The design review workshop was used to demonstrate and gain feedback on software used or developed by the Alexandria Project. It was also used to gather the opinions of the various workshop participants on the strategy employed by the Project so far, as well as to determine their relative concerns about various project areas, e.g. metadata and interface design. The format for the workshop was a series of presentations and breakout group sessions. White papers were also prepared prior to the conference by most workshop participants.
The Alexandria Project revealed that it had focussed its work on the development of query systems for spatial information. They have two types of interfaces: an Arcview interface and a web interface. These interfaces provide access to a small collection of metadata primarily about spatial information in image form such as digitized maps, aerial photographs, and remotely sensed images. Emphasis had clearly been placed on interface design and development of a metadata standard. The Project has begun to test the interface by giving users a tutorial exercise to follow and both capturing their keystrokes and videotaping them. A follow up interview is also conducted.
The interface was well received by the workshop's audience. They were eager to obtain access to the web system. The information solicited from the workshop participants showed them to be fairly united in their concerns. One of the primary desires of the group was for further development in the area of metadata. Most participants shared a need for a uniform way to describe their spatial information collections, and then to provide access to that metadata. The other very significant concern was for the ability to deliver spatial information over the web, so that for non-complex needs the user could obtain the data directly without burdening the service provider.
The workshop made clear some opportunities for collaboration with the Alexandria Project. First, the Alexandria Project is not doing much with vector (line-based) spatial information. The information they retrieve is primarily images. While retaining use of the Alexandria interface, vector data could be put online; thereby testing how well the interface works for these types of spatial information collections.
Second, the Alexandria Project is not working at any depth with spatially referenced attribute information, e.g. precipitation data, or census data. An attempt could be made to connect Univ. of Michigan data collections with the Alexandria interface. This information could then be used to test or extend the Alexandria systems ability to select spatial information collections based on query's of these attribute data collections, and to examine the problems of combining this attribute data with spatial information collections, e.g. to create thematic maps.
Either area of potential collaboration would also add to the UMDL and Alexandria Projects a test of the problems involved in the use of distributed information collections. The Alexandria project staff were very interested in investigating the possibility of collaboration with the UMDL in these areas.
Comments or questions may be sent to: UMDL.INFO@umich.edu