FDTB Glossary

Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) - The AWIPS is the hardware and software the NWS uses to acquire, process, view, and store data from numerous sources (including those products received from the RPG).

BUFKIT - BUFKIT is a forecast profile visualization and analysis tool kit developed by the staff at the National Weather Service to view model output profiles and forecast parameters at high vertical and temporal resolutions.

Build Training - Training for NWS Forecasters (Meteorologist and Hydrologist) on software and hardware updates to the AWIPS, RPG, RDA, etc.

Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA) - A study conducted to capture how experts at a particular task think, what they know, how they organize and structure information, and what they seek to understand better.

Display Two Dimensions (D2D) - The visualization software used to display data on AWIPS.

Facilitators - The facilitator is the person at a local NWS office who provides assistance, support and guidance to students throughout a course. Facilitators are usually the SOO, DOH, Training Officer, or other designate in the office.

Flash Flood Guidance (FFG) - Flash Flood Guidance is a tool used by meteorologists to predict flash flooding of urban areas, creeks and streams.

Flash Flood Monitoring and Prediction (FFMP) - The Flash Flood Monitoring and Prediction (FFMP) system is an integrated suite of multi-sensor applications which detects, analyzes, and monitors precipitation and generates short-term warning guidance for flash flooding automatically within AWIPS.

Instructional Component (IC) - An organizational unit for training material in the different tracks of AWOC for which a student must pass an exam to receive credit. Each IC is made up of one or more lessons which cover the objectives for that topic.

Learning Management System (LMS) - A service provided to organizations that require distance education and e-learning delivery, tracking, and evaluation in a cost effective manner.

Operational Build (OB) - "OB" refers to specific versions of AWIPS. After AWIPS was fielded, the developers switched to a more open source architecture to the system. As a result, the release versions were renamed "Build" to "Operational Build" to highlight the change.

Post-Mortem - A detailed examination or evaluation of a significant event from which some lessons may be learned to improve future performance.

Situation Awareness (SA) - The process of acquiring the perception of the elements in the environment within a volume space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their status in the near future.

Subject Matter Experts (SME) - Subject Matter Experts are those who provide expertise in the content of an instructional area. SMEs can either contribute to or develop the training.

Teletraining - A delivery method of distance education where the instructor and students are in different locations, viewing training visuals on monitors (or projectors) and utilizing teleconferencing technology for audio communication.

VISITView - An application used for NWS teletraining development and delivery.

Weather Event Simulator (WES) - The Weather Event Simulator is an application that provides case playback and simulation capabilities from archived AWIPS data. The WES is effectively a data pump and a training interface for AWIPS.