The concept of "restrictive flexibility" in the örok atlas online

As a result of a cooperation of the University of Vienna, the Vienna University of Technology and the Austrian Institute of Regional Planning the conception and realization of an online Atlas of Austria is currently undertaken. The aim of the project "Atlas Information System Austria" (AIS) is the access to cartographic presentations of various statistical data as well as the analysis and the exploration of data sets via maps. Beneath technical challenges in terms of the development of a "robust" online system the challenges are primarily to be seen in the context of cartographic communication processes, including design aspects of web maps, interactivity functions and the user guidance. The concept of the "restrictive flexibility", which is used in this project, applies the idea of exploring the content and functions of a system by a user in a "serendipidious" way, although the "serendipity" is engineered (Cartwright 2004). By designing a cartographic information system like an atlas, the system designers take responsibility also for restrictions in terms of what is not accessible or useful. If a particular map user for instance is aiming on combining data sets, which either are not cartographically visualizable or semantically combinable, the flexibility of the map user is restricted. As a result of this ongoing project not only theoretical concepts are developed but also a prototype version of the Austrian Atlas Information System, where the theoretical concepts are applied and evaluated.