LODS, the Hawaii Longline Observer Data System, is a complete suite of
tools designed to collect, process, and manage quality fisheries data
and information. Guided by the principles of the NOAA Data Quality Act,
LODS is the result of the collaboration and cooperation of scientists,
data collectors and information management experts across the NOAA
Fisheries Pacific Islands Region.

LODS is an end-to-end data management solution, articulating the four
major data management areas of data collection management, data resource
development, data maintenance and data dissemination. Every effort was
made to eliminate redundant or unnecessary data items and to have the
core data collection items be formally adopted by *data stewards* that
would assume the responsibility of maintaining complete documentation
and regular review of the quality, objectivity and suitability of the
data item.

While unsummarized data is deemed confidential, information about that
data -- metadata -- needs to be complete, accurate and publicly
available. LODS makes that possible by managing the what, where, when,
how, and who of all data objects in the database and by providing access
to that information on the system web site.

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height="2.0006944444444446in"}

**System Features**

-   A web based user-interface for data entry, data management, and data
    access

-   Data managed in a single enterprise database to eliminate
    possibilities for data transfer contamination

-   System security and reliability provided through user role
    management

-   Complete data history logging, including date, user, and
    before/after data values

-   A web portal provides the details -- metadata -- in the design,
    collection, management and dissemination of data and information,
    along with publications and training resources

-   Data validation documented and applied consistently across longline
    trips

-   Reference code management does not require changes to the database
    or data entry application

-   Data issues reporting and resolution managed in the database with
    automated notification of opened and closed issues to appropriate
    users

-   Work-flow tracking managed in the database and fully integrated into
    the data entry application

-   Harmonization of data collection forms and data entry application

-   Adoption of national Fisheries Information System principles and
    guidelines to support future reporting of fisheries information

-   Comprehensive system administration support tools for managing
    users, validation checks, system activities, reference codes and
    much more

**Future Opportunities**

-   Apply tools and techniques developed for LODS to other Pacific
    Islands Fisheries data sets

-   Revise and improve the system using data from Issues Management,
    Data History statistics and workflow status tracking

-   Port the system to interested national and international Fisheries
    Observer programs (current interest shown by Southwest Fisheries,
    South Korea and Taiwan)

-   Work with FIS Professional Specialty Groups (PSG) to develop and
    promote NMFS data management best practices based on LODS techniques

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height="2.0006944444444446in"}

![](media/image3.jpeg){width="5.290972222222222in"
height="7.003472222222222in"}

The LODS web portal is the point-of-entry for all system documentation,
resources, and data applications. The figure above shows the LODS Home
Page along with subsidiary pages that allow access to applications, data
collection forms, observer training materials, data applications and
metadata.

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The above figure shows the twelve data screens of the LODS data entry
application. LODS includes many features that enhance the quality,
security and efficiency of data entry. Data validation at data entry
catches common data entry errors and complete data history tracking logs
the *who-what-when* of every data transaction. Close harmonization of
data collection forms with the data entry screens speeds data entry and
diminishes stress on the user.

![](media/image5.jpeg){width="4.0875in" height="5.375694444444444in"}

**Upper-left:** Data processing workflow is tightly integrated into the
LODS system. Observer trips will reflect the tasks and status stages
that were defined at the time the trip was created. Trip Status stages
and data processing tasks can be defined outside the data entry
application for ease of maintenance and flexibility. As data is
processed, the user checks-off the tasks as they are completed. Full
descriptions of each task are displayed. The user cannot advance to the
next status stage without completing each of the required tasks for the
current stage.

**Upper-right:** Logging of data transaction statistics will allow
evaluation of each trip status stage.

**Middle-left:** Automatic calculation of trip summary reports reduces
time wasted on hand calculations.

**Middle-right:** At any point in data entry, the user can run the trip
validation process to look for errors, enforcement issues and data
warnings. A trip cannot advance to the final APPROVED stage without a
full validation run resulting in no fatal errors unless a manager
approves the trip overriding that rule.

**Lower-left:** Users can report issues with data either directly in the
data entry application or within the separate Data Issues Manager tool.
The Issues tab allows viewing of any issues raised for the given trip.

**Lower-right:** Example of feedback when a user enters invalid data --
field turns red and informative message is displayed on the status bar.

![](media/image6.jpeg){width="5.227083333333334in"
height="6.620833333333334in"}

**Top:** Data Validation Management tool used for developing,
documenting, and deploying data rules to be run against each Observer
trip. These Validation Statements can be retired but once used will be
maintained in the database in order to document which validation checks
were run at any point in time. Managing these validation rules outside
the data entry application minimizes maintenance while still ensuring
that trips have consistent and documented data checks.

**Bottom-left:** Full details of the current validation rules are
available through the LODS web site.

**Bottom-right:** Listing of validation error codes and warning messages
from the LODS web site.

![](media/image7.jpeg){width="5.272222222222222in"
height="6.678472222222222in"}

**Top:** Data Issues Management tool used for reporting errors and
possible issues in data. Users can also log in to document the results
of their review of the problem. Role security prevents reviewers from
editing report fields and vice-versa. Information from the issues
manager can be used for system improvement, such as identifying the most
common data errors or species misidentification.

**Bottom-left:** LODS data entry feature showing how a user can report a
data issue directly from the data entry application.

**Bottom-right:** LODS data entry application showing all trip data
issues from the Issues tab.

![](media/image8.jpeg){width="5.2756944444444445in"
height="6.875694444444444in"}

**Top:** Reference Code Management tool providing access to all of the
LODS reference tables. The reference code management scheme allows
additions or modifications to reference codes without impact to the data
entry application or database model.

**Middle-left:** Vessel Activity Reference Code table.

**Middle-right:** Reference Code Versions table.

**Bottom:** Full descriptions of all reference codes are available
through the LODS web site.

![](media/image9.jpeg){width="4.597222222222222in"
height="6.129861111111111in"}

Examples of a few of the system support tools built to allow the project
managers and data administrators to manage LODS.

**Upper-left:** News tab allows posting of a Message-of-the-Day to the
web site, as seen in the red text on the home page.

**Upper-right:** Circulars tab allows the project manager to post
informational updates to procedures, protocols and manuals.

**Middle-left:** FAQ tab posts frequently asked questions and solutions
to the database. These FAQs are accessible from the LODS web site.

**Middle-right:** Activities Log tab is used to post meetings, events,
changes to the system.

**Lower-left:** Forms tab is used to register and track data collection
form versions.

**Lower-right:** Check-list tab registers data processing tasks and
their full descriptions. Tasks are marked as *required* or *optional*
and each task is assigned a trip status stage wherein it should -- or
must, if marked *required* -- be completed. This task list is integrated
into the LODS data entry application where the user checks off tasks as
they are completed.

![](media/image10.jpeg){width="5.204861111111111in"
height="6.620833333333334in"}

The Data Element Registry tool allows detailed documentation of data
collection elements, including their business rules, history, usage
constraints, rules and regulations, and database table structure.

**Upper-left:** Database Information tab.

**Upper-right:** Data Collection tab.

**Middle:** Reference tab.

**Lower-left:** Data History tab.

**Lower-right:** Data Access tab.

![](media/image11.jpeg){width="5.704861111111111in"
height="7.001388888888889in"}

**Upper-left:** Data management is not just archiving. The full range of
data management tasks must be considered when designing a quality data
system.

**Middle-right:** All data role groups must be involved in the design of
a quality data system.

**Lower:** Data is our business. Our business decisions must be based on
quality data.