This Solution Co-Development Toolkit was created as a resource for NASA-affiliated scientists of all levels to advance efforts in collaborative, applied Earth science. Its design prioritizes clear, actionable steps and tools for planning, conducting, and communicating scientific collaborations with partners and beneficiaries. This Toolkit was envisioned to demystify collaborative development, because collaboration is what builds the public trust necessary for Earth science to achieve the greatest societal good.

The Toolkit is itself an act of co-development, bringing together lessons learned from three Earth Action teams at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center: the Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center, NASA’s Satellite Needs Working Group Implementation Team (NSITE), and the EarthRISE Project, which convened and led this effort. This Toolkit could not have come together without the unique perspectives of each of these teams, and the insights shared to us from the wider Earth Action community.

Co-development is both the principle and process of actively involving the eventual users of a product throughout the entire process of planning and creating the product. Co-development goes beyond consideration of the user’s need, treating collaborators as respected sources of knowledge and fostering a sense of shared ownership of the work. It is how we keep our work firmly connected to the public interest. Effective co-development requires time and thoughtful effort, but it ensures that scientific solutions are effective, trustworthy, and likely to achieve the greatest possible impact.

Co-development is not a new idea. Since the 1960s, NASA has built and maintained long-lasting relationships in the public and private sectors to preserve a connection between our science and societal needs. The Landsat program, a crown jewel of NASA Earth, is the result of a six-decade co-development relationship between NASA and our colleagues in the U.S. Geological Survey. Trust in NASA Earth is grounded in co-developments like these that generate tens of billions of dollars of annual economic value across sectors such as agriculture, forestry, disaster management, and water resources management.

This Toolkit is an extension of the Earth Science to Action Strategy, designed to further the mission of applied science by organizing and sharing best practices and lessons learned across the Earth Science Division. As NASA introduces new programs and missions, it is imperative that our co-development practices keep pace so that we can maintain and strengthen our reputation for trusted science and technology and increase the benefit of Earth Science missions as a national asset. We welcome new voices and contributions to this Toolkit to both refine existing approaches and introduce new perspectives. Whether you are new to applied science or a seasoned expert, we are confident the Toolkit will have something useful to offer you. We thank you for your commitment to impactful science.