Tracker Design - why are there no COMMENT field for TEIattributeValue and TEIdataValue?

Support - Assistance technique
1

Hi

One design feature for DHIS aggregated data that has been there since 1997 is the COMMENT field - which is used to support a “rich picture” by enabling users to add explanatory comments or additional info linked directly to a specific data value.

Why are there no comment fields within Events and Tracker? It’s of course possible to add additional attributes or data elements to store the “richer picture” but it would be preferable to have the COMMENT option as an alternative.

Regards

Calle

···

Calle Hedberg

46D Alma Road, 7700 Rosebank, SOUTH AFRICA

Tel/fax (home): +27-21-685-6472

Cell: +27-82-853-5352

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Email: calle.hedberg@gmail.com

Skype: calle_hedberg

2

Hi Calle,

Though not per data value, we do have support for comment per event and also per enrollment.

···

On Thu, Feb 9, 2017 at 5:01 PM, Calle Hedberg calle.hedberg@gmail.com wrote:

Hi

One design feature for DHIS aggregated data that has been there since 1997 is the COMMENT field - which is used to support a “rich picture” by enabling users to add explanatory comments or additional info linked directly to a specific data value.

Why are there no comment fields within Events and Tracker? It’s of course possible to add additional attributes or data elements to store the “richer picture” but it would be preferable to have the COMMENT option as an alternative.

Regards

Calle

Calle Hedberg

46D Alma Road, 7700 Rosebank, SOUTH AFRICA

Tel/fax (home): +27-21-685-6472

Cell: +27-82-853-5352

Iridium SatPhone: +8816-315-19119

Email: calle.hedberg@gmail.com

Skype: calle_hedberg

Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs

Post to : dhis2-devs@lists.launchpad.net

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–

Abyot A. Gizaw.

Senior Engineer, DHIS2

University of Oslo

http://www.dhis2.org

3

Abyot,

Sure, I know that - I’m just interested in why the comment field wasn’t included per data value as it is for aggregated data. Was it a deliberate choice? Or simply that nobody thought about it at the time? I’m thinking of writing a JIRA issue for it, but would like to know if there are/were specific considerations against a data value comment field (and if yes, what they were).

Regards

calle

···

On 10 February 2017 at 10:25, Abyot Asalefew Gizaw abyot@dhis2.org wrote:

Hi Calle,

Though not per data value, we do have support for comment per event and also per enrollment.

–

–

Abyot A. Gizaw.

Senior Engineer, DHIS2

University of Oslo

http://www.dhis2.org

On Thu, Feb 9, 2017 at 5:01 PM, Calle Hedberg calle.hedberg@gmail.com wrote:

Hi

One design feature for DHIS aggregated data that has been there since 1997 is the COMMENT field - which is used to support a “rich picture” by enabling users to add explanatory comments or additional info linked directly to a specific data value.

Why are there no comment fields within Events and Tracker? It’s of course possible to add additional attributes or data elements to store the “richer picture” but it would be preferable to have the COMMENT option as an alternative.

Regards

Calle

Calle Hedberg

46D Alma Road, 7700 Rosebank, SOUTH AFRICA

Tel/fax (home): +27-21-685-6472

Cell: +27-82-853-5352

Iridium SatPhone: +8816-315-19119

Email: calle.hedberg@gmail.com

Skype: calle_hedberg

Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs

Post to : dhis2-devs@lists.launchpad.net

Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs

More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp

Calle Hedberg

46D Alma Road, 7700 Rosebank, SOUTH AFRICA

Tel/fax (home): +27-21-685-6472

Cell: +27-82-853-5352

Iridium SatPhone: +8816-315-19119

Email: calle.hedberg@gmail.com

Skype: calle_hedberg

4

We have thought about that. The argument back then was, the atomicity in tracker is not data value rather the event / visit.

Not sure how it makes sense to comment and latter interpret the age, gender, address,… (and of course other services provided) of an individual. The assumption is to have a general observation about the event (at the visit level) and also long term observation (at the enrollment level).

Also, it is not possible to edit comment. If a need to amend arises, one has to write another comment - this is more like a log book.

···

On Fri, Feb 10, 2017 at 10:03 AM, Calle Hedberg calle.hedberg@gmail.com wrote:

Abyot,

Sure, I know that - I’m just interested in why the comment field wasn’t included per data value as it is for aggregated data. Was it a deliberate choice? Or simply that nobody thought about it at the time? I’m thinking of writing a JIRA issue for it, but would like to know if there are/were specific considerations against a data value comment field (and if yes, what they were).

Regards

calle

–

Abyot A. Gizaw.

Senior Engineer, DHIS2

University of Oslo

http://www.dhis2.org

On 10 February 2017 at 10:25, Abyot Asalefew Gizaw abyot@dhis2.org wrote:

Hi Calle,

Though not per data value, we do have support for comment per event and also per enrollment.

–

Calle Hedberg

46D Alma Road, 7700 Rosebank, SOUTH AFRICA

Tel/fax (home): +27-21-685-6472

Cell: +27-82-853-5352

Iridium SatPhone: +8816-315-19119

Email: calle.hedberg@gmail.com

Skype: calle_hedberg

–

Abyot A. Gizaw.

Senior Engineer, DHIS2

University of Oslo

http://www.dhis2.org

On Thu, Feb 9, 2017 at 5:01 PM, Calle Hedberg calle.hedberg@gmail.com wrote:

Hi

One design feature for DHIS aggregated data that has been there since 1997 is the COMMENT field - which is used to support a “rich picture” by enabling users to add explanatory comments or additional info linked directly to a specific data value.

Why are there no comment fields within Events and Tracker? It’s of course possible to add additional attributes or data elements to store the “richer picture” but it would be preferable to have the COMMENT option as an alternative.

Regards

Calle

Calle Hedberg

46D Alma Road, 7700 Rosebank, SOUTH AFRICA

Tel/fax (home): +27-21-685-6472

Cell: +27-82-853-5352

Iridium SatPhone: +8816-315-19119

Email: calle.hedberg@gmail.com

Skype: calle_hedberg

Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs

Post to : dhis2-devs@lists.launchpad.net

Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs

More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp