The WPs are subdivided - when feasible - in three distinct parts: Analysis, Design and Implementation. In the "Analysis" part of each task, a thorough analysis of the relevant task is carried out, based on the desirable characteristics of the system, the state of the art of the relevant technological field and the user community the system is addressing. Based on the Analysis, the "Design" part describes those characteristics in more technical terms thus establishing the basis for the "Implementation" part where the technical approach for the actual implementation of the particular module of the system, is elaborated. This way, each task results in a well described deliverable, which serves efficiently the corresponding function/module in the overall system architecture. The core of the system will be the statistical data base where the geographic and statistical data - properly structured and analysed to comply with the portrayal specifications - are stored in order to be utilised by the application software.
Due to the fact that STATLAS is designed and function as a multimedia
atlas, a detailed analysis of the functionality of the system is carried
out in the framework of a WP which result in the functional specifications
of the system and their implementation in the given environment. The User
Interface: System Functionality is considered to be of crucial importance
for the successful utilisation and dissemination of the system. Based
on the content and functionality, alternative scenarios for STATLAS use
are developed. These scenarios draw the guidelines for the design and
implementation of an efficient and user- friendly, graphics user interface.
The driving force of the system and the modules that give an innovative
character to STATLAS, are the ones which fall under the umbrella term
"Expert Tools": WP5 Expert Tools [T5.1 - T5.3]. Given the database
content and the relevant portrayal methodologies, expert tools are developed
independently to facilitate and speed up the system's operation and to
enhance its functionality. Another important component of the system is
the statistical toolbox developed and implemented in Statistical Analysis
Tools. This set of statistical tools equip the user with a number of important
statistical functions, give him the ability to apply them to all different
kinds of data included in the database One of the most attractive characteristics
of STATLAS is the terrain modelling and its 3D visualisation capability.
As an integral part of the system, the terrain model enable the generation
of perspective views of the European areas and the overlay of the statistical
information. Its structure is based on a grid, resulting to the minimisation
of the time required for any manipulation of the terrain data and the
production of a variety of by- products.
