Timeline and Benchmarks:
Phase One - Prototype Design and Development

December 2008: Science Data Compilation
Early and ongoing work has focused on data compilation and coding within our five themes – food, water, land, health, and livelihoods; developing decision rules for data compatibility; harmonizing formats for upload and overlay in Google Earth; and developing the structure for a wiki to elicit basic "meta-data" for future Atlas climate impact entries.

January 2009: Hiring of Application Development and Web Design Consultants
We have begun work with Blue Raster, LLC (see description in staffing section) on the Atlas schematic design, geodatabase architecture, and application features.

* February 2009: Provisional patent application submitted for the Atlas design, patent pending

February 2009: Adaptation Project Database Evaluation
We have initiated collaboration with multiple adaptation related organizations, and we will explore and geo-code data provided by our partners to support the design and testing of the Atlas adaptation project search and input survey mechanism.

March 2009 – May 2009: Rapid Prototype Development
Using existing repositories of climate data and baseline adaptation project data, the core team and consultants will spend several months creating, testing, and evaluating the science layer upload application (Building Block 1) and the adaptation project mapping application (Building Block 2).

April 2009 – June 2009: User Interface Design
Work with consultants to design and develop the website and interface for the Atlas map/data explorer with a focus on specific design features, such as the development of user profile options.

July 2009 – September 2009: Atlas Prototype Testing
Collaborate with partner organizations and advisory board members to coordinate an extended period of user and collaborator testing of the Atlas prototype and interface.

August 2009 – November 2009: Refining Prototype with Feedback from Advisory Board
The final months of Phase One will be dedicated to meetings and presentations to gather feedback on Atlas and solicit participation of science and policy advisors from around the world.

December 2009: Launch of Prototype at COP 15 event in Copenhagen, Denmark
Phase One will conclude with the first convening of the science/ policy advisory board and the launch of the Atlas prototype at the 2009 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations in Denmark.