Rachel Hartley, a research analyst at CNA, specializes in military recruitment and performance optimization. In this conversation, she introduces RShiny, a new tool that helps Navy leaders analyze the complex shipbuilding plan and its long-term impact on fleet readiness. The discussion highlights the confusion surrounding current shipbuilding formats and how the Shiny Code Package can visualize data effectively. Hartley also emphasizes the innovative initiatives from CNA's Innovation Incubator, showcasing unique solutions for essential naval challenges.
The RShiny dashboard transforms complex Navy Shipbuilding Plan data into accessible visual formats for enhanced decision-making among government leaders.
Long-term planning in naval shipbuilding necessitates understanding extensive timelines, emphasizing the need for tools that predict the impact of current decisions.
Deep dives
Overview of the Navy Shipbuilding Plan
The Navy Shipbuilding Plan, formally known as the Annual Long-Range Plan for Construction of Naval Vessels, outlines the construction and decommissioning schedule for naval vessels over the next 30 years. This plan serves as a strategic guide for fleet management but presents challenges due to its text-heavy format, which makes it difficult for stakeholders to grasp critical details such as ship counts and associated costs. The lack of user-friendly data visualization means that many individuals outside of shipbuilding expertise struggle to comprehend the implications of the plan effectively. Consequently, there is a need for tools that can break down complex information into easily understandable formats, making strategic insights more accessible to a broader audience within the Navy and government sectors.
Introduction of the Shiny Code Package
The Shiny Code Package is a powerful tool developed to help visualize and analyze the Navy's shipbuilding plan, transforming how commanders and analysts interact with complex data. This tool, which functions with both R and Python programming languages, allows users to create customized dashboards filled with graphs, tables, and other interactive elements. Users can quickly input various scenarios, such as changes to the commissioning and decommissioning timelines for ships, and instantly see how these alterations impact fleet composition and financial forecasts. This capability addresses the previous lack of transparency in the shipbuilding process, facilitating data-driven decision-making among leaders who may not have in-depth knowledge of naval operations.
Long-Term Planning for Shipbuilding
Long-term planning in naval shipbuilding requires a unique perspective due to the extensive timelines involved in ship design and construction, often spanning 15 years or more. Understanding this timeframe is essential, as many decisions made today will influence the fleet's future capabilities and readiness. The discussion highlights past agreements, such as AUKUS, which necessitated adjustments to shipbuilding priorities and timelines in response to evolving geopolitical landscapes. A tool that visualizes the long-term implications of short-term decisions can significantly enhance strategic foresight, allowing stakeholders to appreciate the long-term consequences of decommissioning or accelerating ship production.
This episode covers RShiny, a CNA-funded dashboard government leaders can use to examine the Navy Shipbuilding Plan.
Guest Biographies
Rachel Hartley is a research analyst for CNA’s Force Optimization and Readiness Generation program. She specializes in performance-to-plan Human Resources and addressing recruiting crises.