Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

5-1995

Abstract

There are two main approaches to improving the effectiveness of database interfaces. One is to raise the level of abstraction for the content of the user-database interaction. The relational model belonging to the logical level has replaced the hierarchical and network models that belong to the lower physical level. It is likely that the relational model will eventually be replaced by models belonging to the even higher conceptual level, such as entity relationship models and object-oriented models. The second approach is to enhance the actual interaction process. This can be done by providing better feedback to the user. Feedback can be in the form of more comprehensible error messages, and the provision of a natural language interpretation of user's query. Such a feedback system was developed, and its effectiveness tested in an experiment. The results showed that the feedback system enhanced user performance greatly. Specifically, users who used the feedback system were 12.9% more accurate than those without the feedback system. They were also 41.2% more confident of their answers, and they took 29.0% less time than those without the feedback system.

Discipline

Databases and Information Systems

Research Areas

Information Systems and Management

Areas of Excellence

Digital transformation

Publication

Behaviour and Information Technology

Volume

14

Issue

3

First Page

152

Last Page

162

ISSN

0144-929X

Identifier

10.1080/01449299508914642

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1080/01449299508914642

Download

Share

COinS