Performance Standards and Test Procedures for Environmental Data Management Software
Martin Lloyd
Abstract:
Environmental regulators must have confidence in the complete measurement sequence: from sample point to measurement report. Thus, they need to be confident not only in the measurement instruments that acquire the data but also in the data management software that processes, stores, and prepares reports. This paper describes a new data management software standard for the UK Environment Agency’s MCERTS scheme, which hitherto has only covered instruments. Our approach divides the standard into three parts: the generic quality of the software, which is not addressed here, because it concerns software engineering; the generic features of data management; and the application-specific features, referred to here as the ‘sector standard’. We focus on generic data management: the need for a mathematical specification of any signal processing and calibration; auditability and traceability; and reporting. We have used the standard to conduct audits of data management products; these audits and feedback from diverse industrial bodies who have reviewed the standard, together indicate that it is appropriate for the certification of environmental data management applications.
