Visual tools for information retrieval

Author

Spoerri, Anselm

Author_Institution

Center for Educ. Comput. Initiatives, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA

fYear

1993

Firstpage

160

Lastpage

168

Abstract

This paper introduces a novel representation that can be used as a visualization tool as well as a visual query language to help users search for information. High-level visual retrieval tools are described that enable users to explore, manage, and relate large information spaces to their interests. The following tools are developed: (1) The query outliner enables users to structure and edit complex queries. (2) The query spreadsheet is a novel representation that visualizes all the possible relationships among N variables, and it allows users to specify Boolean queries graphically. Arbitrarily complex queries can be created by using the query spreadsheets as building blocks and organizing them in a hierarchical structure. (3) The query overview displays the complete structure of a complex query and it can be used as a navigation tool. The presented visual framework has applications in such areas as information retrieval, electronic mail filtering, human resource management or financial portfolio management

Keywords

database management systems; graphical user interfaces; query languages; visual languages; Boolean queries; GUI; electronic mail filtering; financial portfolio management; human resource management; information retrieval; large information spaces; navigation tool; query outliner; query overview; query spreadsheet; visual query language; visual retrieval tools; visualization tool; Database languages; Displays; Electronic mail; Human resource management; Information filtering; Information filters; Information retrieval; Navigation; Organizing; Visualization;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Visual Languages, 1993., Proceedings 1993 IEEE Symposium on

Conference_Location

Bergen

Print_ISBN

0-8186-3970-9

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/VL.1993.269592

Filename

269592