FASTER: accelerated access to official and statistical data

Simon Musgrave, Data Archive, University of Essex and
Jostein Ryssevik, Norwegian Social Science Data Services

The main aim of this EC funded current project is to accelerate access to
official and other statistical data by creating tools that are both easy
to use and flexible.  It will allow users to create their own personal data
environment, derive all relevant contextual and supporting information
and hence make the most productive use of data resources.  This project
builds on the work of NESSTAR and the DDI. It is focused on developing metadata
models that move are applicable from the production of data through to
analysis and will draw on the work of several initiatives in this area. 

The core objectives are to:

1.  Develop an open architecture for the dissemination and use of
statistics.  The metadata specification will build on the earlier work
and expert workshops will be organised in which to discuss appropriate
semantics and structures for different types of statistical data.  These
will include time-series data, aggregate data, and all types of survey
data.  The syntax will be in XML.  An important element will be the
access control issues.

2. Develop a configurable user environment in which users are able to
personalise their environment for immediate interaction (including
visualisation and geographical displays) with aggregate and micro
statistical data and other resources;

3. In order for 2 to become a reality two major issues will need to be
resolved - data confidentiality issues (including disclosure control) and
the proper authentication of users.

The project will be co-ordinated by the Data Archive who will work in
collaboration with four other European partners: the Norwegian Social
Science Data Service; the Danish Data Archive; Statistics Netherlands and
the University of Milan.