Dynamic Queries for Visual Information Seeking

Ben Shneiderman

Jin Tong

Hyunmo Kang

Cmsc838

Sep. 28, 1999

Outline

• Dynamic Queries

• Examples of DQ Applications

• Advantages of DQ

• Disadvantages of DQ

• Enhance DQ via Movable Filters (Magic Lens)

• Video Clip of Magic Lens

• Boolean Queries by Composition

• Example of Query Composition

• Conclusion and Critique

Favorite Sentence

• “Visualization offers a method for seeing the unseen”

Dynamic Queries

• Interactive user control

• Visual query parameters adjustment

• Animated visual display of query results

Why They Are Good

• For novices:

- Don't have to learn SQL

- Avoid syntax errors

- Natural, aid comprehension

• For power users:

- Helpful in finding patterns

- Explore and discover

Home Finder

Home Finder (Text)

UNIX - Ls

Chemical Table

Dynamaps

Filmfinder

Global Change Master Directory

User Study Results

Advantages

• Visual presentation of query components

• Visual presentation of results

• Rapid, incremental and reversible actions

• Selection by pointing (user interface

improvement: what about voice command)

• Immediate and continuous feedback (related:

tight-coupling of DQ filters)

Disadvantages and Research Directions

• DBMS and display related performance problems

* Data accessing algorithms

* Display/screen management

• User interface (domain dependent)

Disadvantages and Research Directions (Cont.)

• GUI issues (widgets, representations, etc)

• Input methods

• Novel user interface for complex queries

Filter/flow Map

Enhanced Dynamic Queries Via Movable Filters

Ken FishkinMaureen C. Stone

Restrictions of Dynamic Queries (Motivation)

• The number of attributes is limited by the number of selectors

• The effect of combining slider filters is strictly conjunctive

• The effects of the selectors are global

• The number of selectors is fixed in advance

Enhanced Dynamic Queries Via Movable Filters

• Combining the two techniques :

The starfield display, the movable filter

• Enhancing the starfileld display by augmenting it with the flexibility and the functionality of the movable filter

Boolean Queries By Composition

• Lens L=(F, M)

- F : filterDescribing the output calculation for the filter on

some datum

- M : boolean operatorDescribing how that output is combined with the

output from lower filters

Example of Composition

• L1=(F1, OR), L2=(F2, AND)

- L1 over L2 (F1 OR F2)

- L2 over L1 (F2 AND F1)

• N=(NULL, NOT) : inverting lens

• Compound lens

- (F1 AND F2) OR (F3 AND F4)

Examples :- Database : US Census Data- Lens Manager Server : X Window System

Example of Composition

Example of Composition

Alternate Views

Simultaneous Multiple Views

Boolean Filter

Extensions : Real-valued Filter

Extensions : Real-valued Filter

Missing Data

Missing Data

Conclusion

• Expressive yet easy to understand

• Powerful queries(boolean and real-valued)

• Visual and semantic transformation of the data (callout, magnification, missing data, sorting, and so forth)

• Wide range of interface operations (click-through tools)

Critique

• No statistics on the usability tests

• Need rapid search & rapid graphical display

• Application specific programming

Favorite Sentence

• “There is a tension in the database query systems between providing expressive power and ease of use”