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Techniques for the Effective Evaluation of Database Interfaces

  • Conference paper
Interfaces to Database Systems (IDS94)

Part of the book series: Workshops in Computing ((WORKSHOPS COMP.))

Abstract

Many proposals have been made for database interfaces which support a wide range of tasks in a variety of different ways using a wide selection of visual or textual languages. In this context of widespread experimentation, it is important that the proposals be effectively evaluated. If they are not, then flawed approaches could become widely accepted, good ideas could be let down by inappropriate implementations, or novel techniques overlooked in the absence of suitable supporting evidence. This paper summarises our experience using several different evaluation techniques in the context of a multi-paradigm query interface and a browser which supports visualisations of advanced data modelling constructs. It is shown how different evaluation techniques are suitable for evaluating different aspects of database interface functionality, and that different techniques yield different kinds of information on the usability of an interface.

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© 1995 Springer-Verlag London

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Paton, N.W., al-Qaimari, G., Doan, K., Kilgour, A.C. (1995). Techniques for the Effective Evaluation of Database Interfaces. In: Sawyer, P. (eds) Interfaces to Database Systems (IDS94). Workshops in Computing. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3818-1_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3818-1_19

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-19910-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-3818-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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