Geodata Discovery Assistant: A Software Module for Rule-Based Cartographic Visualisation and Analysis of Statistical Mass Data

This paper presents a novel software approach termed “Geodata Discovery Assistant” (GDA) to visualise and visually analyse heterogenous statistical mass data with a spatial component. Only recently the potential of digital geospatial information has been recognised in large to small scale enterprises. This is partly caused by the fact that software systems used in the industry to model and process economic or business information lack functions to handle the geospatial attributes properly. The GDA is currently developed in an ongoing R&D project between commercial and academic partners. When fully implemented, the GDA will contribute to the full utilisation of statistical mass data with a spatial component thus facilitating meaningful and informed decision making for users of classical data discovery or business intelligence and analysis systems. In this contribution, we focus on its core component, the rule-based map construction process.