Interfaces to Data Models: Taking a Step Backwards

Barclay, Peter J.; Crerar, Alison; Davidson, Kirsteen

doi:10.1007/978-1-4471-3818-1_17

Cited by 1 publication

(11 citation statements)

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“…At the time of writing, the facilities described in Section 4.1 have been completed in a multiple document interface (MDI) version, and have been subjected to regular formative evaluation during development by four expert reviewers. The first two authors initially specified the system and their testing has been a) for conformance with the functional requirements and b) with a view to addressing the human-computer interaction issues raised in their previous research [1]. Independent usability testing has been done by two former students both of whom have had experience of implementing interactive modelling environments.…”

Section: Totem: An Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At present both versions aim towards the same underlying functionality though in the Delphi version we are exploring different interface designs and gaining more experience with the product. TOTEM has been designed primarily as a vehicle for teaching and research, drawing on the insights of previous studies of modelling, notably those referred to in this paper, and our own collective experience of teaching data modelling, but driven most strongly by the desire to test out some recent insights regarding the usability problems computer-based data modelling environments can introduce [1]. The latter study was a smallscale experiment comparing the modelling behaviour of three competent modellers, two using a Windows-based modelling environment (developed in-house, though not by ourselves) and the third using pen and flip-chart.…”

Section: Totem: An Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Barclay et al [1] made a number of recommendations for features that would begin to bridge the usability gap for data modellers between pen and paper and computer-based GUI environments; the main ones were: freedom in the order of working in design mode, provision of a scratch-pad for jotting ideas, ability to make ad hoc annotations, support for multi-page working and, related to the last point, the ability to freeze previous versions of a model. In designing TOTEM we have addressed all of these suggestions except the ability to make ad hoc annotations on the diagram (i.e.…”

Section: Totem: An Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It represents ongoing collaboration between the HCI Group (first author) and Object Systems Group (second author) aimed at achieving a better understanding of the process of data modelling and ultimately embedding that understanding in the design of more effective software tools. In a previous paper we reported the use of split-screen video techniques to study the online behaviour of three competent data modellers working, two with a Windows-based tool and the other with pen and flip-chart [1]. There were a number of interesting insights arising from that work, particularly concerning the flexibility of pen and paper as a design medium; by contrast, the software tool imposed a considerable cognitive load.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The paper is organised as follows: Section 2 outlines previous research on the nature of modelling problems, Section 3 explains the notion of creative modelling which our tool aims to foster, Section 4 describes and illustrates the main features of TOTEM giving an overview both of its functionality and its operation, Section 5 presents the results of a small video evaluation study replicating the method used in Barclay et al [1], and finally Section 6 summarises plans for further work.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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TOTEM: an Interactive Tool for Creative Data Modelling

Crerar

Barclay

Watt

1996

Electronic Workshops in Computing

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Data modelling is a crucial and early step in the design of all but the most trivial database systems. Although a fundamental skill for information systems designers, data modelling is not easy to do well and novices are known to have considerable difficulty a) in generating a satisfactory model from a given scenario and b) in appreciating the semantic nuances of a given model from its diagrammatic representation. Given a candidate model, novices typically find it difficult to envisage whether a set of specified query types can be met and what the implications of the model are for storage and access. One of the main differences between novice and expert performance is held to be this capacity to visualise the implications of a model from its diagrammatic representation. These two skills, generation and evaluation, are closely inter-linked: clearly, some competence in the second is necessary for self-monitoring during the model generation process; however, a high degree of facility is required if data modelling is to be truly a design process and not just a mechanistic activity whereby the model is derived from the scenario by simple transformation. The concept of data modelling as design, as a creative process, has been under-emphasised thus far in the pedagogic literature. We aim to broaden the prevalent convergent style of introductory texts (which tend to concentrate students towards the specimen 'correct' solution), by promoting a more divergent approach, namely, that there is likely to be a set of feasible solutions, candidate solutions will have advantages and disadvantages and creative solutions may involve a re-conceptualisation of the scenario. To promote these ideas in teaching, supporting tools are needed. While there are a number of software packages existing to help with the graphical aspects of model creation (modelling tools), there is a dearth of software offering modellers an environment in which they can create a model or partial model and then interact with it better to understand its 'behaviour'. This paper explains the rationale behind and work-in-progress on a concept-demonstrator TOTEM (TOol for TEaching Modelling) which owes much to the new generation of programming environments such as Visual Basic and Delphi. TOTEM is conceived as a Windows-based rapid 'design and test' environment for extended Entity-Relationship modelling that supports interaction with multiple candidate solutions, any of which can be explored with test data. We report a video study to assess the usability of design mode in single user, single model conditions and present the main ideas behind the next planned phase of work.

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Section: Totem: An Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Totem: An Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Totem: An Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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