A Graphical Filter/Flow Representation of Boolean Queries: A Prototype Implementation and Evaluation
A Graphical Filter/Flow Representation of Boolean Queries: A Prototype Implementation and Evaluation
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Date
1998-10-15
Authors
Young, Degi
Shneiderman, Ben
Advisor
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Abstract
One of the powerful applications of Boolean expression is to allow
users to extract relevant information from a database. Unfortunately,
previous research has shown that users have difficulty specifying
Boolean queries. In an attempt to overcome this limitation, a
graphical Filter/Flow representation of Boolean queries was designed
to provide users with an interface that visually conveys the meaning
of the Boolean operators (AND, OR and NOT). This was
accomplished by implementing a graphical interface prototype that
uses the metaphor of water flowing through filters. Twenty subjects
with no experience with Boolean logic participated in an experiment
comparing the Boolean operations represented in the Filter/Flow
interface with a text-only SQL interface. The subjects independently
performed five comprehension tasks and five composition tasks in
each of the interfaces. A significant difference (p < 0.05) in the total
number of correct queries in each of the comprehension and
composition tasks was found favoring Filter/Flow.
(Also cross-referenced as CAR-TR-627)