A data mapping specification environment using a concrete business form-based metaphor

Abstract

Many systems require data transformation -the conversion of complex data from one format to another. Most current approaches require programming, scripting or use abstract visual specifications and are targeted to programmers, not business analysts or other end users. We describe a data transformation specification tool that uses a concrete visual metaphor based on the concept of copying data from one business form to another. We describe the visualisation of complex business data in a form that matches the cognitive needs of non-programmer business analysts and the specification of data transformations using our form copying metaphor. A prototype environment is described along with a cognitive dimensions evaluation of our end user visual language.

Text in Diagrams

“…Going one step further, users might even be provided with the means to define their own label management strategies. This could take the form of a simple DSL or, perhaps more appropriately, a specialized and simple UI to specify transformations from the original text to the intended result [LGA+02]. While this does seem like an interesting concept, it might be a challenge to design such a feature in a way that is both easy and expressive enough.…”