A team of data scientists from the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic was recently tasked with providing Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Lisa Franchetti with a tool to easily access naval metrics and information. The team developed a custom metric dashboard tailored to the CNO’s priority areas, ensuring it is accessible at all times. This new capability provides a streamlined way for the CNO to monitor important data whenever needed.

“Previously, the CNO was receiving multiple reports from multiple Navy organizations ... a lot of them utilize Excel spreadsheets, PDFs or PowerPoint slides. They all look fantastic. We are helping to automate that process and trying to decide on one authoritative data source so that the CNO has current figures at all times,” said NIWC Atlantic Data Scientist Claire Ameen.

Accurate and up-to-date information is essential for effective executive-level decision-making. The size and complexity of the U.S. Navy, with its multiple fleets, commands, and subject matter experts, creates a challenge in managing information—specifically in how to gather, filter, and present it in a reliable and accessible manner to support high-level decisions across the organization.

The idea for a custom metric dashboard came to fruition when Jim Raimondo, special assistant to the CNO, noticed a lack of connection between information while preparing for meetings and congressional testimonies. This data disconnect is what led him to pursue a solution. His colleagues at the Department of the Navy (DON) Chief Digital and AI Office (CDAO) suggested sponsoring a group of NIWC Atlantic subject matter experts – a data strike team – to work the issue.

The CNO Data Strike Team (DST) at NIWC Atlantic is composed of several data scientists that focus on data engineering and data visualization to provide a clear operating picture. They are responsible for creating and maintaining the CNO Executive Metric Dashboard.

As the CNO’s priority interests and areas expand, the data scientists have designed the dashboard with the flexibility to do the same. “We are trying to make sure it has full capacity for whatever the CNO wants to look at, at a glance,” Ameen said.

The CNO DST ensured the dashboard aligned with the CNO's focus areas outlined in the 2024 Navigation Plan, as reflected in the landing page. The page features various priority areas arranged in a grid layout, with each area represented by a clickable graphic that provides more detailed metrics and information when selected. For example – hypothetically, that is – if the CNO would like updated metrics about the fuel status of a specific fleet of ships, she might click on a priority labeled something like “Navy Fuel,” and then search within that data for metrics of fuel levels within a specific fleet.

One of the largest efforts in the dashboard’s creation process was determining authoritative sources – what data scientists use to describe the single source of data that speaks the truth of what each specific metric is – for the Navy’s data. To determine authoritative sources, the CNO DST created surveys to aid in information gathering across multiple commands, using the DON data platform Jupiter to feed metrics into the capability. The data was then scrubbed and organized into the priorities requested by the CNO to populate her personalized dashboard. The team utilized the Jupiter data pipeline structure which is a three-tier system to separate the data into categories: bronze (raw data), silver (organized data) and gold (cleaned and ready for use data). The gold data is what populates the dashboard.

The graphics used to display the data within the dashboard are designed to show trends over specific periods of time in the form of graphs, charts, timelines, maps and more. These visualizations are essential for easier interpretation and efficient communication. “As a team, we have full creative control of the dashboard,” said Malik Melvin, a NIWC Atlantic data scientist who is part of the DST. “So we’re making all of the different buttons, deciding the color schemes, deciding what images and what shapes go in the dashboard.”

The team designed all of the data and graphics to provide up-to-date information, meaning the dashboard will automatically recalibrate to reflect the most current and accurate metrics. The CNO Metric Dashboard is also uniquely designed to allow for customization when priorities change. At her request, the CNO DST can add, remove or modify priorities for the CNO.

The dashboard can be used to quickly aid the CNO in her decision making, thanks to the ability to see data and information in real time. Franchetti has already used the dashboard to her decision advantage. “One of my most precious resources is my time, and I really want to be able to walk in and understand where we are in critical aspects of the Navy. We can use the data to do that, I can see those metrics right away,” she explained.

“We all get to see our bank accounts live, why shouldn’t the CNO be able to see the readiness of our ships live?” Raimondo said, noting that the dashboard is designed to bridge the time gap from knowledge to action, which allows for a timelier update. “Having the data better inform the decisions being made by leaders can only help the warfighter.”

The team envisions the CNO using this tool not only for her own decision making, but also for high-level briefs to various leaders. “One of the benefits of this tool is also enabling Adm. Franchetti to walk into Congress and accurately communicate a snapshot of what is happening over at the Navy,” Ameen said.

Creating a tool that enables the CNO to conveniently pull in data to support requests or accurately describe the state of the Navy is an invaluable resource to support communication. Raimondo compares the process of data informed decision-making being similar to the manager of a baseball team using statistics such as batting averages to help create the team’s lineup. "You always have a sense of batter versus certain pitchers. The data helps show whether that’s true or not so, the data doesn’t take over. You add that to the mix of things,” he said.

A future classified version of The CNO Metric Dashboard is currently in the beginning design phase, and it will aid the CNO in monitoring and accomplishing her Navigation Plan (NAVPLAN) for America’s Warfighting Navy. Within that plan is her initiative "Project 33,” a nod to her position as the 33rd CNO. The initiative includes seven core fleet readiness targets:

Ready the force by eliminating ship, submarine and aircraft maintenance delays.

Scale robotic and autonomous systems to integrate more platforms at speed.

Create the command centers our fleets need to win on a distributed battlefield.

Recruit and retain the force we need to get more players on the field.

Deliver a quality of service commensurate with the sacrifices of our Sailors.

Train for combat as we plan to fight, in the real world and virtually.

Restore the critical infrastructure that sustains and projects the fight from shore.

Her customized dashboard will allow her to focus on and refine execution plans to accomplish her readiness targets. “I think by enabling this data conversation, we’re going to save time, become more efficient, and we’re going to become more lethal because we can use this data to our advantage every day,” Franchetti said.

The far-reaching effect of the CNO Metric Dashboard gives the scientists within the DST a sense of pride in their work.

“As data scientists, we come across a lot of numbers. Personally, this project has been incredibly fulfilling because we’re getting to see the impact of the warfighter behind the number. Seeing all of the different areas where we are working to improve conditions for the warfighter has been a really special opportunity,” Ameen said.

The CNO expressed her gratitude to the team for creating and supporting this groundbreaking naval capability. “The NIWC Atlantic team is amazing. I want to say thank you and Bravo Zulu – well done to everyone that has been working on this project,” Franchetti said.

The NIWC Atlantic Data Strike team is excited to see the tool grow in the area of predictive analytics. While the capability builds its collection of data, it will grow in the ability to track trends and eventually provide data for future efforts, and how different events effect metrics on the dashboard.