Volunteer to help improve Weather.gov!

Help design the future of weather.gov

As the climate brings more severe weather, everyone is at risk of experiencing weather hazards, whether it’s a snowstorm, tornado, hurricane or wildfire. But we don’t all have the same resources or abilities - for folks with disabilities, low literacy and less resources, basic challenges are magnified.

Our intention is to redesign weather.gov to serve everyone needing weather information, especially in emergencies – when every word and every minute matters. In order to do that we need to talk to people in order to understand their unique needs.

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for folks that meet the following baseline criteria:

Had some experience with weather impacting their lives – including anything from a tornado, or hurricane, to unexpected rain that ruined their picnic.
Have access to a phone or computer to participate in an online, remote study

Bonus:

Folks who are not weather experts, either for a job or for fun.
Folks who have experienced other barriers to finding or understanding information, such as limited literacy, limited resources and cognitive or physical limitations.

What participants should expect

Members of the public will qualify for a cash gift card if they participate in a full session. Government employees (state, federal, local) or direct relatives of government employees do not qualify for this incentive due to ethical concerns.
Before you participate in a full 45-60 min session, we may reach out to ask a few questions to make sure you are a good fit for the research study. This would take no longer than 15 minutes and be on the phone.
Sessions will be conducted remotely on video conference and be no longer than 60 minutes. Participants need a good internet connection and either a computer or mobile device.
Early access to a beta weather.gov experience

Interested in participating yourself?

Sign up to be eligible to participate in an upcoming research session. You can remain anonymous and can opt out at any time.

For those that cannot access the above Google form, please email us with your name, organization (if representing one) and a short description of how you use weather information personally or professionally.

Share with your networks

Have a friend, family member or person in your community you think might be interested?

Feel free to share with others.