RDA Survey 2005 CISL Executive Meeting 1 August 2006

Outline Basics General Quantitative Summary Response to Three Questions in more Detail Who is using what from the RDA? Assessment of Open-ended Questions –Mapping to Work Underway and Futures How to gain more from user surveys

Basics User pool –Registrants on RDA online server No restrictions on who can register Must register to get data - general information (metadata) does not require registration. Year group 2005 only, 3914 invited to survey Respondents –476, about 12% –Open period, 45 days (4/27  6/12)

Basics Divide user community by affiliation –Enables response evaluation for separate groups Observations and Assessments ~ 60% are Non-U.S users + international hub for data + supports policy of ‘free and open access’ + leverage in forming international data exchanges - use resources (hardware and network) to serve world

Basics Seven questions with fixed responses –Choose one of five levels of satisfaction Very Dissatisfied, Dissatisfied, Neutral, Satisfied, Very Satisfied Simple assessment, add (N + S + VS), % satisfied 97%, Content of the RDA for your research (410) 95%, Accessing RDA data from the DSS server using FTP or web browsers (405) 90%, Accessing RDA data directly from the NCAR Mass Storage System * (215) 96%, RDA metadata, documentation, and supporting information from the DSS server (369) 94%, Data specifically prepared for you by the DSS staff, including FTP downloads, tapes, and other media (227) 95%, Consultation and assistance from the DSS staff (224) 96%, Discovering RDA data using search, catalogues, and project information from the DSS server (353) (nnn) = total respondents * Potentially some bias?

Observations and assessment single strong mode - S would like to see stronger VS, especially for US University

Observations and assessment good strength in S and VS, users like simple access not much variability between affiliations, good US University approval

Observations and assessment good strength, and not much difference between S and VS high variability between affiliations in VS, good US University approval

Who is using what? Observations and assessment generally users tap the RDA for multiple types of data good balance in the major categories, led by reanalyses

Assessment of Open-ended Questions Three questions - generated ~ 50 pages of text Many positive comments, good, - affirms our efforts But, we want more! –assess the comments that had suggestions, collectively, map to DSS developments underway and determine relevant future directions Process –Four staff and SJW read, digested, and discussed - look for the bigger message - very subjective –Didn’t over analyze - many interpretation are possible

Assessment of Open-ended Questions Question 1 List your preferred methods for discovering data (e.g. Google search, local site search, catalogs, etc). –Weak, leading question –All modes are preferred, plus, directives from colleagues, and discovery from other websites Observations and actions –Users can now use the UCAR Google search from the RDA website, since March 2005 Restricted to RDA results Need to strengthen ‘meta tags’ on RDA documents –Some are not finding data that we do have (comments and small VS on bar chart) –Well into a metadata project with features - 18 months Tightly constrained standard - GCMD with mapping to CF Database (MySQL) stored and accessible Enables fast and accurate browse and search Allows progressive deployment on a large archive Roll out in 2006

Assessment of Open-ended Questions Question 2 List any datasets your projects need that should be added to the RDA. –Higher spatial and temporal resolution - everything! –More near real-time –Atmospheric NEXRAD precipitation mosaics for CONUS High resolution global forecast winds Chemical components, aerosols Time series indices (AO, NAO, etc) –Ocean Reanalyses Weekly SST, monthly SSS Ocean bottom composition Sea ice (thickness, velocity) –Satellite TMI, TRMM (precipitation) Jason-ERS-TOPEX GOES Images –Hydrology River flow Soil moisture Land surface, vegetation

Assessment of Open-ended Questions Actions Added NCEP Global Ocean Data Assimilation System Reanalysis, > Will added higher resolution atmospheric datasets (analyses and forecasts) –TIGGE –Improvements to IDD derived archive (real-time data delivery) Current (161 MB/day, 50 GB online) ModelCoverageResolution Init time Length/Interval Size RUCCONUS81x81km Hourly 12h/3h 53mb/day NAMCONUS81x81km 00,12 60h/12h 23mb/day GFSN Hem.381x381km 00,06,12,18 120h/6h 11mb/day GFSGlobal5x5deg h/12h.19mb/day ENS N. Amer.1.5x1.5deg 00/12 84h/6h 69mb/day ECMWF Global 5x5deg 00/12 168h/24h 5.2mb/day New (17 GB/day, 500 GB online) ModelCoverageResolutionInit time Length/IntervalSize RUCCONUS40x40kmHourly 12h/1h490mb/day RUC2CONUS20x20kmHourly 12h/3h3.4GB/day NAMCONUS12x12km00,06,12,18 84h/3h2.0GB/day GFSGlobal0.5x0.5deg00,06,12,18 84h/3h4.4GB/day GFSGlobal1.0x1.0deg00,06,12,18 180h/3h6.5GB/day GFSGlobal2.5x2.5deg00,06,12,18 192h-384h/12h300mb/day ECMWF Global5x5deg00/12 168h/24h5.2mb/day

Assessment of Open-ended Questions Other Actions Discovery: From improved metadata, create ‘better’ topic specific catalogs Example, complete prioritize reference catalog for RDA precipitation datasets Related references at other sites, e.g. TRMM Satellite data at NASA Potentially, share catalogs via OAI-PMH (Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting) Generally, put more data online FNL Analysis (very popular with MMM and WRF users) –Currently only one-year, boost to full record - starting in 1999 Others - when action supports many users and helps DSS Stay proactive in building content Status quo (search out additions, collaborate on data projects, etc) Open an online user suggestion box?

Assessment of Open-ended Questions Question 3 Is your science limited by the research data available? If yes, what data or services are needed? Issues that confuse this user group –Data access methods RDA server, MSS, special requests, SCD data access computing accounts, CDP –Cost for data Much free, some not, various legacy policies, differences across affiliation –Site navigation Solution (in part), reduce fragmentation of the information across the web site, create clear concise documents in a single place, bring navigation to modern look and standard.

Assessment of Open-ended Questions Question 3, continued Is your science limited by the research data available? If yes, what data or services are needed? Wish List All data available in ASCII and netCDF More direct linkages with field program data - need better UCAR-wide discovery (CDP). Easy access to older datasets, which are generally not online Direct access to the MSS Formats that can directly couple to regional and global models

How to gain more from user surveys Transition to surveys designed by professionals –RDA questions are too ad hoc –There is much speculation in the interpretation The discussions are interesting but summary is very subjective –Want metrics for two subjects Past usage satisfaction Quantifiable clues for the future Need to apply correct statistical tests –Account for sample size –Determine confidence intervals and/or thresholds

Summary Very pleasing overall results for the RDA Our developments are aligned to address the bigger issues, in most cases Other suggestions give us awareness for future work The RDA is a node of international data collaboration Certainly will not run short of tasks to work on in my life time.

Some people like us! Underlines by SJW I have been extremely happy with the data and services provided. Your organization is an efficient, friendly, affordable and responsive alterative to NCDC. I have absolutely no complaints. Keep up the good work Very good and friendly service. I consider year back global free data as a big achievement especially if to compare with ECMWF or with NZ meteorological data services. It's very helpful for small research groups all over the world. Good luck Great selection of browsable datasets. Have used this over the past few years to locate hard-to-find data elsewhere I am very happy with the service and also the response from the staff. At one occasion…... I got a very prompt and helpful response. I hope such an excellent service can continue to be supported A very good free service that we in Europe could not do without. I only wish that our own institution provided the same service The US philosophy of open access is very commendable. Good work! Absolutely no complaints a great service and a great benefit to the wind industry. well done! Very good work. I am satisfied with the service and the data and consider that the services are highly needed by the scientific community. Thanks