In weather forecast products, stakeholder engagement in the research-to-operations (R2O) transition process has been increasingly valued yet it is far from being standardized. Engagement at multiple R2O stages and methods rigorously supported by social science are critical in implementing a practice of knowledge coproduction in such forecast products. With an example of short-term ice forecasts in the North American Great Lakes, this commentary provides a reflection of the stakeholder engagement workshop where two targeted stakeholder groups (shipping industry and U.S. Coast Guard 9 District), operational forecast providers, and scientists worked together to maximize the usability of ice forecast guidance from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Great Lakes Operational Forecast System (GLOFS). The workshop was designed carefully by social scientists to address predominant questions; what decisions do stakeholders make with ice information; what ice information do stakeholders use to support that decision-making; and what are stakeholder usability requirements for a short-term Great Lakes ice forecast? The findings from the workshop provided in-depth information to formulate recommendations to GLOFS on its user interface of the upcoming ice forecast guidance, as well as the future model development. The effort placed a steppingstone toward a new standard of R2O, where participation of stakeholders and social scientists is a formalized part of the process.