Changes

This straightforward approach to decentralized data exchange ensures that all sites regularly receive a complete and authoritative dataset. Other variations on this pattern are possible with varying degrees of increased complexity to meet specific data exchange needs. Regardless of the information exchange pattern selected, there are several key aspects of maintaining decentralized data exchange within IMSMA^NG that must be considered. These aspects are discussed in the following sections.

Establishing correct roles and permissions is a key factor in managing and maintaining data exchange within IMSMA^NG. Using the permissions structure, the information manager can carefully control access to key functions that affect data exchange including Data Entry Form template creation, CDF creation, Data Entry Form approvals and auxiliary data creation. When permissions are correctly established and roles and user accounts created, information managers can freely distribute the IMSMA^NG dataset to regional partners knowing that key data controls are in place.

By establishing a set of limited permissions for the regional sites, information managers can prevent the accidental or intentional creation of new data elements not available at the central authority that could affect the ability of the central authority to import Data Entry Forms and cause the dataset to become fractured.

By limiting auxiliary data permissions to the central authority, information managers can prevent complications when synchronising Data Entry Forms. Because Data Entry Forms often refer to auxiliary data (places, ordnance, organisations, etc.), it is important that each site have a common set of auxiliary data to facilitate exchange. If the auxiliary data is not properly synchronised, the exchange of Data Entry Forms can result in import issues which must be manually resolved. While IMSMA^NG provides an interface for resolving these kinds of issues, it is recommended to reduce the occurrence of these issues by limiting any creation of auxiliary data to the central authority who can then distribute an updated dataset as necessary. Likewise, limiting the creation of Data Entry Form templates, data elements and country structure levels to the central authority improves the ease of information exchange.

The easiest way to ensure that each site is working from a common dataset is to distribute a full backup of the IMSMA^NG dataset to each site on a regular basis. This can occur weekly, monthly or quarterly, but the key is to distribute an official‖ dataset to each site regularly to ensure that auxiliary data is up to date and that any changes made to other parts of the dataset are distributed. In this way, organisations can maintain a common set of national statistics and the dataset reflects the decisions made by the central authority to resolve errors or issues in importing and exchanging Data Entry Forms.

* Request that any searches or other non-exportable elements that are important for regional site use be created in the central authority’s dataset prior to distribution so they do not need to be recreated regionally each time a new backup is distributed.

In any information exchange activity, it is important to have regular sessions or meetings to collect feedback and discuss issues or improvements to the information exchange process. One recommendation is to establish a feedback forum where organisations can address data quality issues and make adjustments to the information exchange process. Topics to address in such a forum include: