ABSTRACT
This chapter establishes the context for developing the Understanding and Preventing Led Outdoor Accidents Data System (UPLOADS), and illustrates the processes required to evaluate whether existing knowledge on incident data collection and causation in a domain aligns with systems thinking. The chapter begins by describing the problems with the approach to incident data collection in Australia prior to the development of UPLOADS. It then describes the review that was conducted to evaluate whether existing knowledge in the domain aligned with systems thinking. Prior to developing a new incident reporting system underpinned by systems thinking, it is important to establish whether there is already an appropriate incident reporting system; or whether there is existing knowledge on incident data collection and causation in the domain that could inform the development of the new system. Prior to the development of UPLOADS, many LOA providers had developed their own internal incident reporting systems. For example, Outward Bound Australia developed the Outdoor Medical Incident Database.
