Jun5Written by:Chris Howell
6/5/2009 3:29 PM 
Data collection is one of the most important areas of an effective aviation safety management system. Without data, an organization is unable to measure or generate statistics for continuous improvement.
User-friendly hazard reporting is paramount to SMS Pro. NWDS understands that many users don't have extensive computer backgrounds. Furthermore, America's workforce continues to age. Aviation workers that are 60 years old are not uncommon and these users require larger fonts, user-friendly interfaces that will not confuse or frustrate them.
SMS Pro's hazard reporting system focuses on acquiring data based on the nature of the incident. NWDS didn't recreate the wheel when we designed SMS Pro's issue reporter. In SMS Pro, we don't use the word "hazard." Users report "issues," and we chose this word carefully because user reports may cover aviation safety, security, quality or compliance.
Types of reported issue evolve from NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). NWDS believes most users trust NASA to create a credible data-gathering system. Also, NWDS would like to interface with ASRS in the future.
For additional information on NWDS visit their website atwww.nwds-ak.com and www.aviation-sms.com to learn more about SMS Pro™.