Marine Services Competency Assessment Toolkit

The competency assessment matrix presented below, developed as guidance for how one might develop a matrix for local use, offers general examples and recommendations for assessment protocols for many of the performance criteria of the Marine Weather Forecaster competency framework. The examples are not finished protocols ready for use, but are intended to offer guidance to help you select and complete your own.

While assessment criteria are provided in the examples, when creating your own list of assessment criteria for the methods you choose, please be sure to refer also to WMO-No. 1209, section 2.5, which contains the Marine Weather Forecaster Competencies. There you will  see all the documented criteria to consider for your local needs. The framework is recreated in the section of this site named, "Marine Weather Forecaster Competencies".

After reviewing the Methods for Competency Assessment summary from the main menu, read the information provided in the examples specific to each Performance Criteria, focusing on those methods you intend to chose (remembering that it is recommended that each competency be assessed using at least two different methods. The examples for specific Performance Criteria are indicated by a check mark, and general guidance on using each of the assessment methods for each of the five competencies are provided within information notes, indicated with an "i".
In looking over the table, you will see that some cells in the Performance Criteria rows are left blank, refer you to another Performance Criteria in the table, or refer you to the Information Note above that cell. This is done for several reasons:

• to avoid redundancy, for example, when the assessment guidance is already included in a previous cell for those sets of Performance Criteria that are likely to be assessed simultaneously

• when the assessment guidance is covered sufficiently in the Information Note for that Competency and assessment method. Many Information Notes also contain examples or detailed recommendations

• in just a few cases, either other methods are recommended instead, or the Performance Criteria is recommended to be assessed in combination with another competency

Because the Performance Criteria for Competencies 1-3 have a large degree of overlap, some of the Information Notes are merged to reflect this.

In developing your own assessment matrix, you may want to include additional or more descriptive columns as appropriate for you local job descriptions. See the excerpt example of a customised assessment matrix from WMO-No. 1205, section 2.2.4 on this site in the section titled, "Developing a Competency Assessment Plan."

Toolkit 1: Marine Weather Forecasters 

     i = Information Note

Competencies and Performance Criteria (* Click full competency description for details.)	Direct observation	Experiential Questions	Simulation	Quiz Items	Portfolio
Competency 1: Analyse and Monitor continually the marine weather situation  (Click to view full description)
C1.1 Maintain weather watch over the marine weather situation, evolving significant weather phenomena and, where available, advisories issued by other meteorological services and model guidance			See information note above		See information note above
C1.2 Compare current forecasts and warnings with observed conditions			See information note above	Consider Simulation, Experiential Questions or Direct assessment	See information note above
C1.3 On the basis of the weather watch, appraise the need for amendments to forecasts and updates of warnings against established documented criteria			See information note above	See C1.1 above	See information note above
Competency 2: Forecast marine weather phenomena, variables and parameters
C2.1 Analyse and diagnose the marine weather situation as required for the preparation and issue of forecasts			See information note above		See information note above
C2.2 Prepare forecasts for weather phenomena, parameters and variables including spatial extent, onset and cessation, duration, intensity and temporal variations, where applicable			See information note above		See information note above
C2.3 Ensure that forecasts are prepared and issued in accordance with the Manual on Marine Meteorological Services (WMO-No. 558, volumes I & II) and/or national standard operating procedures, including format, codes and technical regulations on content, accuracy and timeliness		See information note above	See information note above	See C2.1 above	See information note above
C2.4 Ensure that forecasts are consistent (spatially & temporally) across boundaries of the area of responsibility as far as practical, while maintaining meteorological integrity. This will entail monitoring forecasts and warnings issued for other regions and liaising with adjacent regions as required.		See information note above	See information note above		See information note above
Competency 3: Warn of hazardous marine meteorological phenomena
C3.1 Forecast and issue warning for hazardous weather phenomena, variables and parameters, including spatial extent, onset and cessation, duration, intensity and its temporal variations	See C2.2 above		See information note above		See information note above
C3.2 Ensure that warnings are prepared and issued in accordance with the threshold for hazardous weather as specified in WMO-No. 558 and/or National standard operating procedures*	See C2.3	See information note	See information note		See information note
C 3.3 Ensure that forecasts of weather parameters and phenomena are consistent (spatially & temporally) across boundaries of the area of responsibility as far as practical, while maintaining meteorological integrity*	See C2.4 above	See information note	See information note above	See C3.1 above	See information note above
Competency 4: Ensure the quality of marine meteorological information and services
C4.1 Apply the organisation's Quality Management System (QMS) as required			See information note above		See information note above
C4.2 Assessment the impact of known observational error characteristics on forecasts & warnings (timeliness, completeness and accuracy) using real-time verification tools	See C4.1 above	See C4.1 above	See information note above	See C4.1 above	See information note above
C4.3 Verify and validate marine data, products, forecasts and warnings (timeliness, completeness and accuracy) using real-time verification tools	See C4.1 above	See C4.1 above	See information note above	See C4.1 above	See information note above
C4.4 Monitor the function of operational systems, gather customer comments, suggestions and complaints, and take remedial actions when necessary	See C4.1 above	See C4.1 above	See information note above	See C4.1 above	See information note above
C4.5 Identify and evaluate weather forecasting and warning problems and determine appropriate corrective & preventative action for continuous improvement	See C4.1 above	See C4.1 above	See information note above	See C4.1 above	See information note above
Competency 5: Communicate meteorological information to internal and external users
C5.1 Ensure that all forecasts and warnings are disseminated via the authorized communication channels to user groups		See information note above	If simulation is used for C2 and C3, assess C5.1 there.	See information note above
C5.2 Provide Marine Weather Briefings as necessary, and provide consultation to meet specific user needs		See information note above		See information note above
C5.3 Make use of forecasts & warnings of meteorological parameters, variables and phenomena to describe their impact on marine operations, safety of life and property, including the coastal coastal environment and population		See information note above		See information note above