 2.02 ASSUMPTIONS level agreements. Such agreements should
be prepared in such a way as to reflect the
Define any assumptions that underlie the current scientific uncertainties associated
defined scope with forecasting weather, climate and
hydrological events.
SECTION 2.03 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Describe what the parties are expecting to Effective user engagement throughout
accomplish with the SLA the entire service delivery process builds
knowledge of user needs. It also builds an
Article III. Roles and Responsibilities understanding of the impact of weather-,
For all parties involved in the SLA, describes climate-, and water-related information on
the role of each party and the responsibilities protecting life and property, sustaining the
for supporting the SLA and delivering the environment, and promoting economic
products and services defined within development and prosperity. This knowledge
leads to more effective products and services
Article IV. Effective Date and Term
The date the agreement is effective its that are better aligned with external demands
duration with a clear fit for purpose.
Article V. Delivery and Performance Strategy Element 2. Link Service
Describe in detail what each party is Development and Delivery to User Needs
responsible for delivering and the key
performance indicators to ensure compliance Building knowledge of users is of
marginal utility if such knowledge is not
Article VI. Reporting, Reviewing and integrated into the design, development and
Auditing delivery of services. NMHSs with service-
Describe oversight and reporting on the oriented cultures produce products and
agreement; when the agreement should be
reviewed, and reporting points of contact services with the user at the center of the
development process. This means that
Article VII. Cost / Funding and Payment NMHSs need processes and tools for
Document costs associated with the SLA, translating requirements into tangible
who is responsible for paying, or funding, and products and services and then validating
when payment should occur. Cost may be that user needs and expectations are met.
broken down by specific line-items, such as
labor, supplies, equipment, travel, training,
etc.
Article VIII. Changes and Modifications
Describe the process by which changes or
modifications will be made to the SLA and
who is responsible for making changes
Article IX. Termination
Describe terms for termination of the SLA
and the process for terminating
PTC-2012/Doc. 6.4, APPENDIX, ANNEX, p. 7
WORKING WITH THE CUSTOMER TO
OPTIMIZE FLOOD WARNINGS
One approach is to create a model in
Flood forecasting methodology, developed by the form of a real or virtual co-location of
Schröter et al1. (2008) was applied to two meteorologists and users of weather-,
small river basins in Austria and Spain. The climate- and water-related information who
methodology was based on an assessment work together to deliver products and
of the effectiveness and efficiency of Early services. This approach integrates
Warning Systems (EWS) for flash floods. It hydrometeorological information with user-
focused on the development of optimal alerts specific data to determine impacts on the
through the analysis of trade-offs between public and industry, such as: energy grid
the benefits of an increased lead time and the management; construction; flood control and
simultaneous decrease of warning reliability urban inundation; hospitals and health
associated with the longer lead time. practitioners, emergency preparedness and
Determining the ability to reduce flood response; transportation; and so forth.
damage was based on a survey of users. The Meteorologists may have temporary (short-
approach considered that the increase in lead term) or permanent assignment that enables
time provided valuable opportunity for them to work side-by-side with road
preparedness and prevention; whereas, the management and maintenance specialists,
decease of warning reliability would cause public health experts, emergency responders,
economic loss in the case of false alarms. and others. The benefit to users is an
The assessment concluded that increasing operational network that evolves to meet
lead time for flash flood events does not specific user needs, forecasts systems
produce the maximum societal benefits due targeted to user decisions and an integrated
to the decreasing reliability (i.e., increasing system that aligns weather-, climate- and
false alarm rate). In fact, to maximize water-related information with societal and
damage avoidance and minimize production economic impacts and user-specific
loss due to false alarms, the optimal lead information.
time is not the longest lead time. In the Besòs
basin in Spain, for example, the optimal PUBLIC WEATHER SERVICE PLATFORM -
warning lead time was two hours. In practice, METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE DELIVERY
this is the time where a “watch” becomes a IN THE MEGA CITY OF SHANGHAI
warning.
The Shanghai Meteorological Bureau (SMB)
1 Schröter, K., M. Otrowski, C. Velasco, of the Chinese Meteorological Administration
H.P. Nachtnebel, B. Kahl, M. Beyene, C. (CMA) established an Integrated Public
Rubin M. Gocht, 2008: Effectiveness and Weather Services (PWS) operations platform
Efficiency of Early Warning Systems for in 2009 to strengthen the integration between
Flash-Floods (EWASE). First CRUE ERA-Net SMB, other agencies and specialized users.
Common Call – Effectiveness and Efficiency The goals of the Platform are: to transform
of Non-structural Flood Risk Management PWS delivery into routine work by specialized
Measures, 132pp. Available from www.crue- duty officers; and to provide highly targeted
eranet.net and tailored services to a variety of
institutional, governmental, specialized users
and the public.
Linking service development and
delivery to user needs necessitates an Under the direction of the Chief Service
operating model that delivers forecasts and Officer (CSO), the Platform develops
information when and how the user specifies products for decision-making for 26 sectors
and provides users with the necessary which include government departments,
support. Users will have different emergency response agencies, the public,
requirements so the key is to develop an and weather sensitive users. The daily
operating model that is flexible and adaptable forecasts and warnings dissemination
to wide-ranging and evolving user demands. mechanisms for the PWS Platform include
This includes workforce, systems, technical SMS (Short Message Service), television,
and physical infrastructures. radio, newspapers, magazine, the Web;
Basic Grid Unit management system,
electronic screens, telephone and fax.
PTC-2012/Doc. 6.4, APPENDIX, ANNEX, p. 8
its stakeholders, customers, users, partners,
and employees. Specifically, metrics should
possess the following attributes:
Key Activities for Accomplishing
Specific – Metrics are specific
NMHSs should develop and improve and targeted to the area being
upon processes and tools to document and measured. For example, a good
communicate user requirements to all parties metric for customer satisfaction
involved, including the research community, would be direct feedback from
developers, partners, budget and finance customers on how they feel about
officials, and others. Users should be brought a service or product. A poorer
in at various stages of the design and metric would be the number of
development process to evaluate and test customer complaints because it is
products and services to ensure that they not specific nor a direct
meet requirements and allow for optimal correlation to customer
decision-making. satisfaction and, as such, can be
misleading;
Processes should be monitored and Measurable – Ability to collect
evaluated. (See Strategy Element 3 for more data that is accurate and
details on evaluation and monitoring). complete;
Actionable – Metrics are easy to
To implement this strategy element, understand, interpret, and act
consideration should be given by the WMO to upon;
leverage existing guidance and best practices Relevant – Measure only those
to develop a minimum set of standards and things that are important and
benchmarks for the design, development and relevant to an organization’s
delivery of products and services that goals and objectives. A common
integrate users throughout the process. Using mistake is to measure everything,
the standards and benchmarks as a basis for which is time consuming and
evaluation, NMHSs should conduct a current produces meaningless results;
assessment of their service design, Timely – Metric data can be
development and delivery practices to identify collected when it is needed;
gaps between current practices and the Agreed Upon – Externally-based
WMO standards. NMHSs should use metrics should be agreed upon by
structured problem solving and process the NMHSs and customers,
improvement methods (see Appendix B) to users, or partners. As discussed
develop and implement plans to close service under strategy element one,
design, development, and delivery gaps. agreeing upon acceptable levels
WMO Members are strongly encouraged to of performance is part of the
share results and experiences obtained evaluation of user needs, or fit for
through these activities. purpose;
Owned – Metrics should have
Strategy Element 3. Evaluate and clearly identified owners. Ideally
Monitor Service Performance and these owners should be
Outcomes individuals with the ability,
influence and resources to take
Service delivery does not stop once the action to ensure targets are met;
product or service has been delivered. User and,
outreach and engagement must continue to Consistent – Any two given
ensure that services are received and acted metrics should not promote
upon and full benefit is achieved by the user. conflicting behaviors.
NMHSs should have a core set of metrics to
measure the end-to-end-to-end service The following are examples of the types
delivery process and its outputs. Each metric of metrics important for evaluating and
should only measure a specific aspect of the monitoring service performance:
process but collectively, the metrics should
enable an organization to demonstrate its Forecast Accuracy
strengths and identify its areas for
improvement in terms of effectiveness, A service-oriented culture demands use
efficiency, impact, satisfaction, and value to of accuracy measure from the perspective of
PTC-2012/Doc. 6.4, APPENDIX, ANNEX, p. 9
the user, which differs from some of the Yearly measure of customer
accuracy measures widely applied within the satisfaction as measured on an
Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) external benchmarking scheme
community. A service-oriented organization by an external assessor of public-
should use forecast parameters which have sector organizations; and,
direct impact on users’ activities and Annual mail surveys to external
operations. Accuracy of warnings and of users on quality of web services.
temperature predictions are good examples
of 'service-oriented' accuracy metrics. Customer Service
Specific examples currently in use include:
Customer service metrics are related to
Rolling average of percentage of customer satisfaction, but tend to deal with
forecast maximum and minimum monitoring the effectiveness of the processes
temperatures for today and designed to allow continuous feedback from
tomorrow lying within 2 degrees users and customers, rather than the content
Celsius of actual values; and, of the feedback itself. They can also be used
Measure of Storm-based Tornado to measure various aspects of the contract
False Alarm Rate. between NMHSs and their customers.
Customer service metrics of these types tend
Customer Satisfaction to be well-defined and can be simple to
formulate, at least initially, though there
User engagement is at the heart of a should be regular checks for relevance and
service delivery culture, and measurement of the targets may need to be finely tuned to
customer, or user, satisfaction is both ensure they are realistic. Specific examples
necessary and hugely useful in assessing currently in use include:
performance and areas for future
development. Respond to correspondence from
all quarters within a maximum of
User surveys are already in widespread 5 working days, and answer with
and regular use within the WMO. Surveys courtesy all telephone calls within
may have several levels of formality, scope a maximum of 2 minutes;
and standardization, ranging from frequent 95% or more of annual average
customer liaison visits or user workshops, to of complaints answered within
bulk information gathering exercises using 28 days; and,
standardized surveys via e-mail, the web or 85% or more of annual average
by telephone. Both formal and informal of all calls to be answered within
methods for gathering user feedback are 20 seconds.
appropriate and useful. Surveys may be
undertaken at routine intervals, or following a Compliance, Timeliness & Resilience
significant weather event. Satisfaction is often
situational (environmental or economic) or Metrics of this kind are designed to
influenced by public or media perceptions. measure the details of service quality away
These external factors can be minimized by from conventional measures such as
using large and representative samples, accuracy. These metrics may measure user
longer periods of investigation or multiple requirements, mandates, or internal
events. Small-scale and highly-specific requirements for producing and
customer survey results are best used disseminating data and information. Specific
alongside larger survey results from which examples currently in use include:
statistically valid conclusions can be more
easily drawn. Further, customer satisfaction 100% of Australian Tsunami
results can prove important when viewed Bulletins issued from the Joint
alongside accuracy metrics, highlighting Australian Tsunami Warning
differences between customer perception and Centre (JATWC) are available to
technical performance. Specific examples emergency services and the
currently in use include: public within 40 minutes of a
significant event in the Pacific or
Telephone customer satisfaction Indian Ocean; and,
surveys conducted immediately Monthly measurement of
after a severe weather event has percentage of METAR and TAF
occurred or has been forecast; bulletins issued on time.
PTC-2012/Doc. 6.4, APPENDIX, ANNEX, p. 10
roads that could quickly be rendered
impassable by heavy rains. New methods of
weather dissemination options such as the
Reach RAdio InterNET (RANET) community radio
stations have evolved too, serving areas that
As this Strategy identifies, effective are highly prone to extreme weather such as
services must be available, timely, and flooding and drought. The community radios
useful. Measuring the reach of services have been very effective in issuing warnings
demonstrates how well NMHSs deliver and forecasts in local languages.
products and services that users are aware of
and can access. In the case of public weather KMD has also focused on public education
services, there has traditionally been a and outreach through activities such as radio
reliance on the “push” of information to the and television discussion programmes and
wider public via the media – usually television organizing school visits to KMD facilities, in
and radio. It is necessary to measure the order to prepare the public to respond
effectiveness, or reach, of this adequately to warnings.
communication route, and the growing
importance of other media, such as the Web,
to reach the public. Specific examples Impact
currently in use include:
Measuring forecast accuracy,
Percentage of telephone survey timeliness, and reach do not tell the complete
responders who affirmatively story of service delivery effectiveness.
responded to seeing or hearing a Measuring the impact of a product or service
warning for a specific severe demonstrates the value or benefit received,
weather event; often measured in terms of societal or
Number of referrals to the website economic impact. Measuring impact tells
from external sites; and, NMHSs whether or not their products and
Maintain full functionality of public services are useful and relevant. Measuring
website over 99.5% of the time impact may require a significant cultural shift
(three month rolling average). within an organization because it typically
uses more subjective methods based in
WORKING WITH THE USERS – KENYA social science. Effective impact metrics
METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT (KMD) should be based on the input and
collaboration from users and partners,
The Kenya Meteorological Department including those in the social science
(KMD), through its Public Weather Services community, such as economists and
(PWS) Division serves the general public and sociologists, who have expertise in
a cross section of specialized users which measuring social and economic impacts and
includes the media, the disaster community, human behavior. Specific examples currently
agriculture, energy and health sectors. In in use include:
order to serve these users effectively, it has
taken steps to understand their specific Decrease in weather-related
needs and to organize its service delivery aviation delays; and,
operations to respond optimally to such Cost avoidance from
needs. It has accomplished this through unnecessary evacuations.
carrying out user surveys and increasing
interaction with them in training workshops Internal Processes
and through the meetings of multidisciplinary
teams which have been created for the Good service delivery is reliant on
service delivery improvement. insight into the organization’s internal
processes. Effective and efficient internal
Over the years, the scope of user processes have direct impact on the quality
groups has expanded and the demand for of service delivery, the value of products and
new products increased. A good example is a services, and the cost effectiveness of an
recent request by the Kenya National organization’s day-to-day operations.
Examination Council (KNEC) for monthly Measurement of an organization’s internal
weather forecasts and weekly updates to processes should be driven largely by the
help them with the logistics of transporting QMS used, and the key processes defined
examination papers to remote places using
PTC-2012/Doc. 6.4, APPENDIX, ANNEX, p. 11
therein. Specific examples currently in use those Members who already have in place
include: such monitoring.
Internal and external audits to Strategy Element 4. Sustain
review ISO9001 capabilities; and, Improved Service Delivery
Periodic review of research
activities by an external Service delivery should continuously
committee from the research evolve, along with user demands and
community. changing external drivers, such as new
technologies or science advancements,
Milestones changing users, and evolving user capacity.
For example, if the aviation sector improves
Milestones are also an internal metric its ability to avoid weather systems, thus
often associated with project and programme becoming more weather resilient, the original
management. Milestones measure the services to the aviation sector must evolve.
delivery of a product, service or system, or Likewise, if a sector becomes more weather
the completion of a phase, or step, in the sensitive, such as the energy sector, then the
delivery of a product, service, or system. services should also reflect that evolution.
They should refer to specific, in-year Evolution of services may also mean that a
activities, with new milestones defined and specific product or service should be retired
agreed for the new review period. Examples because it is no longer required by the user,
include: or can be provided more efficiently and
effectively by another provider.
Provide location forecasts,
observations and mountain Key Activities for Accomplishing
weather hazards in local
languages by end of the fiscal The role of NMHSs is to ensure users
year; and, are able to reap full benefit of services by
Begin deployment of next promoting, facilitating and coordinating
generation radar capability in improvements in interdisciplinary research,
quarter XX of fiscal year YY. observing networks, modeling, and
technology. NMHSs should keep users
informed of new opportunities and
Key Activities for Accomplishing advancements – first to validate that user
needs continue to be met, but also to
Once measures are collectively increase user knowledge. This can be
identified and a methodology defined for how achieved through various education, outreach
data will be collected, NMHSs should collect and communication activities and should be
baseline performance data. Baseline data part of ongoing user engagement described
informs both providers and users of current in element one. NMHSs also have a role in
ability and capacity and serves as input when institutionalizing service delivery processes
determining reasonable but stretch targets internally and among partners to achieve and
for future performance. Performance maintain service excellence. The application
of QMS is an effective tool for
measurement data should be collected and institutionalizing processes.
reviewed at regular intervals by everyone in
the value chain. NMHSs should use this data
to reward and promote success, as well as to
modify the service delivery process if
performance is not meeting targets.
Care must be given in the design of any
performance monitoring system to minimize
the number of metrics to the extent possible,
and to select metrics that provide the best
measurement of service-related outcome.
This is often not a simple process and the
benefits of such measuring are best realized
if the metrics are stable over a reasonably
long period. Before implementing a system of
performance metrics Members are
encouraged to review the experiences of
PTC-2012/Doc. 6.4, APPENDIX, ANNEX, p. 12
NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN THE SERVICE development, and recruiting. The WMO
OF USERS Secretariat, in collaboration with the relevant
technical commissions, is in the process of
The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has identifying requirements for specific
evolved its service delivery by implementing competencies within NMHSs and the
mobile platform and social networking associated education and training needs for
service delivery tasks. NMHSs must ensure
services in 2010. HKO developed an iPhone
their workforce has the necessary mix of
application named MyObservatory to take technical skills to meet societal demands and
advantage of the iPhone’s communication user needs. Additionally, NMHSs need skills
capability and its geo-positioning function. In that enable effective service delivery. Such
addition to providing weather forecasts and skills include, but are not limited to:
warnings, MyObservatory automatically communication; customer service;
provides the latest location-specific weather management, problem solving; and
conditions, such as temperature, wind, and performance management.
weather photos from the weather stations
closest to the user. MyObservatory proved DEVELOPING SKILLS TO SUSTAIN
hugely popular and was on the top of free SERVICE DELIVERY
download lists for months. HKO also began
experimenting with social networking services The China Meteorological Administration
in 2010 by launching a Twitter service, (CMA) has made every effort to cultivate a
http://twitter.com/hkobservatory, to issue culture of service delivery by reforming an
weather warnings and disseminate operational-based system into a service
information. The number of HKO’s Twitter oriented one. It has paid much attention to
“followers” grew from a few hundred to team-building, interdisciplinary research,
thousands in a couple of months and outreach, application of new technology, and
continues to increase. By evolving their utilization of social resources in service
service delivery methods to meet changing delivery. It takes special measures to
user demands and expectations, HKO found encourage employees to communication
new, cost-effective ways to reach a greater more effectively with users. CMA was
number of people. authorized by the central government to host
a number of training courses on disaster
prevention and mitigation each year with the
Strategy Element 5. Develop Skills nationwide participation by nationwide city
Needed to Sustain Service Delivery mayors. It also regularly trains the voluntary
weather information deliverers at grass-root
To achieve the elements above and level. A specific example is township leader
succeed in user-focused service delivery, training programme which was initiated as a
NMHSs must identify and develop the pilot project in 2010.
required capacity. The WMO Secretariat
should also identify and develop the ability to
facilitate and support service delivery. Strategy Element 6. Share Best
Capacity includes developing the necessary Practices and Knowledge
skills, processes, and technologies that
enable, support, and sustain a service- A second cross-cutting strategy that will
oriented culture. Much of this Strategy has enable a service-oriented culture is sharing
already described needed processes and and applying best practices and knowledge
tools that will enable service delivery. Cross- across the WMO – a strategy already
cutting across the entire Strategy and critical highlighted earlier in this document. The
to its success is the development and WMO Secretariat should enable sharing of
enhancement of workforce skills. practices, approaches and tools. What works
in one country may not meet the user needs
in another country, but service delivery is a
Key Strategies for Accomplishing collaborative process where providers,
partners, suppliers, and users can all learn
Efforts should be made to identify the from one another.
necessary skills relevant to an organization’s
operating model and objectives and then IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH
conduct a gap analysis to discover what skills
are lacking within the organization and how Implementing this Strategy requires
those gaps can be bridged through a more detailed action plans for developing the
combination of training, employee processes, methodologies, and tools to
PTC-2012/Doc. 6.4, APPENDIX, ANNEX, p. 13
enable each of the strategy elements of the APPROACH TO SERVICE DELIVERY
four phases of service delivery. IMPLEMENTATION IN THE TAJIK
HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL SERVICE
The maturity and formality of service
delivery among NMHSs varies significantly. As part of the modernization of the Tajik
Further, NMHSs operate differently due to a Hydrometeorological Service, specific
combination of internal and environmental investments are being made to enhance
factors. For example: service delivery. Tajik Hydromet recognizes
the importance of service delivery as an
Some NMHSs are completely element of modern meteorological service.
government owned and offer The nascent sectors have new and emerging
services only to other areas of needs for meteorological services and in
government and the public. Some many cases, it is important for the NMS staff
are fully privatized and offer to have sufficient training in the user sector to
commercial services. Many lie be able to communicate effectively with those
somewhere between these clients, resulting in a more collaborative
extremes; approach to service delivery. The approach
Some NMHSs act as data taken is to invest in training for both the Tajik
suppliers to private forecast Hydromet staff and the technical personnel
providers, while some undertake from the weather-sensitive sectors in line with
fully commercial operations in the four stages of the service delivery
direct competition with these system.
private organizations. Some play
both of these roles; In the Republic of Tajikistan, the
Some NMHSs use their own particularly important users are energy
NWP models and forecasting and sector, agriculture and disaster reduction. For
production systems. Others use example, under this approach staff of the
those supplied by external Emergency Management Committee
organizations; and, (EMERCOM) local divisions will receive
Most NMHSs only provide meteorological training to raise awareness of
services to their own country, weather hazards and facilitate better
whilst other NMHSs may offer to utilization of hydrometeorological information
provide services to others. in EMERCOM operational activities. The
training will enhance EMERCOM capacity to
The bottom line is that a one-size-fits-all disseminate hydrometeorological information
implementation approach will not be effective. about severe weather conditions to the
Members need flexibility for developing their regional and local branches of the
own unique approaches. How to implement Committee, and zone the country based on
this Strategy within NMHSs will depend on the probability of occurrence of hazardous
service priorities as well as current service hydrometeorological events.
delivery capacity. One approach would be to
develop implementation plans that focus on
creating, growing, or sustaining a service
delivery culture based on the maturity and _____________
formality of NMHSs’ current capacity. The
idea of creating a service delivery culture
may at first seem overwhelming to some
NMHSs and so they may wish to start
incrementally by focusing on a particular
service area that is an organizational or
governmental priority. NMHSs may want to
engage with the WMO Secretariat to identify
and implement service delivery pilot projects
that can easily demonstrate value and be
replicated across other service areas, or even
by other NMHSs. Additionally, WMO
Members should seek opportunities to
transfer knowledge through advanced
capacity-building approaches, such as
engaging in regional partnerships and
documenting best practices. All
implementation approaches and plans should
factor in QMS practices and processes.
PTC-2012/Doc. 6.4, APPENDIX, ANNEX, p. 14
Appendix A. Service Delivery Definitions Operating Level Agreement – An
agreement among providers, suppliers, and
Collaborating Organization/Partner – partners detailing how a service or group of
An organization or entity (e.g., a university, a services would be delivered.
specialized non-government centre, a
relevant government agency) of a WMO Product – A product is basic
Member that provides complementary/ information such as observations, datasets,
additional weather, climate or water or information that is created by an analysis
information to NMHSs or directly to users, or forecast process.
under terms and conditions that have been
mutually agreed. Providers – Individuals or entities that
produce or acquire weather, climate or water
Coordinator – An organization or entity information or products that are then supplied
that facilitates or coordinates the delivery of in support of users’ needs in this regard.
products and services. For this Strategy the Providers may include NMHSs, partners,
WMO Secretariat serves in this role. Working other meteorologically-relevant agencies and
closely with Members, the Secretariat sets the private sector. This Strategy focuses only
standards for weather-, climate- and water- on WMO NMHSs.
related products and supporting services.
This includes observations, data quality and Service – A product delivered or
telecommunications. The data underpinning activity that is carried out (advice,
meteorological and related products require interpretation, etc.) that meets the needs of a
international coordination and validation to user or that can be applied by a user.
guarantee that they meet the needs of the
product generating centres. The Service Delivery – A continuous
communication systems that move data and process for developing and delivering user-
products globally are coordinated through the focused services, defined by user
Secretariat. The assessment, and objective engagement, service design and
verification of products that are generated by development, service delivery, and evaluation
one country and used by others may also be and improvement.
coordinated by the Secretariat and the results
shared and used in the process of improving Service Level Agreement – A contract
the quality of products for all. between a service provider and a user or
customer, it details the nature, quality, and
Fit for Purpose – results from scope of the service to be provided. Also
collaboration and dialogue among users, called a service level contract.
providers, suppliers, and partners and
demonstrates a clear agreement, either Users – Individuals, organizations, or
implicitly or explicitly, among all involved. A intermediaries with responsibilities for
clear fit for purpose acknowledges: decisions and policies in sectors that are
sensitive to weather, climate and water and
Current and evolving user needs; for whom products and services are provided.
Provider capabilities, including If the user has paid directly for the service,
strengths and limitations; he/she is generally called a customer. This
What services will be provided Strategy defines users at national levels, with
and how they will be provided; the exception of international users in the
How services will be used; aviation and shipping sectors.
Expectations of provider
performance; and,
Risks inherent in applying
information to decision-making.
_____________
NMHSs (always used in the plural) –
National Meteorological Services (NMSs) and
National Hydrological Services (NHSs); NMS
– A National Meteorological or
Hydrometeorological Service; NHS – A
National Hydrological Service.
PTC-2012/Doc. 6.4, APPENDIX, ANNEX, p. 15
Appendix B. Further Reading _____________
(1) WMO/TD-No. 1256, “Guidelines on
Quality Management Procedures and
Practices for Public Weather Services,”
(http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/amp/pwsp/pu
blicationsguidelines_en.htm)
(2) WMO/TD-No. 1023, “Guidelines on
Performance Assessment of Public Weather
Services”
(http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/amp/pwsp/pu
blicationsguidelines_en.htm)
(3) WMO/TD-No. 1103, “Supplementary
Guidelines on Performance Assessment of
Public Weather Services”,
(http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/amp/pwsp/pu
blicationsguidelines_en.htm)
(4) For more information on QMS, see:
http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/amp/QMF-
Web/home.html .
(5) For more information on survey
designs and examples, see:
http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/amp/pwsp/sur
veys.htm .