Overview of the Core Indicators' Web Infrastructure

The Core Indicators Project uses a number of different online tools for project management and to support collaboration on indicator development.  This page outlines the available tools as well as how things fit together, with the goal of supporting our volunteers in their Core Indicators work.  


APHEO Core Indicator Webpages

Finalized Core Indicators are published on the APHEO website.
  • Once an indicator development/update is complete, the final product is published as an APHEO web page, accessible though the "Core Indicators" menu.
  • The product pages are formatted using "snippets" of html and css which create the templates for each section of the Core Indicator product pages.
  • Core Indicator products include: indicators, data sources, resources, and gaps.
  • Webpage editing is accessible to Core Indicator volunteers in two ways:
      • through the appropriate subgroup's workgroup space, or
      • as a website administrator.
  • Webpage back-ups can only be saved by website administrators.  


Project index pages use embedded Airtable tables.
  • Index pages list Core Indicator products to support navigation through the project; there are many types of index pages: 
      • Central Indicator Index lists all published indicators;  
      • Data Sources Index lists all data sources referenced in the project;  
      • OPHS Program Standard Indexes are in development, and will eventually list all indicators and gaps aligned to the Program Standard; and 
      • Subgroup Indexes list all Core Indicator products that the subgroup is responsible for.  
  • Index tables also include relevant metadata, such as the year of last review, flags for "known issues" and other information about the product status.  
      • The information displayed in these tables are automatically updated by when database is updated.  
  • Embedded index tables are a work in progress and as such, will continue to evolve.  


Project information is shared on additional web pages.
  • The Core Indicators menu also contains pages with information about the Core Indicators project and ongoing project activities; for example: 
      • Subgroup pages listing members, meeting minutes, and indicator tables.  
      • Project management information, such as this page or other resources to help with indicator development and revision.  
  • These additional pages are intended for both Core Indicators users and volunteers, to support project activities and for transparency.





Indicator Management Airtable Database

The Airtable database was created to help with project management.  
  • The Core Indicators project database contains information on all aspects of the project, including: 
      • Current status and history of Core Indicator products; 
      • Relationships between products, such as links between indicators and data sources, or between indicators and identified gaps;
      • Identified issues and history of past issues;
      • OPHS alignment of indicators and gaps; 
      • Subgroup topic areas and associated indicators; and 
      • Volunteer information, including subgroup memberships.  
  • Airtable is a web-based relational database software.  It is separate from the APHEO website content management system, and the published Core Indicator web pages. 
  • Table "views" can be created to display specific information from the database; these can be embedded on the APHEO website.  
  • Editing access to the database is limited to our Airtable subscriptions, while the majority of database updates happen through forms.   
  • The database is nicknamed "Goodness Gracious Golly Gee" or even "4G" for short.  


Forms are used to update information in the database.  
  • Forms allow data entry into the database, to update the project management information; examples of forms include:
      • Issue reporting;
      • Subgroup membership updates; and 
      • Indicator development or revision actions. 
  • Most Core Indicator volunteers will interact with the database using forms rather than signing in to edit the Airtable database directly. 


Airtable automation is a work in progress. 
  • The Core Indicators project has a lot of moving parts, with simultaneous volunteer work across the province to develop and update indicators on many different topics; the Airtable database is intended to help coordinate these activities.  
  • Where possible, the goal is to minimize the burden of system updating for subgroup leads.





APHEO's Member Workgroup Tools

Workgroups assist with subgroup participation.
  • The workgroup feature on the APHEO website creates a space for Core Indicator subgroups to share documents:
      • Once logged into the APHEO website, subgroup members can access and edit documents in progress.  
      • Complete documents can be published into the APHEO document library.  
  • Each subgroup has a selection of web tools to help with project activities, including: 
      • A workgroup space to share documents in progress, and publish complete documents.  
      • Editing access to APHEO webpages, through the workgroup environment.  
      • The option of creating a dedicated forum, or email listserv, for communication between subgroup members.
  • The APHEO website's workgroup spaces The APHEO website has workgroup space 
  • Type indicator comments here.  
  • Subgroups have the option of creating a dedicated APHEO forum (aka email listserv) for members of the subgroup. 
      •  Forums must be created by APHEO web administrators; after being initialized forums are linked to the workgroup's membership.  
  • Note that workgroup one difficult is that subgroup membership has to be managed in two separate places: 
      • Joining the subgroup's workspace on the APHEO 


Collaborative editing is supported.  
  • Collaborative editing is supported with APHEO's document management tools assist
  • Allows for inter-agency collaboration
  • The APHEO website includes google docs integration for sharing work-in-progress documents


APHEO's Member Workgroup Tools

Supports collaboration among the subgroups.  

  • Utilizes a number of online tools to outlining all our collaborative tools and how they fit together, including the APHEO website, the Airtable database, sharing work-in-progress over email and with google docs, etc.