DQO Manager

Randy Peppler

rpeppler@ou.edu

DQPR Database Questions

Kathy Doty (DBA)

doty@bnl.gov

What is the DQPR system?

The Data Quality Problem Report (DQPR) system is a web-based set of tools used by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility (ACRF) that provides a mechanism for the Data Quality Office (DQO), Site Scientist Teams (SSTs), Instrument Mentors (IMs), Data Management Facility Staff (DMF) and Site Operations staff (OPS) to communicate data quality problems to OPS technicians for action. The communication of these data quality problems to OPS is intended to request troubleshooting, investigation and/or maintenance by OPS technicians on instruments at the site in an attempt to correct the cause of the data quality problem. If a problem is initially deemed critical or beyond Site OPS' scope to remedy, the DQPR can be entered as, or the status of an existing DQPR should be escalated to the attention of the ARM Problem Review Board (PRB). In addition, problems that cannot benefit from initial OPS action or are of a more severe nature that demand immediate action can be reported directly to the PRB using the escalated DQPR feature of the system. Use your best judgment.

Who manages DQPRs?

Each ACRF Site's SST is responsible for managing, tracking and updating status and assignments for each DQPR requesting OPS attention. If the DQPR is escalated to the attention of the PRB, then it is the PRB's responsibility for managing and tracking status and assignments of the DQPR.

Who can submit DQPRs requesting Site Operations Attention?

DQPRs requesting OPS attention can be submitted by the DQO and DMF (for all sites and instruments), the SST (only for their site and instrument at their site), the IMs (only for the instruments they mentor at any site), and occasionally site OPS themselves (for any instrument at their site).

Who can submit DQPRs escalated to PRB Attention?

DQPRs that are immediately escalated to PRB attention can be submitted by anyone associated with the ARM Program.

Why can't I submit a DQPR for a particular instrument?

There are several reasons why you might not be able to submit a DQPR for a particular instrument. If you are submitting a DQPR for OPS attention, you can only submit DQPRs for the instrument for which you mentor if you are an IM. If you are an IM and feel that you should be included in the IM list for a particular instrument but are now unable to submit DQPRs for that instrument, please contact the DQO Manager or the IM Manager to be added to the appropriate list. You may also not be able to enter a DQPR for OPS attention for a particular instrument at a particular site because you are trying to enter one for a site that you do not represent. You can only enter OPS attention DQPRs for the site at which you are SST or OPS. If you feel there is an error in your designated site, please contact the DQO Manager or Site Manager to be added to the list for that site.

Who gets copied on the comments I enter for a DQPR?

Any comments entered for a DQPR are automatically distributed to members of the

DQO, the SST for the affected site, the IMs for the affected instrument and select members of Site OPS staff for the affected site. A current listing of these individuals can be viewed at www URL http://www.db.arm.gov/cgi-bin/DQPR2/whoswho.pl

When will a DQPR status change?

The SST (or IM) sets the status to Escalated to PRB Attention when a problem is critical or if it continues for a long enough time period (their judgment-30 days can be used as a loose rule) and a solution by Site OPS is not close at hand. Setting the status to Escalated to PRB Attention elevates the problem to the level of being placed on the Problem Review Board's (PRB) weekly agenda for their attention and further handling. If a DQPR has been successfully worked by OPS and the problem has been resolved, a DQR may be required so that data users will be informed about the period of time when there was a problem. An assignment for the DQR writing task should be made at this time. A DQR writing task may also be added, if the SST , IM or DQO feel that the problem has gone on long enough, even though it is still being worked on by OPS, and feel that the data users should know about the data problem in the meantime. The DQR will be submitted open-ended until the DQPR is successfully completed. Then the ending date should be added to the DQR.

*Please remember to pick a meaningful subject for the DQR and change the DQR text appropriately for the end user of the data.

How will a DQPR status change?

Setting the DQPR status is the responsibility of the SST but can be changed by the SST, DQO or the IM. The SST, DQO and IM has web-access to additional tools for setting status. The SST, DQO or IM can choose from the following status values: Open - For SiteOps Action, Open - Escalated to PRB, Closed - All Assignments Completed, Closed-No Assignments Required, Waiting for Spares, Waiting for Site Visit. All other status values that you may see are set automatically by the system.

I've lost the email I received with a link to the DQR I need to submit. What do I do?

When you access the DQR entry form, the first screen that you see contains a list of DQRs that you have been instructed to file (by the SST or IM) that stem from the DQPR system. The DQR that you received email about is on this list, so you simply select it from the list. The email you lost simply gave you the convenience of following a link directly to the DQR form with the DQR information already included in the form, so that you don't have to find and select the appropriate DQR from a list first.

What is the connection between the DQPR system and the PIF/CAR/DQR system?

DQPRs are reports of data problems. These DQPRs can either be entered for Site OPS action or escalated to the attention of the PRB.

The PRB reviews the escalated DQPRs (previously termed data PIFs) and assigns someone as the problem 'fixer'. In addition, DQPRs most often lead to the filing of a DQR to the PRB. DQRs are reports of data quality problem events designed to be distributed to data users with the data. For that reason, most DQRs should cover a specific date range corresponding to the data problem that was reported in the DQPR. There are occasions when DQRs are left 'open-ended'. This happens when a problem has been on-going for a lengthy period of time and the PRB feels that data users receiving data affected by the problem need to be informed of the affected data quality.

How do I view a DQPR if I wasn't notified by email with a link in it?

Anyone in the ARM Program can view the DQPRs in the DQPR database. Start at the main DQPR web page, sign in with your last name on the User Login page and follow the prompts until you arrive at the DQPR Menu page. From here choose the 'Search For/Comment On DQPRs' link. The next web page presents you with a variety of ways by which to search for DQPRs. After choosing the appropriate criteria for your search (it could be as simple as selecting a single DQPR number from the list, or searching for all DQPRs for a particular ACRF site), you will see a summary page of the search results. Click on a single DQPR number and you will be brought to the details page for that DQPR.

How do I attach images to a DQPR? How do I include web links in my DQPR?

Images can be added to a DQPR via the DQPR comment page. There is a section of the comment form that allows the uploading of images. You can also embed html tags in your submission or the comments you enter for a DQPR so that you can point to another location that contains additional information you wish to include (another web site, or a document or image on a web server somewhere else perhaps).