Changes

*[[Data Types]]{{TOC right}}*[[Field Reports Understanding the {{IMSMANG}} information model is a prerequisite for an information manager to adapt the system to their country specific mine action requirements. Some sections will include a list of requirements that can be used by information managers to define and Current Views]]*[[Reconciliation Process]]document the information model for a programme.

==Data Types=Mapping the Workflows=__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.

The first element of mapping the hazard reduction workflow is {| class="wikitable"! Item! Description! Type|-| Land| Information about an area| Object/Product|-| Activity| Information about an activity, such as efforts to build a map of the relationship between the objects and processes involved in the hazard reduction process. Starting with survey, clear, or reduce the first representation threat of the a hazard, the workflow map should describe the processes done | Process/Activity|-| Accident| Information about an accidental event| Object/Product|-| Victim| Information about a person injured or affected by an accident| Object/Product|-| Assistance| Information about assistance for a person injured or affected by an accident| Process/Activity|-| Education activity| Information about an activity designed to the hazard and the output of the processinform or educate people (e. 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 programmeg. In the example below, a confirmed hazardous area Risk Education or Victim rights)| Process/Activity|-| Quality Management (CHAQM) is linked activity| Information about an quality-improvement activity, such as an effort to a technical survey that was conducted on control and monitor 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./or reduction of land or activities| Process/Activity|-|}

[[Image:Understanding Mine Action Information Management - Mapping workflow.png|<center>{|''Mapping the Workflow'']]<div alignclass="centerwikitable">''Mapping the Workflow''|+ ! Item! Category Examples|-| Land|* SHA* CHA* EOD Spot Task* Ammunition Storage|-| Activity|* Non-Technical survey* Technical survey* Clearance* Completion survey|-| Accident|* Demining accident</div>* Mine accident|-|}This workflow map identifies the hazard reduction process that is used within the programme and can be mapped in IMSMA<sup>NG</supcenter> to track Part of defining and documenting an information model includes defining the clearance of hazardsuseful information attributes for each {{IMSMANG}} item. Because IMSMA^NG supports customisable workflows{{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 can be used important to critically assess which data fields are useful to track different workflows for different objects. For example, a programme may have a separate abbreviated workflow for spot UXO tasks decision-making, analysis and reporting and to focus on those while ignoring data fields that involve only the identification of the UXO hazard (object) and a clearance of the hazard (process) without don’t provide additional surveys or stepsvalue. This process should also be mapped for implementing in IMSMA^NG. ===Business Rules Updating Structure=======Status Changes==== Along with a workflow map Limiting information to only that describes which is useful to the relationship between programme provides long-term benefits including reducing the various types of objects data collection 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 status value of items to track where the object or process is in its workflow. Objects data entry burden and processes in IMSMA^NG can have different status valuesimproving system performance. For example, hazards can be defined as "Active"And, "Worked On," or "Closed," while hazard reduction activities that are more process-oriented can many data fields may be "Planned," "Ongoing," "Completed," "Suspended," or "Aborted." Defining a set of status values collected for each {{IMSMANG}} item provides the capability to: * manage workflows according to status* search and report on items based on a particular status* display items on the map with different symbols based on their status Some IMSMA^NG items , some fields may have many status valuesbe more important for analysis than others. For example, process-oriented items such as hazard reductions and quality management likely have many status values, but hazards and other object- whether a victim has been injured or output-oriented items typically have only the three status values listed above. Some items like victims and accidents killed may not need status values depending on how information is used. Defining the possible status values be more important for each object in analysis than 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 analysedvictim’s nationality.

The following figures show how * create separate workflows for each programme can tailor the system to support a specific hazard clearancecategory/reduction workflow process for each type of hazard, from a traditional process for minefield clearance with multiple steps including a technical survey, clearance Land* create and completion survey to a simplified process for UXO clearance that includes only a clearance. Each example involves a single hazard manage separate Data Entry Form templates per category/type* differentiate between item categories/types on which one 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 process.map

In Additionally, information managers can customise the figure below, a CHA is created categories so that unused categories can be inactivated and its status is set to "Activeother categories added." A technical survey process The same is then conducted on the hazard true for all top-level items within {{IMSMANG}}, which results in changing lets information managers specify their exact information model, including the subcategory of the hazard from "CHA" to "Minefield" relationships among item categories, and defining adjust the hazard’s perimetermodel as their needs change over time. NextTo accurately map the information model for a Mine Action Programme, a clearance process is conducted on it’s helpful to evaluate the available item categories and determine if changes to the minefield that results information model in updating the status of the hazard to "Worked On{{IMSMANG}} are required." FinallyWhile these values can be customised after system setup, a completion survey is submitted that updates understanding the status types of the hazard information for each item is critical to "Closedimplementing an effective workflow in {{IMSMANG}}."

[[Image:Understanding Mine Action IMSMA Information Management Model - Example Workflowof Documented Land.png|center|''Example of a Traditional Workflow''300px]]

''Example of a Traditional Workflowdocumentation''

Simpler processes can be defined for other types of hazards. For example, a spot UXO task would likely not go through this complete workflow and instead start with a subcategory of "UXO" and a status of "Open." A clearance could then be conducted and {{note|<b>Document the UXO spot status updated to "Closed," without requiring a completion survey.following decisions about Auxiliary data:</b>

[[Image:Understanding Mine Action IMSMA Information Management Model - Example Workflow 2of Documented Auxiliary Data ver2.png|center|''Example of a Spot UXO Workflow''300px]]

''Example of a Spot UXO WorkflowDocumented Auxiliary Data''

By documenting the entire process conducted on each type of hazard, including the changes in status and type that result from the hazard reduction activities, information managers create The Data Entry Form(s) for a complete map of specific object (e.g. the hazard/hazard reduction workflow that informs how linking Victim ''Jane Doe'') are summarised and reconciliation decisions should be made and provide displayed in a guide to data entry personnel'''Summary'''. ===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 '''Reconciliation''' 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 process of mines/UXO cleared, area cleared and hours worked. In IMSMA^NG, each progress report is stored as deciding if information should update an existing object or creating a new hazard reduction activity and linked to the clearance. As a result, individual progress reports can be queried to determine how much progress was made during a given reporting period. In addition, aggregate progress information can be queried for each clearance (for example, the total mines that have been reported cleared for a given clearance operation)object/Summary.

An alternative approach to storing progress information is to collect incremental progress reports and reconcile them as updates to the clearance using the combine option during reconciliation. Using this method, progress reports do not create independent hazard reduction items; rather, their information is combined Or withother words, and added to, the clearance information collected to that point. This approach simplifies the reconciliation step for progress reports as well as provides when a simple summary of clearance data on each hazard in Data Entry process is started the current view. It may, however, become slightly more complicated first decision is to determine progress during individual reporting periods. Information managers should assess choose which approach better meets of the needs of their programs when selecting an approach several different methods/actions for Data Entry to tracking progressuse.

In the example belowWith this approach, progress reports were collected for three separate reporting periods during a clearance operation. Collecting users can collect and linking information in this way makes it easy to determine store multiple Data Entry Forms about the same item over time so that the entire history of the item is preserved in Period 2 (PR-2), 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 system. A defined, standardized The approach also provides a complete [[Audit log | audit trail]] of all changes made to collecting and storing progress any information simplifies querying and reporting of statistical so that information managers can answer the question, "What did we know and is a critical element to supporting operational mine action information management needs.when did we know it?"

[[Image:Understanding Mine Action Information Management Understanding_IMSMA_Information_Model_- Progress Report Workflow_Updating_CVs ver2.png|center|''Progress Report Workflow''400px]]

''Progress Report WorkflowExample of Updating Summary items''

===Location Folder===__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 programme and that is why the item Location has been introduced in {{IMSMANG}}. 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 Location is used to represent include:

A location in IMSMA^NG is *a work area (where activities are taking place)*a grouping of 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 community (a group, including facilitating data entry, searching and running reports. To do this, locations must link of people affected by the mine action data to /UXO/IED threat)*the country’s political or administrative structure nearest town (existing gazetteer), whether at the province, district or town level. This method also provides geographical context closest to where the data. As shown in the figure below, locations in IMSMA^NG are governed by two simple rules:activity is taking place)

*all mine action Using Locations, users can group data must be linked to that belongs together or is associated with each other and in that way get a location*all locations must be linked to better overview, facilitate searching and creating reports. The Locations is the country structurelink 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:

[[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Using Locations to Link Mine Action Data to the Country Structure.png|center|''Using Locations to Link Mine Action Data to the Country Structure'']]

Two fundamental decisions to make when customizing IMSMA===Assigning and Linking===__NOEDITSECTION__<supb>NGAssigning</supb> is refers to decide what country structure level locations will be consistently linked the assignment of an item to and what concept locations will represent, Typical concepts that a location is used to represent include: *Location for the purposes of grouping information. All items must be assigned a work area (where hazards exist and hazard reductions are taking place)*a community (a group of people affected by the mine/UXO threat)*the nearest town (the town closest to where the activity is taking place)Location.

<b>Document {{IMSMANG}} provides the following decisions about locations:</b>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}}.

* what concept locations will representThe 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 Land. # The Land starts its life-cycle as ''SHA'' with a status of Open in this example. # When the clearance starts and the first Progress report is linked to the Land, the status should be changed to ''Worked On''. * what country structure level locations will # Finally, after linking the Completion Report the land's status should be linked updated to''Closed''.

===Assigning and Linking=== <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. <b>Linking</b> refers to the association between items for the purposes of analysis. Linking is optional, for example, when linking clearances to minefields. 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 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 for decision makers. To ensure the integrity of this data, system administrators must clearly specify the kinds of links to track in IMSMA^NG. See [[Maintaining IMSMA]] for more on this topic. 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 CreatedCurrent View Statuses Change.png|center|400px|''Example of How Relationships Among Items are Created'']]

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

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]]

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

The IMSMA{{note|<supb>NGDocument the following business rules about assigning and linking:</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 Victims should always be linked to complete information about MREs, and they still retain full utility Accidents* rationale or logical meaning of the system. Similarlyrelationships between items, programmes that conduct victim tracking for example, a link between a Clearance and MRE activities only can disregard hazards and hazard reductions without any loss of utility. This flexibility, however, requires an Accident means that programmes define the relevant uses of each item.Accident happened during the Clearance Although any item can be linked to any other item* what effects linking has on the items, not all relationships necessarily make sense for every programme. The diagrams below describe some of the more common logical relationships among items example, a link between a Clearance and can serve as Land may indicate that the basis for an information model when implementing IMSMA^NG.land status should change from ''Open'' to ''Worked on''}}

===The Workbench===__NOEDITSECTION__[[Image:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Example Relationships Among ItemsWB_Status.png|175px|center|400px|''Example Relationships Among Items'']]

''Example Relationships Among ItemsApproval workflow / Data Entry Form Statuses''

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. <b>Document the following business rules about assigning and linking:</b> * which items will have links between them, for example, victims will always be linked to accidents* rationale or logical meaning of the relationships between items, for example, a link between a clearance and a minefield means that the clearance was conducted on the minefield* what effects linking has on the items, for example, a link between a clearance and hazard may indicate that the hazard status should change from "Open" to "Worked on"  ===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 Data Entry Form is approved, it exists only in the Workbench and does not update any current viewsSummary items. The report can still be modified or deleted. When The Approval will trigger an update of an existing item (Summary) or creating of a field report is approved, howevernew item depending of chosen Action. If the Summary item has geospatial data, it becomes part of may be visible in the current views and cannot be deletedMap Pane.

{{NavBox Information Management}}[[ImageCategory:Understanding IMSMA Information Model - Adding Field Report Information to the Current View.png|center|''Adding Field Report Information to the Current View''NAA]]<div align="center">''Adding Field Report Information to the Current View''</div>  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 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 the most trusted users. ====Roles and Responsibilities==== {| class="wikitable"! Role! Description|-| Data Entry| Users whose primary function is to enter field reports and other data into the system. This role may or may not include the ability to approve field reports.|-| 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 of the data entered and approving field reports.|-| Operations| Users who typically browse for information within IMSMA^NG to make operational decisions. Operations users may sometimes be grouped by function (for example, MRE, clearance or victim assistance). These users often perform searches for data, generate reports and analyze the data to support operational needs.|-| Systems Administrator| Users who perform information management-specific functions such as creating field report templates, designing reports, backing up and restoring data and other technical functions.|-| Guest| Users with essentially read-only access to browse data.|-|}