The Interactive Analysis System (IAS) is a software resource designed to support wide-ranging analysis of decision making information. The present generation of IAS is focused on geodemographic analysis. IAS provides specialized abilities to process Census 2000 data and associated geodemographic information resources. This section summarizes the role and scope of the IAS, how you can use it, and how you can benefit.

Purpose/Benefits. The purpose of IAS is to provide a broad-based data access, integration, and analysis tool. IAS has specialized data integration, display, and analytical capabilities relating to use of Census 2000 data. A unique feature of IAS is its ability to integrate Census 2000 data with other types of data for display and analysis.

Examples. View examples of Census 2000 comparative analysis reports.

ProximityOne Component. IAS is a standalone, integratable, component of the ProximityOne software suite. IAS may be used with files developed by other ProximityOne components or as a standalone program accessing other data resources.

Ordering Information. To order IAS, use the Proximity Registration and Order Form.

Census 2000 Data Access and Use. IAS may be used to process all Census 2000 demographic data downloaded/processed from the Census web server (freely accessed data) using the ProximityOne ASC2DBF software.

Profiles and Report. Profile and report operations are used to display tabular statistical and administrative data in a variety of comparative analysis formats.

Census 2000 ...
  • Display prestructured market/service area reports
    -- key data for geographic areas that you define
    -- most popular and most useful data organized in an interpretive manner
    -- see sample demographic profile (PDF)
    -- see sample demographic profile (Excel 2000 XLS zip file)
  • Display Census 2000 table(s) for any geographic area(s)
    -- column/geoarea by column/geoarea comparisons for user selected geographic areas
  • Display and Census 2000 item(s) for any geographic area(s)
    -- design your own custom structured report choosing from thousands of items

NonCensus and Census integrated with Other Data ...
    -- design your own profile/report custom linked to
        Census 2000 and your database items

Query. Perform a query using boolean, combinatorial, relationships where you specify attributes of geography and geographic areas as well as mathematical/statistical relationships among subject matter data items. Use the query feature to identify geographic areas meeting the specified criteria. Then generate an output file or report/profile such as described above.

Linker Operations. Linker operations are used to dynamically associate multiple dBASE files based on user specified keys. For practical purposes, an unlimited number of dBASE files may be linked together based on the keys.

• Census 2000 Implications. This feature enables all of the Summary File 1 (SF1) dBASE "segment files" to be associated so that the user can reference any particular data item (or set of data items) for display and analysis. This feature enables users to associate specific fields from SF1 and SF3 (as these files become available).
• Beyond Census 2000 Implications. Associate your data for ZIP code areas to Census 2000 ZIP code area data by linking the non-census data dBASE file with the Census 2000 dBASE file.

Suppose that you build a county by block shape file and load with certain Census 2000 data using Cen2Shp. Separately, you have a file for your custom subdivisions of the county. Use the IAS data aggregation feature to automatically aggregate the block level data to the custom subdivision level. From this point, you could perform mapping applications (using, for example, ArcView), use IAS to generate reports using the new database, use IAS to perform queries, perform other IAS operations on the aggregate data, or use the dbase file with any other software supporting the generic dbase format.

dBASE Operations. dBASE operations are used to process generic dBASE files. This is a generalized dBASE file processing capability independent of any particular type of data. IAS features the ability to create, read, and write dBASE files.

  • Create
  • Modify structure
  • Browse (full integrated DataView functionality)
  • Copy-structure-to
  • Indexing (inclusive of indexing CD-ROM files)
  • Zap/delete operations

Excel Operations. Excel operations are used to process Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. This is a generalized Excel file processing capability independent of any particular type of data. IAS features the ability to create, read, and write Excel files.

  • Read Excel XLS 2.1, 3.0, 4.0 worksheets and Excel XLS 5.0, 95, 97/2000 workbooks
  • Access all sheets in workbook files
  • Receive all text, numbers, etc. you can write in a cell, including formulas
  • Read cell formatting information (font, cell color, border, etc.)
  • Seek function for fast access to single cells
  • Write Excel 4.0 worksheets and Excel 5.0/ 95/ 97/ 2000 workbooks (any number of sheets)
  • Easy to write formulas, just as strings: "SUM(A1:A10) / B2 + SIN(0.25)"
  • Write cell formatting (font, cell color, border, etc.)
  • Write merged cells

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Q -- Does IAS process general types of summary data? goto top

A -- Yes. While IAS has been specifically designed to process Census 2000 data, IAS may also be used with any other "summary data." Summary data refer to aggregate or distributional descriptive statistical/administrative data for a geographic area. Examples of summary data include total population for a census block, aggregate income for a census tract, median household income for a ZIP code area, etc.

Q -- Doesn't the Census Bureau provide software to process the Census 2000 summary data files? goto top

A -- The Census Bureau does not provide software to process Census 2000 data files downloaded from the Census Web Server.

The Census Bureau does provide software to access the data files distributed by Census on CD-ROM. But, there are many unmet needs that are addressed by the IAS software. Many of these needs are processing and analytical needs typically needed by users but not provided by the Census software. In addition, the files distributed by the Census Bureau are not in a transportable dBASE file structure. They are in a proprietary structure that cannot be directly opened by software such as Excel. This structural features limits data/file transportability and integration with other data files.

Q -- Why would I choose to use IAS relative to other statistical processing software and packages. goto top

A -- They are many reasons, including:

1. No other software enables you to immediately access and start using Census 2000 data as it becomes freely available via the Census web server.
2. IAS is designed to interface with other popular software rather than replace or compete. This enables you to continue using favorite software, such as ArcView, perform applications which are specialties with IAS, and even export the data into transportable file for use with software such as SPSS or SAS.
3. IAS uniquely addressed the long-term difficult issue of integrating decennial census data with non-census data. This capability is an application of most Census data users and is addressed effectively only by IAS.

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Samples of Census 2000 Comparative Analysis Resports

Comparative Analysis Profiles. View a sample Census 2000 Demographic Profile prepared using IAS presenting a side-by-side comparative analysis of three Hawaii counties (PDF). The advantage, and distinction, of the profile, as compared to the tables report (below), is that the subject matter are preselected and preorganized in the profile. In the detailed tables report, you may choose the data tables that meet your needs which can offer much more detail than available in the profile. This type of profile can be prepared to compare/contrast any Census 2000 geographic area with any other geographic area.

Comparative Analysis Table Reports. View a sample Census 2000 Detailed Characteristics Report prepared using IAS presenting a side-by-side comparative analysis of three Hawaii geographic areas (PDF). This type of report can be prepared to compare/contrast any Census 2000 geographic area with any other geographic area.

The sample tables report shows data for these Hawaii geographic areas (shown relationally in the map presented below):

1. a census tract (0005.00) contained with a place (Honolulu CDP)
2. a place (Honolulu CDP)
3. a county (Honolulu County)

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More Information. If you have questions, send e-mail to support@proximityone.com.

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