Cartographic Concept of Atlas Information System "ÖROK Atlas Online" - AIS Austria

Abstract

The conception and realization of the Atlas Information System “ÖROK Atlas Online” – AIS Austria, with the point on cartographic concept is presented in the following article. It is a spatial information system that is different from pure GIS because of its strong cartographic character. The online system is not a collection of GIS based tools, but a system that subdivides all functionalities into a cartographically conceptional and structured order. It must correspond with the characteristics of a cartographical, rule-based and personalized information system. The prototype should allow the cartographical visualization of different geometry and statistical data from the elementary geo-data pool in form of thematic maps, graphics, statistics and texts, as well as queries of the database.
The primary challenge and aim of the cartographic concept is the development of map graphic or rather of the cartographic design, which has to match the output media. Further, analysis, exploration and monitoring of these data sets via map-based graphical user interface for different user groups shall be possible. The restrictive-flexible user guidance in this interactive system takes responsibility of what is not in cartographic or semantical sense accessible or useful. Only in this case an atlas information system can support meaningful cartographic communication.