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GUIDANCE: Making it Easy for the User to be an Expert

  • Conference paper
Interfaces to Database Systems (IDS94)

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

Abstract

This paper describes an information retrieval system—GUIDANCE1—that is accessible and usable by people who are not experts in computing but are experts in their own domain. This particular user group needs to be supported by a system that is easy to use and reflects their own knowledge of the world. The system presented is based on descriptions — the logical structure of the database is concealed in favour of an interface which supports the question ‘What can I say about People?’ regardless of how many objects, roles, or attributes represent ‘People’. A full and relevant description is implemented by two models, one containing conceptual knowledge, and the other database specific information. These models are represented in, and related by, a descriptive subsumption-based classification formalism GRAIL2, which has a system of semantic sanctions to control the creation of implied concepts and a mechanism for ensuring their uniqueness.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Harlequin Ltd, 2nd Floor, Queens Court, Wilmslow Road, Alderley Edge, Cheshire, SK9 7QD, UK

    David Haw

  2. Department of Computer Science, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK

    Carole Goble & Alan Rector

Authors
  1. David Haw
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  2. Carole Goble
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  3. Alan Rector
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Computing Department, Lancaster University, LA1 4YR, Bailrigg, Lancaster, UK

    Pete Sawyer BSc, PhD

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© 1995 Springer-Verlag London

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Haw, D., Goble, C., Rector, A. (1995). GUIDANCE: Making it Easy for the User to be an Expert. In: Sawyer, P. (eds) Interfaces to Database Systems (IDS94). Workshops in Computing. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3818-1_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3818-1_2

  • 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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