Promoting best practices in ocean forecasting through an Operational Readiness Level

The OceanPrediction DCC just published a paper entitled, "Promoting best practices in ocean forecasting through an Operational Readiness Level" in the journal Frontiers. Designed by the Ocean Forecasting Co-Design Team, with the contribution of 40 experts from 17 countries worldwide, the ORL is a novel tool designed to help system developers and users evaluate the operational readiness and development status of an ocean forecasting system.

System managers will be able to use the ORL to understand operational capabilities and identify gaps that should be addressed to further mature a system. Additionally, the ORL offers a comprehensive understanding of the system's reliability, usability, and strengths. Improving the ORL qualification of a service is a valuable means to identify and implement best practices and standards in ocean forecasting, enhancing the overall operability of the system.

This tool builds on the ETOOFs and Architecture guides, which provide the foundational framework and description for building an ocean forecasting system. Once implement the ORL can be used to measure the capacity of and inform the update of an ocean forecasting system.