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SDG minutes, 13 May 1998

Minutes of the Software Development Group meeting held at the UK Cochrane Centre on 13 May 1998

Minutes approved on ?

Present: Andy Oxman, Mike Clarke, Jon Deeks, Monica Fischer, Mark Starr.

Apologies: Kate Oldfield, Veronica Yank, Clive Adams.

In attendance: Lois Sims, Rasmus Moustgaard.

Contents:
Potential conflict of interest
Approval of minutes of last meeting
Mandate of SDG and advisory groups
RevMan 4.0
ModMan
Contact directory - assembled through retrieving contact details from entity modules
Announcements
Setting a data for a telephone conference with the SFCC regarding future development of CritMan
Next meeting
Any other business

  1. Potential conflict of interest

    1. This is a standing item and each member of the group reported on potential conflicts of interest.
    2. No new conflicts of interest were identified.

  2. Approval of minutes of last meeting

    1. The minutes of the meeting on 28 November 1997 were approved.
    2. Action points from the previous meeting not covered elsewhere.
      1. Actions to improved communication between the members of the SDG and between the SDG and other entities: None taken as of yet.
        Action: Monica, Veronica
      2. Summary of consultation process for RevMan 4.0 wish list for publication in Cochrane News. Not yet written.
        Action: Andy, Monica

  3. Mandate of SDG and advisory groups

    1. Agreement in principle with the statements in the document "Mandate of the RevMan and ModMan advisory groups.
    2. Monica will ask both the RevMan Advisory Group and the Modman Advisory Group to comment.
      Action: Monica
    3. It was suggested that a requirement that groups meet face-to-face at least once a year be added to the list of general expectations.
    4. Lines of communication were clarified: Non-CRG representatives can make requests for changes directly to the Collaboration Steering Group (CSG). The CSG, in turn, communicates with the Chair of the Software Development Group.
    5. It is the responsibility of the Chair of the Software Development Group to communicate directly with Update Software with respect to requests for changes in the Cochrane Library.
    6. Monica will re-draft and circulate the document describing the mandates of the Revman and ModMan advisory groups.
      Action: Monica

  4. RevMan 4.0

    1. Feedback from RAG meeting. Everyone present was also present at the RevMan Advisory Group meeting, so feedback was not discussed in any detail.
    2. Feedback from discussion with Update Software regarding MetaView.
      1. It was agreed that Update Software will report on its capacity to modify MetaView for RevMan 4 by the end of June.
      2. Update Software will discuss with Jon Deeks the implications modifications to MetaView hold for testing, and propose a testing schedule.
      3. Monica and Rasmus will investigate alternatives to using MetaView in RevMan 4.0.
      4. The alfa release of RevMan 4.0 will include the old MetaView.
      5. Rasmus will prepare a description of the 16bit (Windows 3.1) version of RevMan.
      6. Monica will do a newsletter for the Colloquium describing plans for RevMan, including the availability and functionality of the 16bit version.
    3. Statistical issues addressed by the SMWG.
      1. Jon Deeks circulated a reported on statistical issues addressed by the Statistics Methods Working Group. This was discussed in detail.
      2. Documentation.
        1. There will be a Documentation Group meeting in November 1998 to discuss how to link the material produced by the SMWG with the Handbook.
        2. Jon is trying to get different people to write different sections on statistical techniques. Authors will be credited, and their full reports will go into the Handbook as an appendix.
          Action: Jon
        3. The Handbook and RevMan manual should be as close as possible to avoid conflicting advice.
        4. Clare Glenton will be asked to join the Documentation Group (she is doing the technical editing of the Handbook). Action Jon, Andy
        5. The most urgent need is for clarification on what statistical methods to use where. A document on this is being produced by Jon and Doug.
        6. Andy reported that Richard Smith has agreed to allow the full text of BMJ articles to be published in The Cochrane Library. Mark said that for legal reasons Update Software would need to have this in writing. Andy will pursue.
          Action: Andy
      3. MetaView Summary Screen.
        1. The memorandum prepared by Rasmus was discussed.
        2. The SDG agreed with Solution 1 in the memorandum, and proposed the summary screen should display: Outcome, number of trials, and number of participants.
        3. There should be options to display other columns, such as the statistic and the confidence interval.
        4. A label will be needed saying "Click on the outcome for details"
        5. The proposal is to be circulated. Mike is to proof-read it before circulating it.
          Action: Monica, Mike.
      4. Data checks described in the Handbook are not implemented in RevMan.
        1. Double-entry of data will be implemented in RevMan 4.0
        2. Checks on the standard deviation/standard error should be described in the RevMan Manual.
          Action: Jon
      5. NNT Calculator.
        1. It was decided not to include a NNT calculator at present, but to keep it on the wish list and revisit the decision after more is known about calculating the NNT.
        2. It was agreed that a discussion of NNT needs to be in the Handbook, and Jon will ask Roberto Domico to write something.
          Action: Jon
      6. Calculation of significance.
        1. Jon will investigate where and how to include tests of significance, as well as how difficult it is to program this, and report to Update Software by the end of June, 1998. It was agreed tests of significance should be included in RevMan 4.0 if possible.
          Action: Jon
        2. P-values for totals and sub-totals are needed
        3. Length of p-value needs to be decided, but it was agreed that more that 3 decimal places seems extreme.
          Action: Jon
      7. Funnel Plots.
        1. It was agreed that funnel plots should be included in RevMan 4.0. Funnel Plots are needed for both continuous statistical methods, for relative risk and odds ratios (including the Peto method).
        2. Log-scale will be used for ratios, non-log scale for continuous variables.
        3. Vertical line labelled as "Fixed effect summary estimate" should be displayed.
        4. The default funnel plot should be the same as the default summary statistic.
        5. The funnel plot should be available as an option, even when the reviewer does not use this option in presenting the results.
        6. It needs to be made clear what the reviewer's settings are with respect to default statistics, appropriate analyses.

  5. ModMan

    1. Update on development of ModMan 2.0.
      1. It is proposed that the release of ModMan be scheduled to correspond with the release of RevMan 4, that is in April 1999.
      2. ModMan testing needs to be scheduled.
      3. The changes to the CRG Module headings should be incorporated earlier if possible. Update Software to investigate.
        Action: Mark, Lois
      4. The functionality of ModMan should be described in outline form by the end of June.
        Action: Mark, Lois
      5. ModMan 2.0 will be a 32bit application. Monica reported that possibly 4 Collaborative Review Groups did not plan to upgrade to 32bit systems by next year. Monica will contact each group separately to discuss.
        Action: Monica
      6. Monica reported that the Cochrane Collaboration Steering Group had requested that the Master List of Journals being search be included on the Cochrane Library. Mark reported that the new CENTRAL/CCTR Advisory Group had not yet made a decision on this. Monica will write to the new advisory group once it is up and running to find out when the Master List will appear on the Library.
        Action: Monica
      7. Mark reported that the Cochrane Library Advisory Group 'met' using an e-mail discussion list, but was not particularly active. It was requested that the Cochrane Library Advisory Group be "activated" and meet face-to-face at least once a year.
        Action: Mark Starr

  6. Contact directory - assembled through retrieving contact details from entity modules

    7. Publishing co-reviewers contact details on The Cochrane Library. The CRGs can enter details for members using ModMan. The file assembled from CRG modules when creating the Parent database should be sent to Gerd Antes, who is responsible for the contact directory. Action Monica, Lois.

  7. Announcements

    8. Standard format for citations and ongoing trials; new CRG module format. Monica to co-ordinate announcement of these items.
    Action: Monica

  8. Setting a data for a telephone conference with the SFCC regarding future development of CritMan

    9. The Criticism Management System was briefly discussed, and Monica asked Andy to chair the forthcoming teleconference on how to move forward with comments and criticisms. Andy will report on actions agreed during the teleconference.
    Action: Andy

  9. Next meeting

    10. The date of the next meeting is 1st December, 1998. Jon Deeks will not be able to attend.

  10. Any other business

    11. It was agreed that it was a bad idea to skip lunch.

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