Managing Data Items – A Grass Roots Look at the MRI

“What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet;..“ William Shakespeare (1564 — 1616), "Romeo and Juliet", Act 2 scene 2. Whilst the management of Data Items (Publications, Drawings and Software) doesn't always “smell sweet”, and (unlike Romeo with Juliet) is seldom thought of as going “hand-in-hand” with learning outcomes; it is never the less an essential element in controlling and defining the value of training when using simulators. So what’s in a name..? Traditionally a 'Master Record Index', or MRI, lists both the hardware and software which defines the design of a simulator, and records changes to that design. However a study of various simulation sites using MRI’s has shown that the MRI (and its function) is viewed very differently between these sites. Which raises the question of what’s in a name? What sort of information should a configuration tool such as an MRI contain, and how should it be used? This paper strips away the rhetoric and looks at the requirements of the MRI in its lowest possible functional needs. It examines the essential nature of managing Publications, Drawings and Software in defining the design of simulation equipment used for training. Whilst the term “MRI” is often used in reference to the tool, the sort of information it should contain, how much of it, and in what form, is far more important than its name. This paper defines the data, tables, relationships and methodology needed to create the basic MRI. It also shows how this tool can be used to retrospectively re-create the design at any point in the equipment’s history should it be called into question.. Which is another brilliant “Get out of jail free..” card in the arsenal of support tools.