Rolling Review of Requirements and Statements of Guidance

The Rolling Review of Requirements process

Using the Rolling Requirements Review (RRR) process defined by the Manual on the Global Observing System (WMO-No. 544) (Part II, Requirements for observational data), user requirements for observations are compared with the capabilities of present and planned observing systems.

User requirements are collated in a comprehensive, systematic and quantitative way in the WMO Observing Requirements database, which attempts to capture observational requirements to meet the needs of all WMO programmes.

The comparison of user requirements with observing system capabilities for a given application area is called a Critical Review. The output of this is reviewed by experts in the relevant application and used to prepare a Statement of Guidance (SOG), the main aim of which is to draw attention to the most important gaps between user requirements and observing system capabilities, in the context of the application. A wide range of applications within WMO programmes have already been addressed.

A more detailed description of the Rolling Requirements Review process is available for download (pdf)

Statements of Guidance (SOG)

For each of the application areas considered, the SOG provides an assessment of the adequacy of observations to fulfill requirements and suggests areas of progress towards improved use of satellite and in situ observing systems. Only the most significant variables in a given application area have been analyzed in the SOGs.

Note: The following terminology has been adopted in the SoGs. "Marginal" indicates minimum user requirements are being met, "Acceptable" indicates greater than minimum but less than maximum requirements (in the useful range) are being met, and "Good" means close to maximum requirements are being met.

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