===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
| Assistance
| Information about assistance for a person injured or affected by an accident
| ObjectProcess/ProductActivity
|-
| Education activity
| Information about an activity designed to inform or educate people, such as about local 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 land or 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 {{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. 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 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 {{IMSMANG}} 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. <center>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Item Subcategories
! Item
! Subcategory Category Examples
|-
| Land
|
* Battle area* Dangerous area* MinefieldSHA
* CHA
* UXO spotEOD Spot Task* Ammunition Storage
|-
| Activity
|
* Non-Technical survey
* Technical survey
* Clearance
* Completion survey
* Technical survey
* Progress report
|-
| Accident
* Demining accident
* Mine accident
|-
| Victim
|
* Civilian
* Deminer
|-
| Victim assistance
|
* Medical
* Financial
|-
| Education 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 seven categories of items can be divided into subcategories or types so users can collect information * create separate workflows for each subcategory. For example, users can specify different types category/type of land such as dangerous areas, confirmed hazardous areas (CHAs), minefields and battle areas Land* create and manage each kind of land differently. Using subcategories, information managers can:separate Data Entry Form templates per category/type* differentiate between item categories/types on the map
* create separate workflows Additionally, information managers can customise the categories so that unused categories can be inactivated and other categories added. The same is true for each type of land* create all top-level items within {{IMSMANG}}, which lets information managers specify their exact information model, including the relationships among item categories, and manage separate data entry forms* differentiate between 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 on and determine if changes to the mapinformation 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}}.
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 {{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 programme, it’s helpful to evaluate the available item subcategories 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}}. Table 5 shows examples of the possible subcategories of {{IMSMANG}} items. {{Documentnote|<b>Document the following decisions about items:</b> * data elements to be collected and managed in {{IMSMANG}}* data elements fields that are not predefined in {{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 {{IMSMANG}} items, it is important to define the relevant information to be collected about auxiliary Auxiliary data. This includes defining and documenting the [[Setup Country Structure Levels in a New InstallationStandardising_Auxiliary_Data#Country_Structure|Country Structure]], [[Access the Standardising_Auxiliary_Data#Ordnance Classification List Window|Explosive Ordnanceclassification]], [[Organisation List windowStandardising_Auxiliary_Data#Organisations |Organisation]] and [[Place List windowStandardising_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 {{IMSMANG}}* data elements fields that are not already configured in {{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>
==Data Entry Forms and SummariesSummary items==__NOEDITSECTION__A <b>'''Data Entry Form</b> ''' is a template used for data entry form used to record and store of information e.g. about an itema victim.
A <b>Summary</b> is The Data Entry Form(s) for a summary of all specific object (e.g. the information collected about an item on Data Entry FormsVictim ''Jane Doe'') are summarised and displayed in a '''Summary'''.
<b>'''Reconciliation</b> ''' is the process of assigning the deciding if information in a Data Entry Form to should update an existing item object or creating a new itemobject/Summary.
All information is entered into {{IMSMANG}} via a Data Entry FormOr with other words, a data entry form used to collect information about an item. When when a Data Entry Form 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 {{IMSMANG}}) or it is reconciled as new (that is, it is determined choose which of the several different methods/actions for Data Entry to be information about an item that does not already exist in {{IMSMANG}})use.
With this approach, users can collect and store multiple 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 information so that information managers can answer the question, "What did we know and when did we know it?"
{{IMSMANG}} also provides a constantly updated Summary 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, {{IMSMANG}} updates the item’s Summary on an attribute-by-attribute basis. For example, Data Entry Form #1 collects some initial information about a hazardous land area. 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 land contains AP mines and Date of information is 25,000 sqm. Data Entry Form #2 updates information about reflecting the land area 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 land area. Data Entry Form #3 updates the land area's size and status after clearance operations are complete. The figure below shows how the land area's Summary 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 Summaries''400px]]
<div align="center">
''Example of Updating SummariesSummary items''
</div>
Summary calculations are based on the date of the Data Entry Form, so it is possible to enter data into the system out of chronological order (that is, to collect past #1 collects some initial information about an item) without disrupting a Land. It sets the Summary. For example, if a fourth Data Entry Form were collected priority to "Medium" and dated between Data Entry Form #1 specifies that the land contains AP mines and Data Entry Form #2is 25, it would have no effect on the Summary as all information in the example was updated with Data Entry Form #2 or later000 sqm.
===Location Folder===__NOEDITSECTION__A location in {{IMSMANG}} 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 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 {{IMSMANG}} are governed by two simple rules:
*all 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 customising Using Locations, users can group data that belongs together or is associated with each other and in that way get a better overview, facilitate searching and creating reports. The Locations is the 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}} is to decide what country structure level locations will be consistently linked to and what concept locations will represent. Typical concepts that a location is used to represent includeare governed by two simple rules:
*all data must be assigned to a work area (where activities 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 Location for the purposes of grouping information. All items must be assigned a locationLocation. <b>Linking</b> refers to the association between items for the purposes of analysis. Linking is optional, for example, when linking clearances to minefields. {{IMSMANG}} provides the capability to assign items to locations and create links between items, a function that shows the 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 idea of linking activities to land, victims to accidents or any item to any other item. When used with item subcategories, 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 the kinds of links to track in {{IMSMANG}}. The example below shows how users can build a workflow of complex relationships among top-level items and item subcategories to model the information management process for their programmes.
[[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Example of How Relationships Among Items are Created.png|center|400px|''Example of How Relationships Among Items are Created'']]<div align="center"b>''Example of How Relationships Among Items are Created''Linking</divb>refers to the association between items for the purposes of analysis. Linking is optional, for example, when linking Activities to Accidents but linking is very important to do so effective reporting will be possible.
{{IMSMANG}} provides the capability to assign items to Locations and create links between items, a function that shows the 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 idea of linking activities to land, victims to accidents or any item to any other item. When used with item categories, 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 the kinds of links to track in {{IMSMANG}}.
The next example below shows how users can build a workflow of relationships among items to model the information management process for their Mine Action Programmes. The figure shows how the Summary changes with each activity that is linked to the original landLand. # The CHA Land starts its life-cycle as ''SHA'' with a status of "Openin this example." # When the technical survey clearance starts and the first Progress report is linked to the landLand, it changes the landsubcategory status should be changed to "Minefield." Then, linking the clearance updates the land's status to "'Worked On''." # Finally, after linking the completion survey changes Completion Report the land's status should be updated to "''Closed." The result is one land whose information is updated over time by the four activities linked to the land. This way to track information can be used to represent the information management process and status rules accurately for a land release, risk management or other process model''.
The result is one Land whose information is updated over time by the three Activities linked to the land. This way to track information can be used to represent the information management process and status rules accurately for a Land Release, Risk management or other process model.
[[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Example of How Current View Statuses Change.png|center|400px|''Example of How Summary Statuses Change'']]
<div align="center">
''Example of How Summary 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 {{IMSMANG}} information model is flexible enough for each programme to customise the system to support its needs. For example, programmes that do not conduct education activities do not need to complete information about education activities, and they still retain full utility of the system. Similarly, programmes that conduct victim tracking and education activities only can disregard land and activities 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 programmeimplementation. 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 {{IMSMANG}}.
[[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Example Relationships Among Items.png|center|400px|''Example Relationships Among Items''550px]]
<div align="center">
''Example Relationships Among ItemsNote: 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 rationale for each relationship or link should also be documented so the meaning is understood. For example, an activity may be conducted on a land and an accident may be a result of a hazardous land 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 land 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 land Land may indicate that the land status should change from "''Open" '' to "''Worked on"''
}}
===The Workbench===__NOEDITSECTION__
Items, Data Entry Forms, Summaries, assigning and linking come together at the Workbench. The Workbench is a holding area where users enter data into Data Entry Forms and reconcile each item in the Data Entry Form either as a new item or as an update to an existing item. Users have the ability to assign Data Entry Form 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 Data Entry Form is approved, it exists only in the Workbench and does not update any Summaies. The report can still be modified or deleted. When a Data Entry Form is approved, however, it becomes part of the Summaries and cannot be deleted. [[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Adding Field Report Information to the Current ViewWB_Status.png|175px|center|''Adding Data Entry Form Information to the Summary'']]
<div align="center">
''Adding Approval workflow / Data Entry Form Information to the SummaryStatuses''
</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 purposesUntil a Data Entry Form is approved, 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 does not update any Summary items. The report can still be modified or deleted. The Approval will trigger an update of an existing item (Summary) or creating of {{IMSMANG}} through the management a new item depending of users and roleschosen Action. With multiple permission levels for If the WorkbenchSummary item has geospatial data, different users can it may be assigned different permissions, allowing programmes to implement a data-entry workflow that distinguishes between data entry and data verification roles. It is recommended to set up a permission structure that reserves approval authority for Data Entry Forms for visible in the most trusted usersMap Pane.
{{NavBox Information Management}}
[[Category:Information managementNAA]]
