Proposed CDATA 2001 products
In September the ABS issued the Information Paper: 2001 Census of Population and Housing - ABS Views on Census Output Strategy (ABS Cat. No. 2009.0), seeking client views on proposed census strategies for the 2001 Census through a questionnaire. Subsequently, in October 1999 the Population Census Processing and User Services Section within the ABS ran user consultation workshops in each capital city seeking similar information from major clients. Preliminary analysis of feedback from both the workshops and responses to the questionnaire has identified a need for the census program to investigate the feasibility of producing two CDATA2001 products, one with full GIS functionality (as per CDATA96) and one with less functionality.
Our initial thoughts, again based on clients' feedback, are to have one CDATA2001 product that has two different levels of access. This will allow clients access, through the use of unlock codes, to whichever of the two levels of accessibility they have purchased.
To help differentiate the two access paths we have allocated the names CDATA2001-Full GIS and CDATA2001-Quickbuild.
CDATA2001-Full GIS
This product will offer similar functionality to that of CDATA96 including:
- full SQL functionality;
- full spatial analysis of data;
- import of external datasets; and
- use of detailed geographic information from Public Sector Mapping Authority (PSMA) where required.
CDATA2001-Quickbuild
As the name suggests, this product will provide functionality very similar to that available through the Quickbuild interface used in CDATA96 It will allow users who do not require GIS capability the ability to quickly select the geography and data they need to produce a report, thematic, graph, dataview or map.
- On accessing the software through the entry page clients will see that the more complex GIS functionality is greyed-out or non-accessible. This, we believe, should make the process of selecting geography and data less confusing.
- The normal functions of saving, printing and exporting data will be available.
- There will be no facility for importing external data as the SQL functionality is non-accessible.
- Basic topographic base map data (from PSMA) will be available.
- The product will also offer an up-grade facility/path which allows clients to use the GIS functionality of the product by purchasing an unlock code/key.
We will be finalising the 2001 Census Output Strategy in June 2000; details will be described in Information Paper: Census of Population and Housing - Proposed Products and Services (ABS Cat. No. 2011.0), which will be released in July 2000. They will also be covered in the September 2000 edition of Census Update. This will be followed by another round of state user consultation workshops, planned to run from mid-August through early September 2000.
"Please note that the ABS will also be producing a range of census products to suit the needs of other clients. Details of the full range of products will be available, as scheduled, in July 2000."
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