Enhancing Data Accessibility Through Ailored Experiences and Customized Mini Apps

Diverse stakeholders rely on simple, dependable access to oceanographic data that support daily decision-making. From civilian surfers to government managers, each user must not only navigate the vast sea of available data, but also understand it enough to select appropriate data relevant to their unique situation. Over recent years, the MARACOOS data management ecosystem has worked to remove barriers in the initial portion of the user's journey; by centralizing relevant data into one platform, MARACOOS OceansMap, data discovery has become much easier and quicker for mid-Atlantic users. However, decision fatigue quickly sets in as users must still understand and select the appropriate data sources (i.e., models vs. observations), determine which analytical tools are beneficial (i.e., weather window planning vs. validation statistics), and make other decisions to dive deeper into their analyses and interpretations. In this session, we will explore MARACOOS's experiences in combating this issue by providing users with simplified and streamlined solutions, known as Mini Apps. Tailored to distinct stakeholder groups, Mini Apps are powerful tools that provide foundational information and analyses to users, while maintaining enough flexibility that users can further customize, save, and share their own unique version of the app. Leveraging spatial views and in-depth dashboards, Mini Apps currently serve boaters and pilots, surfers, beachgoers, offshore wind developers, the general public as a stakeholder of the offshore wind industry, and other users or researchers interested in studying storm movements and climate change. Our goal in this paper will be to explore how Mini Apps could be leveraged across new stakeholder groups or provide added value to these users, and discuss their scalability across other regions and nations. MARACOOS OceansMap, powered by RPS, is a dynamic data visualization tool integrating near real-time observational assets and model forecasts that contribute to ocean monitoring in the Mid-Atlantic region. OceansMap is the flagship ocean data portal of MARACOOS, one of the eleven U.S. IOOS Regional Associations that are certified by the federal government for the quality of the data they serve. MARACOOS OceansMap enables stakeholders, partners, and the public free and open access to high quality data and information products to support decision-making on our waters and along our coasts and estuaries in the Mid-Atlantic region, from Cape Cod, MA, to Cape Hatteras, NC. By working with stakeholders and partners, MARACOOS OceansMap has evolved into a key tool used for decision making in the Mid-Atlantic. Through specialized instances of MARACOOS OceansMap, users can explore the different themes to find data relevant to a specific topic. To further improve data usability, the next generation of MARACOOS OceansMap has been created in close collaboration with NOAA CO-OPS, and with significant input from stakeholders and partners working within the maritime sector, offshore wind development, and the National Weather Service's regional Weather Forecast Offices. By engaging users across the region to provide input and feedback on OceansMap, we reduce barriers to data use by providing a more intuitive, tailored, and accessible interface that focuses on turning data into insight. MARACOOS OceansMap enhances stakeholders’ ability to prepare, manage, and respond to changing conditions in the Mid-Atlantic to protect lives and property, public and environmental health, jobs and our economy, and the overall well-being of the 79 million people residing in the Mid-Atlantic region.