dhis2-devs team mailing list archive

[Jason Pickering <jason.p.pickering@xxxxxxxxx>]

I think it would be good to have a look at DevInfo. I thought I would
never write that, but there you go. They have a sort of wizard, that
allows people to select different dimensions (time, places,
indicators) and then choose the output format (tables, maps, graphs).
It is a very constrained workflow, but it is a defined and flexible
workflow, and might be worth taking a look at.

Regards,
Jason




2010/1/21 Knut Staring <knutst@xxxxxxxxx>:
> 2010/1/21 Knut Staring <knutst@xxxxxxxxx>
>>
>> 2010/1/21 Lars Helge Øverland <larshelge@xxxxxxxxx>
>>>
>>> On Wed, Jan 20, 2010 at 10:03 AM, Ola Hodne Titlestad
>>> <olatitle@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> I agree that the data browser results can be misleading to an untrained
>>>> eye. A first thing to do is to actually provide a heading above the data
>>>> (count) table that says something like "Number of values reported for:". I
>>>> agree that we can call it something else, and "Data summary" is not a bad
>>>> name. ( I am also not sure the browse by orgunit actually works, at least it
>>>> doesn't seem to aggregate up the counts as most districts have '0' values in
>>>> that view. )
>>>>
>>>> I must say that I actually find the data entry screen quite useful for
>>>> looking up raw data a given orgunit-period-dataset combination, and find it
>>>> a very fast tool to switch between periods, orgunits and datasets for such a
>>>> view. When it comes to other views into the raw data, like a few data
>>>> elements over many periods or other pivoted views I agree we need something
>>>> more like a web pivot tool.
>>>>
>>>> I actually think we should build on and possibly rename the pivot table
>>>> tool in Reports to "Data browser". After all we are not interested in
>>>> developing a fully fledged pivot tool, and data browser reflects more of
>>>> what that tool is. Let's try to brainstorm what kind of functionality we
>>>> would have to add in order to come up with a proper data browser. Here is a
>>>> few things I can think of right now:
>>>>
>>>> - support for data elements, not just indicators
>>>> - filter by dataset, not only groups
>>>> - automatic datamart export triggered in the background (like with
>>>> report tables)
>>>> - filter (parameter selection window like datamart export etc.) to
>>>> select any data element, period, orgunit  (at the same level) and then get
>>>> an ad-hoc pivot table from that
>>>>
>>>> What else?
>>>>
>>>> Ola
>>>
>>>
>>> I must agree a bit with Ola here... The work-flow of such a browser would
>>> be to select orgunit, then dataset, then period and then get some sort of
>>> display of the data - which is exactly what we have in the data entry
>>> screen.
>
> I don't understand why you think this would be the only workflow - in fact I
> think a user would usually want to leave one or two of those core dimensions
> free, and only select one of them (i.e. the what, where, when - called the
> "grain" in data warehouse
> terminology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fact_table ;)
> To me, a typical use case would be to initially select between either raw
> datavalues or indicator values (though even this may be too restrictive),
> then an orgunit level and then a period type. These, but only these are
> essential.
> Then,  you would select *either* a dataelement, a period or an orgunit.
> This would result in three possible matrix views:
> 1) Orgunits X Periods for one selected dataelement or indicator
> 2) Orgunits X Dataelements for one selected period
> 3) Datalements x Periods
> Ideally, it would be easy to change the selections smoothly, from drop down
> lists or arrows.
> The openhealth prototype did this very well  (it also allowed alternative
> ways of entering data, e.g. by orgunit or period, another feature lacking
> from DHIS  - though not a high priority, I think).
> Knut
>
>>
>> Yes, we have most of what is needed already, which hopefully means
>> improving it would not be too much work.
>> The reason the data entry in itself is not sufficient is that it only
>> offers the one-dimensional list - for a data browser you would like to
>> compare many orgunits for a period or many periods for an orgunit or many
>> datasets for one period/orgunit combo - and this is indeed the kind of thing
>> the current web pivot can do.
>> So what would greatly enhance the usability of DHIS2 would be integration
>> of the Data Entry and the Web Pivot (i.e. links to allow you to quickly get
>> screens where you see your recently added data in context - and then we can
>> add intuitive links from the Data Summary (currently misnamed Data browser)
>> to this integrated Data Browser.
>> So we are basically talking about intelilgent links between what is
>> currently three separate modules. This would reduce clicking dramatically
>> and make it easier to get an understanding of what is available.
>> As a further step, I think it would be great if what the user has selected
>> to see in the Web Pivot could then also be made into a report table with the
>> click of a button. We have a lot of good parts that could become very
>> powerful if linked better.
>> Knut
>>
>>>
>>> Me too thinks that extending the web pivot to use aggregated data values
>>> and entered data values (with data set filter instead of group) is a good
>>> idea that would not require too much development time. We could put this on
>>> the list.
>>>
>>> Lars
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Cheers,
>> Knut Staring
>
>
>
> --
> Cheers,
> Knut Staring
>
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