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An Evaluation of Two Approaches to Exploiting Real-World Knowledge by Intelligent Database Design Tools

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Conceptual Modeling – ER ’98 (ER 1998)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 1507))

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Abstract

Recent years have seen the development of a number of expert system type tools whose primary objective is to provide support to a human during the process of database analysis and design. However, whereas human designers are able to draw upon their experience and knowledge of the real world when performing such a task, knowledge-based database design tools are generally unable to do so. This has resulted in numerous calls for the development of tools that are capable of exploiting real-world knowledge during a design session. It has been claimed that the use of such knowledge has the potential to increase the appearance of intelligence of the tools, to improve the quality of the designs produced, and to increase processing efficiency. However to date, little if any formal evaluation of these claims has taken place. This paper presents such an evaluation of two of the approaches proposed to facilitate system-storage and exploitation of real-world knowledge; the thesaurus approach and the knowledge reconciliation approach. Results obtained have demonstrated that certain aspects of the claimed benefits associated with the use of real-world knowledge have been achieved. However, the extent to which these benefits have been attained and subsequently statistically validated varies.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK

    Shahrul Azman Noah

  2. School of Information Systems and Computing, University of Wales Institute Cardiff, Colchester Avenue, Cardiff, CF3 7XR, UK

    Michael Lloyd-Williams

Authors
  1. Shahrul Azman Noah
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  2. Michael Lloyd-Williams
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Computing, National University of Singapore,  

    Tok-Wang Ling

  2. Department of MIS, Eller School of Management, University of Arizona, 430J McClelland Hall, 85721, Tucson, AZ

    Sudha Ram

  3. Department of Computer Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore

    Mong Li Lee

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© 1998 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Noah, S.A., Lloyd-Williams, M. (1998). An Evaluation of Two Approaches to Exploiting Real-World Knowledge by Intelligent Database Design Tools. In: Ling, TW., Ram, S., Li Lee, M. (eds) Conceptual Modeling – ER ’98. ER 1998. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1507. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-49524-6_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-49524-6_17

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-65189-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-49524-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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