Observare-Laborare

Resumo

Observatories should embrace the new challenges posed by the vast mass of data that emanates from a wide variety of sources, in order to fulfil their mission of generating, systematising and processing all information regarding the cultural context of a given territory. To talk about information is to talk about knowledge, and the acquisition of useful, well-prepared data which facilitate the identification, communication and prediction of behaviours. In other words, the incorporation of analysis and interpretation into the act of observation. To this end, observatories should design an information system capable of compiling, analysing and disseminating knowledge based on indicators which bring together data in standardised formats that facilitate territorial comparisons. This paper provides guidance on the statistical sources that observatories should use to obtain data - the basic ingredient of information - and on the techniques that could be applied for analysis; it also addresses the fundamental issue that is dissemination of the information obtained using an appropriate medium that facilitates visualisation