Hazard comment module

REQUIREMENTS
Permission	Submission moderator and higher
Connectivity	Online and offline

This document describes the functionality of the 'hazard comment' workflow module and how to properly configure if for a workflow.

Required permissions:

• You need to be a Operation administrator to create a workflow template.
• You need to be a Submission moderator to initiate a workflow instance.

Required connectivity:

• You need to be online to create a new or edit an existing workflow template.
• If you are online when you initiate a workflow instance the fields will be prefilled from the last workflow instance with the same location(s). Once the workflow instance has been loaded, you can complete the workflow in an offline mode.
• You can initiate a workflow instance when you are offline, and the fields will be filled with the latest cached information on the computer. This will be up to date unless workflows have been submitted using other computers since you were last online on the computer you are currently using.
• If you submit whilst offline the workflow will be uploaded to the InfoEx server the next time you are online. WARNING: If the internet connection is lost whilst this is being done, the workflow will not be submitted and you will lose the data.

Functionality

Fig. 1: Hazard comment workflow module

The hazard comment workflow module allows users to enter a free-form description of the current avalanche problems and the resulting avalanche hazard. It is intended as a low-tech alternative to the Hazard assessment module. It is only possible to have either a single hazard comment or a single hazard assessment step in your workflow, not both.

The data entry fields of this workflow module are automatically pre-populated with the last information that was submitted for the location(s) associated with the workflow.

NOTE

If you have multiple workflows for a location (e.g., AM and PM meetings), the information is pre-populated from the last time you submitted any workflow for the location. For example, in a regular rotation, the hazard comment step in the PM meeting is pre-populated with information from the AM meeting and the next AM meeting is pre-populated with information from the PM meeting of the previous day.

Any workflow template with a hazard comment module step will automatically have a Workflow summary step added at the end of the workflow. This summary allows users to review their observations and assessments before they are submitted.

The assessments submitted via the hazard comment module are associated with the location(s) specified for the workflow in 'Manage Workflow Definitions'.

It is possible to complete the hazard comment step in a workflow without internet connectivity.

Layout

The hazard comment workflow step consists of two free form text fields (Fig. 1):

• Avalanche problem description
• Hazard assessment comment

Settings

Fig. 2: Hazard comment workflow module settings

The hazard comment workflow module has the following settings (Fig. 2):

• Name
  Name of the workflow step shown in the header of the workflow. It is recommended that you choose a short name (e.g., 'Av Hzd' instead of 'Avalanche Hazard') to keep the navigation bar of the workflow as tidy as possible.

Information shared within the InfoEx

All of the information entered in this workflow module is shared within the InfoEx in the following manner:

• The avalanche problem description is presented in the 'Avalanche Problems' column of the 'Avalanche Hazard' table of reports.
• The hazard assessment comment is presented in the 'Comment' column of the 'Avalanche Hazard' table of reports.
• The assessments are presented for the location(s) that were associated with the workflow.
• For a given day, reports only show the last assessments submitted for a workflow location. For example, if you include the hazard comment module both in your AM and PM workflow, reports will only show one of these assessments. Depending on the time of the day, it will be either the AM or PM assessments.

Other workflow modules

• Modules for entering data that is shared among InfoEx subscribers
  • Observations module
  • Snowpack module
  • Hazard assessment module
  • Hazard comment module
• Modules for entering proprietary data
  • Free form module
  • Run list module (additional subscription required)
  • Avalanche control module (additional subscription required)
• Modules for viewing information
  • Report module
  • Webpage module
• Other modules
  • Context module
  • Workflow summary

Functionality tested by

• Dec. 24, 2013: Pascal Haegeli