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Understanding IMSMA Information Model

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Most important information management concepts key to understand Understanding the {{IMSMANG }} information model and is a prerequisite for an information manager to adapt the system to their impact on country specific mine action information management are covered hererequirements. To help information managers apply the concepts, some Some sections conclude with will include a list of requirements to define and document that can be used when establishing the by information model for a mine action programme. ==Data Types=====Core Data===In managers to define and document the IMSMA^NG information model, items are the containers for mine action core data. An item is an area, activity or event that a mine action programme records information about and stores in IMSMA^NG. There are six categories of items, which are described in the table below. Each category can be characterized by a type that reflects whether the item is designed to track process or activity information or the object or product of an activity.

==Data Types==__NOEDITSECTION__

===Core Data===__NOEDITSECTION__

In the {{IMSMANG}} information model, items are the containers for core data, such as mine action data. An item is an area, activity or event that a programme records information about and stores in {{IMSMANG}}. There are six categories of items, which are described in the table below. Each category can be characterised by a type that reflects whether the item is designed to track process or activity information or the object or product of an activity.

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Items

! Item

! Description

! Type

|-

| HazardLand| Information about an area affected by a hazard

| Object/Product

|-

| Hazard reduction activityActivity| Information about an activity , such as efforts to survey, clear, or reduce the threat of a hazard

| Process/Activity

|-

| Accident

| Information about an accidental event involving a hazard

| Object/Product

|-

| Victim

| Information about a person injured or affected by a hazardan accident

| Object/Product

|-

| Mine Risk Assistance| Information about assistance for a person injured or affected by an accident| Process/Activity|-| Education (MRE) activity| Information about an activity designed to inform or educate people about hazards(e.g. Risk Education or Victim rights)| ObjectProcess/ProductActivity

|-

| Quality Management (QM) activity

| Information about an quality-improvement activity , such as an effort to control and monitor the clearance and/or reduction of hazards land or hazard reduction activities| ObjectProcess/ProductActivity

|-

|}

Items are entered into {{IMSMANG}} by means of a Data Entry Form. Typically, each category of items has its own Data Entry Form template for recording information specific to that category. When entered into {{IMSMANG}}, all Data Entry Form items must be assigned to a Location, which is tied to the country’s gazetteer, or political or administrative structure. The items can then be traced back to the Country Structure so that users can easily report data such as the number and size of hazardous areas within a particular province.

Items are entered into IMSMA<supcenter>NG</sup> by means of a field report. Typically, each category of items has its own field report template for recording information specific to that category. When entered into IMSMA^NG, all field report items must be assigned to a location, which is tied to the country’s gazetteer, or political or administrative structure. The items can then be traced back to the country structure so that users can easily report data such as the number and size of hazards within a particular province. Part of defining and documenting an information model includes defining the useful information attributes for each IMSMA^NG item. IMSMA^NG comes with more than 1,000 data elements already defined as well as the capability to create additional custom-defined fields (CDFs). This makes it important to critically assess which data elements are useful to a programme for decision-making, analysis and reporting and to focus on those while ignoring data elements that don’t provide additional value. Limiting information to only that which is useful to the programme provides long-term benefits including reducing the data collection and data entry burden and improving system performance. And, while many data elements may be collected for each IMSMA^NG item, some elements may be more important for analysis than others. For example, whether a victim has been injured or killed may be more important for analysis than the victim’s nationality.  

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Item Subcategories

! Item

! Subcategory Category Examples

|-

| HazardLand

|

* Battle area* Dangerous area* MinefieldSHA

* CHA

* UXO spotEOD Spot Task* Ammunition Storage

|-

| Hazard reduction activityActivity

|

* Non-Technical survey

* Technical survey

* Clearance

* Completion survey

* Technical survey

* Progress report

|-

| Accident

* Demining accident

* Mine accident

|-

| Victim

|

* Civilian

* Deminer

|-

| Mine Risk Education (MRE) activity

|

* Peer-to-peer

|-

| Quality Management (QM) activity

|

* Quality management

* Quality control

|-

|}

</center>

Part of defining and documenting an information model includes defining the useful information attributes for each {{IMSMANG}} item. {{IMSMANG}} comes with more than 1,000 [[Data Dictionary| data fields already defined]] as well as the capability to create additional custom-defined fields (CDFs). This makes it important to critically assess which data fields are useful to a programme for decision-making, analysis and reporting and to focus on those while ignoring data fields that don’t provide additional value. Limiting information to only that which is useful to the programme provides long-term benefits including reducing the data collection and data entry burden and improving system performance. And, while many data fields may be collected for each {{IMSMANG}} item, some fields may be more important for analysis than others. For example, whether a victim has been injured or killed may be more important for analysis than the victim’s nationality.

Each of the items can be divided into categories or types so users can collect information for each category/type. For example, Land are normally divided into different categories/types and each category of land are managed differently. Using categories/types, information managers can:

Each of the six categories of items can be divided into subcategories or types so users can collect information for each subcategory. For example, users can specify different types of hazards such as dangerous areas, confirmed hazardous areas (CHAs), minefields and battle areas and manage each kind of hazard differently. Using subcategories, information managers can: * create separate workflows for each category/type of hazardLand* create and manage separate data entry formsData Entry Form templates per category/type* differentiate between item categories /types on the map Additionally, information managers can customise the subcategories so that unused subcategories can be removed and other subcategories added. The same is true for all top-level items within IMSMA^NG, which lets information managers specify their exact information model, including the relationships among item categories, and adjust the model as their needs change over time. To accurately map the information model for a programme, it’s helpful to evaluate the available item subcategories and determine if changes to the information model in IMSMA^NG are required. While these values can be customized after system setup, understanding the types of information for each item is critical to implementing an effective workflow in IMSMA^NG. Table 5 shows examples of the possible subcategories of IMSMA^NG items.

Additionally, information managers can customise the categories so that unused categories can be inactivated and other categories added. The same is true for all top-level items within {{IMSMANG}}, which lets information managers specify their exact information model, including the relationships among item categories, and adjust the model as their needs change over time. To accurately map the information model for a Mine Action Programme, it’s helpful to evaluate the available item categories and determine if changes to the information model in {{IMSMANG}} are required. While these values can be customised after system setup, understanding the types of information for each item is critical to implementing an effective workflow in {{IMSMANG}}.

{{Documentnote|<b>Document the following decisions about items:</b> * data elements to be collected and managed in IMSMA^NG{{IMSMANG}}* data elements fields that are not predefined in IMSMA^NG {{IMSMANG}} and should be created as CDFs* particularly important, or key, data elements for the programme* relevant subcategories categories/types for each item

* status values for each item

}}

 Below is an example of a fully-documented hazard.  [[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Example of Documented HazardLand.png|center|500px|''Example of Documented Hazard''300px]]

<div align="center">

''Example of Documented Hazarddocumentation''

</div>

===Auxiliary Data===__NOEDITSECTION__In addition to defining the required information for IMSMA^NG {{IMSMANG}} items, it is important to define the relevant information to be collected about auxiliary Auxiliary data. This includes defining and documenting the [[Standardising_Auxiliary_Data#Country_Structure|Country Structure]], [[Explosive Standardising_Auxiliary_Data#OrdnanceClassification | Ordnance classification]], [[Standardising_Auxiliary_Data#Organisations |Organisation]] and [[Standardising_Auxiliary_Data#Places|Place]], such as military bases, hospitals and cultural sites; any additional CDFs that should be created; and any subcategories for each of the auxiliary Auxiliary data types.

{{New_6.0 | In version 6.0 two classifications used for Victim; Cause and Needs assessment, and Assistance classification used for Assistance have been added. All three are hierarchy tree-structures using levels.}}

{{Documentnote|<b>Document the following decisions about auxiliary Auxiliary data:</b>

* data elements to be collected and managed in IMSMA^NG{{IMSMANG}}* data elements fields that are not already configured in IMSMA^NG {{IMSMANG}} and can be created as CDFs

* relevant subcategories for each data type

}}

 Below is an example of a fully-documented place.  [[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Example of Documented Auxiliary Dataver2.png|center|500px|''Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Example of Documented Auxiliary Data''300px]]

<div align="center">

''Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Example of Documented Auxiliary Data''

</div>

==Field Reports Data Entry Forms and Current ViewsSummary items==__NOEDITSECTION__A <b>field report</b> '''Data Entry Form''' is a template used for data entry form used to record and store of information e.g. about an itema victim.

A <b>current view</b> is The Data Entry Form(s) for a summary of all specific object (e.g. the information collected about an item on field reportsVictim ''Jane Doe'') are summarised and displayed in a '''Summary'''.

<b>'''Reconciliation</b> ''' is the process of assigning the deciding if information in a field report to should update an existing item object or creating a new itemobject/current viewSummary.

All mine action information is entered into IMSMA^NG via a field reportOr with other words, when a data entry form used to collect information about an item. When a field report Data Entry process is completed, it started the first decision is either reconciled to an existing item (that is, it is determined to be information about an item that already exists in IMSMA<sup>NG<choose which of the several different methods/sup>) or it is reconciled as new (that is, it is determined actions for Data Entry to be information about an item that does not already exist in IMSMA^NG)use.

With this approach, users can collect and store multiple field reports Data Entry Forms about the same item over time so that the entire history of the item is preserved in the system. The approach also provides a complete [[Audit log | audit trail ]] of all changes made to any mine action information so that information managers can answer the question, "What did we know and when did we know it?"

IMSMA^NG also provides a constantly updated current view of the item which represents the sum of information about the item at any given time. As subsequent information is collected about a specific attribute of an item, IMSMA^NG {{IMSMANG}} updates the item’s current view Summary on an attribute-by-attribute basis. For example, Field Report #1 collects some initial information about a hazard. It sets The calculation of the priority to "Medium" Summary is done based on '''Date of Information''' and specifies therefore it is important that the hazard contains AP mines and Date of information is 25,000 sqm. Field Report #2 updates information about reflecting the hazard after a subsequent assessment. The report sets age of the priority to "High" information and specifies the presence of AP and AT mines, but it does not change the size or the status date of the hazard. Field Report #3 updates the hazard’s size and status after clearance operations are complete. The figure below shows how the hazard’s current view is updated after all three reports are entered entry into the system{{IMSMANG}}.

[[Image:Understanding_IMSMA_Information_Model_-_Updating_CVsver2.png|center|500px|''Example of Updating Current Views''400px]]

<div align="center">

''Example of Updating Current ViewsSummary items''

</div>

Current view calculations are based on the date of Data Entry Form #1 collects some initial information about a Land. It sets the field report, so it is possible priority to enter data into the system out of chronological order ("Medium" and specifies that is, to collect past information about an item) without disrupting the current view. For example, if a fourth field report were collected land contains AP mines and dated between Field Report #1 and Field Report #2is 25, it would have no effect on the current view as all information in the example was updated with Field Report #2 or later000 sqm.

===Location Folder===A location in IMSMA^NG is a grouping of Data Entry Form #2 updates information, whether logical, geographical or sociopolitical. Using locations, users can group data that belongs together or is associated with each other and handle it as about the land area after a group, including facilitating data entry, searching and running reportssubsequent assessment. To do this, locations must link The report sets the mine action data priority to "High" and specifies the country’s political or administrative structure (existing gazetteer)presence of AP and AT mines, whether at but it does not change the province, district size or town level. This method also provides geographical context to the datastatus of the land area. As shown in the figure below, locations in IMSMA^NG are governed by two simple rules:

*all mine action data must be linked to a location*Data Entry Form #3 updates the land area's size and status after clearance operations are complete. The figure above shows how the land area's Summary is updated after all locations must be linked to three reports are entered into the country structuresystem.

{{Warning| A Data Entry Form that is changing existing information must have a Date of information that is later than the Data Entry Form that it is updating the calculation of the Summary item(s) are based on Date of Information. When the date is earlier or the '''same''', the Summary item will '''not''' be updated.}}

[[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Using Locations to Link Mine Action Data to ===Location ===__NOEDITSECTION__A country's official administrative structure, also known as Gazetteer, should be the base for the Country Structureused in {{IMSMANG}}.png|center|''Using Locations to Link Sometimes the official administrative structure has not been updated for a long time or it is not detailed enough using it for a geographical placeholder, worksite, for the Mine Action Data programme and that is why the item Location has been introduced in {{IMSMANG}}. Two fundamental decisions to the make when customising {{IMSMANG}} is to decide what Country Structure'']]<div align="center">''Using level Locations will be consistently linked to Link Mine Action Data and what concept Locations will represent. Typical concepts that a Location is used to the Country Structure''</div>represent include:

*a work area (where activities are taking place)

*a community (a group of people affected by the mine/UXO/IED threat)

*the nearest town (the town closest to where the activity is taking place)

Two fundamental decisions to make when customizing IMSMA^NG Using Locations, users can group data that belongs together or is to decide what country structure level locations will be consistently linked to associated with each other and what concept locations will represent, Typical concepts in that way get a location better overview, facilitate searching and creating reports. The Locations is used to represent includethe link between the Country Structure, whether at the province, district or town level and the Mine Action data. As shown in the figure below, data in {{IMSMANG}} are governed by two simple rules:

*all data must be assigned to a work area (where hazards exist and hazard reductions are taking place)*a community (a group of people affected by the mine/UXO threat)Location*the nearest town (the town closest all Locations must be linked to where the activity is taking place)Country Structure

{{Document[[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Using Locations to Link Mine Action Data to the Country Structure.png|center]]<bdiv align="center">Document ''Using Locations to Link Mine Action Data to the following decisions about locations:Country Structure''</bdiv>

{{note|<b>Document the following decisions about Locations:</b>* what concept locations Locations will represent* what country structure Country Structure level locations Locations will be linked to

}}

===Assigning and Linking===__NOEDITSECTION__

<b>Assigning</b> refers to the assignment of an item to a Location for the purposes of grouping information. All items must be assigned a Location.

===Assigning and Linking===<b>AssigningLinking</b> refers to the assignment of an item to a location association between items for the purposes of grouping informationanalysis. All items must Linking is optional, for example, when linking Activities to Accidents but linking is very important to do so effective reporting will be assigned a locationpossible.

<b>Linking</b> refers {{IMSMANG}} provides the capability to assign items to Locations and create links between items, a function that shows the association relationships between items and processes and that enriches the data collected. Assignments and links are defined during the Data Entry Form approval process. An item is assigned to one Location, which ties the item to the country structure and allows for reporting data by area. The same item can then be linked to as many other items as necessary. In this way, {{IMSMANG}} supports the purposes idea of analysislinking activities to land, victims to accidents or any item to any other item. Linking is optionalWhen used with item categories, linking adds a powerful capacity to implement an information workflow and create rich and useful data for exampledecision makers. To ensure the integrity of this data, when linking clearances system administrators must clearly specify the kinds of links to minefieldstrack in {{IMSMANG}}.

IMSMA^NG provides the capability to assign items to locations and create links between items, The example below shows how users can build a function that shows the workflow of relationships between among items and processes and that enriches to model the data collectedinformation management process for their Mine Action Programmes. Assignments and links are defined during The figure shows how the field report approval process. An item Summary changes with each activity that is assigned linked to one location, which ties the item to the country structure and allows for reporting mine action data by areaoriginal Land. # The same item can then be linked to Land starts its life-cycle as many other items as necessary''SHA'' with a status of Open in this example. In this way, IMSMA^NG supports # When the clearance starts and the idea of linking hazard reductions first Progress report is linked to hazardsthe Land, victims the status should be changed to accidents or any item to any other item''Worked On''. When used with item subcategories# Finally, after linking adds a powerful capacity to implement an information workflow and create rich and useful data for decision makers. To ensure the integrity of this data, system administrators must clearly specify Completion Report the kinds of links land's status should be updated to track in IMSMA^NG''Closed''.

The example below shows how users result is one Land whose information is updated over time by the three Activities linked to the land. This way to track information can build a workflow of complex relationships among top-level items and item subcategories be used to model represent the information management process and status rules accurately for their programmesa Land Release, Risk management or other process model.

 [[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Example of How Relationships Among Items are CreatedCurrent View Statuses Change.png|center|400px|''Example of How Relationships Among Items are Created'']]

<div align="center">

''Example of How Relationships Among Items are CreatedSummary Statuses Change''

</div>

The {{IMSMANG}} information model is flexible enough for each Mine Action Programme to customise the system to support its needs. For example, implementations that do not cover Education activities do not need to complete information about Education activities, and they still retain full utility of the system. Similarly, implementations that only cover Victim tracking and Education activities only can disregard Land and Activities without any loss of utility.

The next figure shows how the current view changes with each hazard reduction that is Although any item can be linked to the original hazardany other item, not all relationships necessarily make sense for every implementation. The CHA starts with a status diagrams below describe some of "Open." When the technical survey is linked to the hazard, it changes the hazard subcategory to "Minefield." Then, linking the clearance updates the hazard’s status to "Worked On." Finally, linking the completion survey changes the hazard’s status to "Closed." The result is one hazard whose information is updated over time by the four hazard reductions linked to the hazard. This way to track information more common logical relationships among items and can be used to represent serve as the basis for an information management process and status rules accurately for a land release, risk management or other process modelwhen implementing {{IMSMANG}}.

 [[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Example of How Current View Statuses ChangeRelationships Among Items.png|center|400px|''Example of How Current View Statuses Change''550px]]

<div align="center">

''Example of How Current View Statuses ChangeNote: Connections to Country Structure and Location have been omitted from the example''

</div>

The rationale for each relationship or link should also be documented so the meaning is understood. These relationships are used when entering data to ensure that the links between items are available for searching and reporting, like when searching for all Land that have Accidents linked to them.

The IMSMA^NG information model is flexible enough for each programme to customise the system to support its needs. For example, programmes that do not conduct MRE activities do not need to complete information about MREs, and they still retain full utility of the system. Similarly, programmes that conduct victim tracking and MRE activities only can disregard hazards and hazard reductions without any loss of utility. This flexibility, however, requires that programmes define the relevant uses of each item. Although any item can be linked to any other item, not all relationships necessarily make sense for every programme. The diagrams below describe some of the more common logical relationships among items and can serve as the basis for an information model when implementing IMSMA^NG.  [[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Example Relationships Among Items.png|center|400px|''Example Relationships Among Items'']]<div align="center">''Example Relationships Among Items''</div>  The rationale for each relationship or link should also be documented so the meaning is understood. For example, a hazard reduction may be conducted on a hazard and an accident may be a result of a hazard or produce a victim. These relationships are used when entering data to ensure that the links between items are available for searching and reporting, like when searching for all hazards that have clearances linked to them. {{Documentnote|<b>Document the following business rules about assigning and linking:</b> * which items will have links between them, for example, victims will Victims should always be linked to accidentsAccidents* rationale or logical meaning of the relationships between items, for example, a link between a clearance Clearance and a minefield an Accident means that the clearance was conducted on Accident happened during the minefieldClearance* what effects linking has on the items, for example, a link between a clearance Clearance and hazard Land may indicate that the hazard land status should change from "''Open" '' to "''Worked on"''

}}

  ===The Workbench===Items, field reports, current views, assigning and linking come together at the Workbench. The Workbench is a holding area where users enter data into field reports and reconcile each item in the field report either as a new item or as an update to an existing item. Users have the ability to assign field report items to locations and to link items to other items (like linking a technical survey to an existing CHA). They then save the reports in the Workbench pending the appropriate quality checks and approvals. Until a field report is approved, it exists only in the Workbench and does not update any current views. The report can still be modified or deleted. When a field report is approved, however, it becomes part of the current views and cannot be deleted. __NOEDITSECTION__[[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Adding Field Report Information to the Current ViewWB_Status.png|175px|center|''Adding Field Report Information to the Current View'']]

<div align="center">

''Adding Field Report Information to the Current ViewApproval workflow / Data Entry Form Statuses''

</div>

The Workbench is a holding area / import inbox where Data Entry Forms are found until they are approved. There are four possible steps in the Approval process:

# [[Save Data Entry Forms| Save]]

# [[Submit Data Entry Forms | Submit]]

# [[Reject Data Entry Forms | Reject ]]

# [[Approve Data Entry Forms | Approve]]

For data quality purposes, it is important that the data is adequately checked. With multiple permission levels for the Approval, different users can be assigned different permissions, allowing Mine Action Programmes to implement a data-entry workflow that distinguishes between data '''entry''' and data '''verification''' roles.

For data quality purposes, it is important that the data is adequately checked at this stage. IMSMA^NG allows information managers to control permissions for the Workbench and other areas of IMSMA^NG through the management of users and roles. With multiple permission levels for the Workbench, different users can be assigned different permissions, allowing programmes to implement Until a data-entry workflow that distinguishes between data entry and data verification roles. It Data Entry Form is recommended to set up a permission structure that reserves approval authority for field reports for the most trusted users. For data quality purposesapproved, it is important that the data is adequately checked at this stage. IMSMANG allows information managers to control permissions for exists only in the Workbench and other areas of IMSMANG through the management of users and rolesdoes not update any Summary items. With multiple permission levels for the Workbench, different users The report can still be assigned different permissions, allowing programmes to implement a data-entry workflow that distinguisheses between data entry and data verification roles. It is recommended to set up a permission structure that reserves approval authority for field reports for the most trusted users. Table 6. Typical IMSMANG Roles Role DescriptionData Entry Users whose primary function is to enter field reports and other data into the system. This role may modified or may not include the ability to approve field reportsdeleted. Data Verification Users who typically perform quality checks on the data entered by Data Entry users. This role is often responsible for verifying the accuracy The Approval will trigger an update of the data entered and approving field reports. Operations Users who typically browse for information within IMSMANG to make operational decisions. Operations users may sometimes be grouped by function an existing item (for example, MRE, clearance Summary) or victim assistance)creating of a new item depending of chosen Action. These users often perform searches for If the Summary item has geospatial data, generate reports and analyze it may be visible in the data to support operational needs. System Administrator Users who perform information management-specific functions such as creating field report templates, designing reports, backing up and restoring data and other technical functionsMap Pane.

Guest Users with essentially read-only access to browse data.{{NavBox Information Management}}[[Category:NAA]]

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