Self-Assessment Framework for Earth Observation Platforms from User Experience

Abstract

This work proposes a framework for Earth Observation (EO) cloud platforms to carry out a self-assessment from a user experience perspective. The study outlines the methodological approach used to develop the framework, including the classification of existing EO platforms through a literature review of EU-funded projects. Additionally, a survey on user experience was conducted to further inform the design of the framework. We consider as target users the developers of policy-relevant use cases. The final phase of the methodology identifies user requirements across ten dimensions within the EO value chain and suggests a range of indicators to facilitate self-assessment. The paper emphasises the need to address the identified challenges and limitations to improve the usability and user satisfaction of existing EO cloud platforms. It also highlights the importance of principles such as FAIR (findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability) and TRUST (transparency, responsibility, user focus, sustainability and technology), open source components, and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards in shaping the future of EO data platforms and infrastructures.