Submitted: May 2022

Guest blog submitted by: Tony LaVoi, NOAA Chief Data Officer (CDO), NOAA Office of the Chief Informaton Officer

NOAA developed a Data Strategic Action Plan (NDSAP) to accompany its first-ever NOAA Data Strategy: Maximizing the Value of NOAA's Data (July 2020). The NOAA Data Strategy and Strategic Action Plan apply to all types of NOAA data -” from the environmental data that is synonymous with NOAA to the day-to-day operational data (e.g., administrative and financial) that quietly support the NOAA mission -” and align with the federal data policy landscape (e.g. Evidence Act and Office of Management and Budget M-13-13 Open Data Policy), as well as the Department of Commerce Data Strategy FY2021-2024 and the soon-to-be-released NOAA Strategic Plan's themes of a Climate-Ready Nation, Supporting the New Blue Economy, and Equity.

The NDSAP lays out a five-year roadmap for implementation of the Data Strategy, including close coordination with the NOAA science and technology focus areas (Uncrewed Systems, Artificial Intelligence [AI], 'Omics, Cloud, and Citizen Science). For FY22 - FY23, the NDSAP maps out several high priority actions in four areas that support the Data Strategy: (1) Data Governance; (2) Data Policy Framework; (3) Data Workforce; and (4) Open Data. Work is already underway in all areas. The NOAA CDO organizational structure is in place to support the management and maximum use of NOAA datasets, including the establishment of Assistant Chief Data Offices in each of the NOAA mission goal areas. Several data policies are undergoing a policy refresh to align with the evolving data policy landscape. The need for a data-ready workforce is supported by an ongoing assessment of the workforce's data literacy skills and a review of the new criteria provided by the federal government for hiring data scientists. Open Data drives Open Science thus NOAA continues to not only maintain but also build a comprehensive NOAA data inventory, with the NOAA Open Data Dissemination (NODD, previously Big Data Program) as NOAA's flagship open data tool, and includes a planned report to develop a concept of operations that focuses on public-private partnerships for public data dissemination that also recognizes the need to address data equity as part of NOAA's data stewardship role. Success will be defined by the establishment of a modernized and unified NOAA data enterprise in support of the missions across NOAA.

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