The system was web based and could be accessed by registered users via their web browser. The basic functionality of the system was to allow users to write reports and to read reports. The reports could be read on the website, and new reports were emailed to participants at the end of each month. For the rationale behind this system read our publications.

The system was a prototype, written using the Perl programming language, an Apache webserver and an Access database. This system is not available for use after the project as there are ethnical and security issues that must be attended to when keeping this sort of software running, and such is the nature of project work that we do not have the resources to do so.

This page describes the design of the system, including the incident reporting form that was agreed upon by anaesthetists in this study. We welcome any work that uses and extends the designs that are described here.

1 Login screen The first screen users are brought to is a login screen asking for a username and password. To register for the system, users were asked to contact the administrator directly. Click on the image to see a larger version

2 Main screen The main screen describes the options available. As users were expected to log onto the system only occasionally, they could not be expected to immediately know how to navigate the system Click on the image to see a larger version

3 Write Reports The users could enter a report using a (fairly) simple form, that was agreed upon by the anaesthetists involved in the study To see an html version of this form click here Click on the image to see a larger version

The two textboxes (shown in the image on the left) were the only fields that were required to be filled in. The system had an emphasis on narrative and reading rather than categorisation and aggregation Click on the image to see a larger version

4 Read Reports The reports were presented as a monthly 'noticeboard'. Readers could enter their own comments beneath any report. Click on the image to see a larger version

5 Participants To help maintain trust, a list of who has access to the system was available to all users Click on the image to see a larger version

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