Star Trek: 10 Secrets Of The Next Generation Main Bridge

A tradition that began with Star Trek: The Original Series (and carried through the Star Trek motion pictures into Star Trek: The Next Generation) was the inclusion of a dedication plaque on the bridge of the Enterprise.

Aboard the Enterprise-D, the dedication plaque was located on the forward starboard bulkhead next to the battle bridge turbolift. Like the one seen in TOS, the Enterprise-D's dedication plaque stated the ship's name, registry, and motto ("...to bodly go where no one has gone before"). It also listed the date of launch, stardate 40759.5, and the location of the ship's construction, the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards, Mars.

In addition, the Enterprise-D's dedication plaque also listed the names of the Starfleet officers, engineers, and assorted personnel instrumental in the ship's construction, in divisions like Starfleet Command, the Engineering Group, the Warp Technologies Development Group, the Advanced Technologies Group, and Utopia Planitia Yard Engineers.

At least, that's the in-universe explanation.

Though the names were never really legible in TNG, the Starfleet officers listed on the ship's dedication plaque were actually behind-the-scenes staffers, including Captains Andrew Probert, Herman Zimmerman, and Dan Curry, as well as Admirals Rick Berman, Michael Piller, and Gene Roddenberry.