Changes

==Data Types=Items=__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.

In the IMSMA<sup>NG<{| class="wikitable"! Item! Description! Type|-| Land| Information about an area| Object/sup> information modelProduct|-| Activity| Information about an activity, such as efforts to survey, items are the containers for mine action information. An item is an areaclear, activity or event that reduce the threat of a mine action programme records information hazard| Process/Activity|-| Accident| Information about and stores in IMSMA<sup>NG<an accidental event| Object/sup>. There are six categories of items, which are described in the table below. Each category can be characterized Product|-| Victim| Information about a person injured or affected by an accident| Object/Product|-| Assistance| Information about assistance for a type that reflects whether the item is person injured or affected by an accident| Process/Activity|-| Education activity| Information about an activity designed to track process inform or educate people (e.g. Risk Education or Victim rights)| Process/Activity|-| Quality Management (QM) activity information or | Information about an quality-improvement activity, such as an effort to control and monitor the object clearance and/or product reduction of an activity.land or activities| Process/Activity|-|}

[[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model <center>{| class="wikitable"|+ ! Item! Category Examples|-| Land|* SHA* CHA* EOD Spot Task* Ammunition Storage|- Items.png| Activity|center* Non-Technical survey* Technical survey* Clearance* Completion survey|500px-|''Items'']]Accident<div align="center">|''Items''* Demining accident</div>* Mine accident|-|}Items are entered into IMSMA<sup>NG</supcenter> 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 {{IMSMANG}} item. IMSMA^NG {{IMSMANG}} comes with more than 1,000 [[Data Dictionary| data elements fields already defined ]] as well as the capability to create additional custom-defined fields (CDFs). This makes it important to critically assess which data elements fields are useful to a programme for decision-making, analysis and reporting and to focus on those while ignoring data elements 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 elements fields may be collected for each {{IMSMANG }} item, some elements 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.  [[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Item Subcategories.png|center|500px|''Item Subcategories'']]<div align="center">''Item Subcategories''</div>  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 type of hazard* create and manage separate data entry forms* differentiate between item categories 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.  [[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Documenting Items.png|center|500px|''Documenting Items'']]<div align="center">''Documenting Items''</div>

===Auxiliary * create separate workflows for each category/type of Land* create and manage separate Data===Entry Form templates per category/type* differentiate between item categories/types on the map

In addition to defining Additionally, information managers can customise the required information categories so that unused categories can be inactivated and other categories added. The same is true for IMSMA^NG all top-level itemswithin {{IMSMANG}}, it is important to define the relevant which lets information managers specify their exact information to be collected about auxiliary data. This includes defining and documenting model, including the country structurerelationships among item categories, ordnance, organisations and places, such adjust the model as military basestheir needs change over time. To accurately map the information model for a Mine Action Programme, hospitals it’s helpful to evaluate the available item categories and cultural sites; any additional CDFs that should determine if changes to the information model in {{IMSMANG}} are required. While these values can be created; and any subcategories customised after system setup, understanding the types of information for each of the auxiliary data typesitem is critical to implementing an effective workflow in {{IMSMANG}}.

[[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Documenting Auxiliary DataExample of Documented Land.png|center|500px|''Documenting Auxiliary Data''300px]]

''Documenting Auxiliary DataExample of documentation''

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

All mine action information is entered into IMSMA{{note|<supb>NG</sup> via a field report, a Document the following decisions about Auxiliary data entry form used to collect information about an item. When a field report is completed, it is either reconciled to an existing item (that is, it is determined to be information about an item that already exists in IMSMA^NG) or it is reconciled as new (that is, it is determined to be information about an item that does not already exist in IMSMA<sup>NG:</supb>).

[[Image:Understanding_IMSMA_Information_Model_Understanding IMSMA Information Model -_Field_Reports_and_Current_ViewsExample of Documented Auxiliary Data ver2.png|center|300px|''Field Reports, Current Views, and Reconciliation'']]

''Field Reports, Current Views, and ReconciliationExample of Documented Auxiliary Data''

With this approach, users can collect and store multiple field reports 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 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 Data Entry Form(s) for a specific attribute of an item, IMSMA^NG updates the item’s current view on an attribute-by-attribute basisobject (e. For example, Field Report #1 collects some initial information about a hazardg. It sets the priority to "Medium" Victim ''Jane Doe'') are summarised and specifies that the hazard contains AP mines and is 25,000 sqm. Field Report #2 updates information about the hazard after displayed in a subsequent assessment. The report sets the priority to "High" and specifies the presence of AP and AT mines, but it does not change the size or the status 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 into the system.  [[Image:Understanding_IMSMA_Information_Model_-_Updating_CVs.png|center|500px|''Example of Updating Current Views'Summary']]<div align="center">''Example of Updating Current Views''</div>.

Current view calculations are based on the date of the field report, so it '''Reconciliation''' is possible to enter data into the system out process of chronological order (that is, to collect past deciding if information about should update an item) without disrupting the current view. For example, if existing object or creating a fourth field report were collected and dated between Field Report #1 and Field Report #2, it would have no effect on the current view as all information in the example was updated with Field Report #2 or laternew object/Summary.

===Mapping As subsequent information is collected about a specific attribute of an item, {{IMSMANG}} updates the Workflows===item’s Summary on an attribute-by-attribute basis. The calculation of the Summary is done based on '''Date of Information''' and therefore it is important that Date of information is reflecting the age of the information and not the date of entry into {{IMSMANG}}.

The first element of mapping the hazard reduction workflow is to build a map of the relationship between the objects and processes involved in the hazard reduction process. Starting with the first representation of the hazard, the workflow map should describe the processes done to the hazard and the output of the process. The workflow map should trace the entire process from hazard identification through clearance and release of the land according to the operational process in use in the programme. In the example below, a confirmed hazardous area (CHA) is linked to a technical survey that was conducted on the hazard. The survey resulted in a minefield on which a clearance was done, and the clearance resulted in a cleared hazard. Finally, a completion survey was logged to close the hazard.  [[Image:Understanding Mine Action Information Management Understanding_IMSMA_Information_Model_- Mapping workflow_Updating_CVs ver2.png|center|''Mapping the Workflow''400px]]

''Mapping the WorkflowExample of Updating Summary items''

This workflow map identifies the hazard reduction process that is used within the programme and can be mapped in IMSMA^NG to track the clearance of hazards. Because IMSMA^NG supports customisable workflows, it can be used to track different workflows for different objects. For example, a programme may have a separate abbreviated workflow for spot UXO tasks that involve only the identification of Data Entry Form #2 updates information about the UXO hazard (object) and land area after a clearance of the hazard (process) without additional surveys or stepssubsequent assessment. This process should also be mapped for implementing in IMSMA^NG. ===Business Rules Updating Structure=======Status Changes==== Along with a workflow map that describes the relationship between the various types of objects and processes in a workflow, the status changes or outputs from the process are critical in adequately mapping the hazard clearance process. IMSMA^NG uses The report sets the status value of items priority to track where the object or process is in its workflow. Objects and processes in IMSMA^NG can have different status values. For example, hazards can be defined as "Active", "Worked On," or "Closed," while hazard reduction activities that are more process-oriented can be "Planned," "Ongoing," "Completed," "Suspended," or "Aborted.High" Defining a set of status values for each item provides the capability to: * manage workflows according to status* search and report on items based on a particular status* display items on specifies the map with different symbols based on their status Some IMSMA^NG items may have many status values. For example, process-oriented items such as hazard reductions presence of AP and quality management likely have many status valuesAT mines, but hazards and other object- or output-oriented items typically have only the three status values listed above. Some items like victims and accidents may it does not need status values depending on how information is used. Defining the possible status values for each object in the workflow as outputs of the processes conducted on them provides a set of business rules for information management that govern how information should be entered and analysed. ====Example Workflows with Status Changes==== The following figures show how each programme can tailor change the system to support a specific hazard clearance/reduction workflow process for each type of hazard, from a traditional process for minefield clearance with multiple steps including a technical survey, clearance and completion survey to a simplified process for UXO clearance that includes only a clearance. Each example involves a single hazard on which one size or more hazard reduction activities are conducted. At each step, information about the hazard’s status and type is updated as a result of the hazard reduction processland area.

In Data Entry Form #3 updates the figure below, a CHA is created land area's size and its status is set to "Activeafter clearance operations are complete." A technical survey process is then conducted on the hazard which results in changing the subcategory of the hazard from "CHA" to "Minefield" and defining The figure above shows how the hazard’s perimeter. Next, a clearance process land area's Summary is conducted on the minefield that results in updating the status of the hazard to "Worked On." Finally, a completion survey is submitted that updates the status of updated after all three reports are entered into the hazard to "Closedsystem."

[[Image:Understanding ===Location ===__NOEDITSECTION__A country's official administrative structure, also known as Gazetteer, should be the base for the Country Structure used in {{IMSMANG}}. 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 Information Management - Example Workflowprogramme and that is why the item Location has been introduced in {{IMSMANG}}.png|center|''Example of Two fundamental decisions to make when customising {{IMSMANG}} is to decide what Country Structure level Locations will be consistently linked to and what concept Locations will represent. Typical concepts that a Traditional Workflow'']]<div align="center">''Example of a Traditional Workflow''</div>Location is used to represent include:

Simpler processes Using Locations, users can be defined for group data that belongs together or is associated with each other types of hazards. For example, a spot UXO task would likely not go through this complete workflow and instead start with in that way get a subcategory of "UXO" better overview, facilitate searching and a status of "Opencreating reports." A clearance could then be conducted The Locations is the link between the Country Structure, whether at the province, district or town level and the UXO spot status updated to "ClosedMine Action data. As shown in the figure below," without requiring a completion survey.data in {{IMSMANG}} are governed by two simple rules:

[[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Using Locations to Link Mine Action Information Management - Example Workflow 2Data to the Country Structure.png|center|''Example of a Spot UXO Workflow'']]

''Example of a Spot UXO WorkflowUsing Locations to Link Mine Action Data to the Country Structure''

By documenting ===Assigning and Linking===__NOEDITSECTION__<b>Assigning</b> refers to the entire process conducted on each type assignment of hazard, including an item to a Location for the changes in status and type that result from the hazard reduction activities, purposes of grouping information managers create a complete map of the hazard/hazard reduction workflow that informs how linking and reconciliation decisions should . All items must be made and provide assigned a guide to data entry personnelLocation. ===Progress Reporting Structure===

Once the hazard and hazard reduction relationships and workflow are defined and documented for each type of hazard, the next step is to define how progress data for the hazard clearance processes is collected. Traditionally, incremental progress data is collected using progress reports. These reports are typically linked to the overall clearance operation and are used to collect the incremental progress for a reporting period, usually, the number of mines/UXO cleared, area cleared and hours worked. In IMSMA<supb>NGLinking</supb>, each progress report is stored as a new hazard reduction activity and linked refers to the clearanceassociation between items for the purposes of analysis. As a resultLinking is optional, individual progress reports can be queried for example, when linking Activities to Accidents but linking is very important to determine how much progress was made during a given do so effective reporting period. In addition, aggregate progress information can will be queried for each clearance (for example, the total mines that have been reported cleared for a given clearance operation)possible.

An alternative approach {{IMSMANG}} provides the capability to storing progress information is assign items to collect incremental progress reports Locations and reconcile them as updates to create links between items, a function that shows the clearance using relationships between items and processes and that enriches the combine option data collected. Assignments and links are defined during reconciliationthe Data Entry Form approval process. Using this method, progress reports do not create independent hazard reduction items; rather, their information An item is combined with, and added assigned toone Location, which ties the clearance information collected item to that point. This approach simplifies the reconciliation step country structure and allows for progress reports reporting data by area. The same item can then be linked to as well many other items as provides a simple summary necessary. In this way, {{IMSMANG}} supports the idea of clearance data on each hazard in the current viewlinking activities to land, victims to accidents or any item to any other item. It mayWhen used with item categories, however, become slightly more complicated linking adds a powerful capacity to determine progress during individual reporting periodsimplement an information workflow and create rich and useful data for decision makers. Information managers should assess which approach better meets To ensure the integrity of this data, system administrators must clearly specify the needs kinds of their programs when selecting an approach links to tracking progresstrack in {{IMSMANG}}.

In the The example below, progress reports were collected shows how users can build a workflow of relationships among items to model the information management process for three separate reporting periods during their Mine Action Programmes. The figure shows how the Summary changes with each activity that is linked to the original Land. # The Land starts its life-cycle as ''SHA'' with a status of Open in this example. # When the clearance operation. Collecting starts and linking information in this way makes it easy the first Progress report is linked to determine that in Period 2 (PR-2)the Land, 4,500 sqm were cleared and 25 AP mines were found and that, overall, 15,000 sqm were cleared and 61 AP mines were foundthe status should be changed to ''Worked On''. A defined# Finally, standardized approach to collecting and storing progress information simplifies querying and reporting of statistical information and is a critical element after linking the Completion Report the land's status should be updated to supporting operational mine action information management needs''Closed''.

[[Image:Understanding Mine Action IMSMA Information Management Model - Progress Report WorkflowExample of How Current View Statuses Change.png|center|''Progress Report Workflow''400px]]

''Progress Report WorkflowExample of How Summary Statuses Change''

==Reconciliation Process== ===Location Folder=== ===Assigning and Linking=== IMSMA^NG 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 field report approval process. An item is assigned to one location, which ties the item to the country structure and allows for reporting mine action data by area. The same Although any item can then be linked to as many other items as necessary. In this way, IMSMA^NG supports the idea of linking hazard reductions to hazards, 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 not all relationships necessarily make sense for decision makersevery implementation. To ensure The diagrams below describe some of the integrity of this data, system administrators must clearly specify more common logical relationships among items and can serve as the kinds of links to track in IMSMA^NG. See [[Maintaining IMSMA]] basis for more on this topican information model when implementing {{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|''Example of How Relationships Among Items are Created''550px]]

''Example of How Relationships Among Items are CreatedNote: Connections to Country Structure and Location have been omitted from the example''

The next figure shows how {{note|<b>Document the current view changes with each hazard reduction that is linked to the original hazard. The CHA starts with a status of "Open." When the technical survey is linked to the hazard, it changes the hazard subcategory to "Minefield." Then, following business rules about assigning and 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 can be used to represent the information management process and status rules accurately for a land release, risk management or other process model.  figure  The IMSMA<sup>NG:</supb> information model is flexible enough * which items will have links between them, 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 Victims should always be linked to any other item, not all relationships necessarily make sense for every programme. The diagrams below describe some Accidents* rationale or logical meaning of the more common logical relationships among between items and can serve as the basis , for an information model when implementing IMSMA^NG.  figure  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 link between a hazard Clearance and an accident may be a result of a hazard or produce a victim. These relationships are used when entering data to ensure Accident means that the links between Accident happened during the Clearance* what effects linking has on the items are available , for searching example, a link between a Clearance and reporting, like when searching for all hazards Land may indicate that have clearances linked the land status should change from ''Open'' to them.  figure''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'']]

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

For data quality purposesUntil a Data Entry Form is approved, it is important that the data is adequately checked at this stage. IMSMA^NG 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 IMSMA^NG through the management an existing item (Summary) or creating of 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 field reports for visible in the most trusted usersMap Pane.

====Roles and Responsibilities==== {{NavBox Information Management}}[[ImageCategory:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Roles and Responsibilities.png|center|500px|''Roles and Responsibilities''NAA]]<div align="center">''Roles and Responsibilities''</div>