Italian Statistical Data Dictionary System Prototype Developed with a 4th Generation Language

Summary

Statistical Information Systems are systems conceived to collect, structure and make available the statistical data needed for the correct and prompt investigation and the management of an organism, reducing its entropy level. Data Dictionaries handle data about the data of information systems; they represent a fundamental environment for their development and management; in statistical applications they play an even more important role and assume some peculiarities originated by the special nature and complexity of data. 4th Generation Languages are interactive systems for developing and exploiting automated solution methods and information systems; they increase productivity by 1000%, asking a learning period of a few days and offering the direct visibility of data and procedures; this enhanced performance makes feasible prototypal analyses, incremental developments, case simulations. A prototype of the Statistical Data Dictionary System for the Italian National Institute of Statistics has been realized exploiting the efficiency and the power of the MAPPER 4th Generation Language.