The dynamic HomeFinder

• DOI: 10.1145/133160.133216
• Publication Date: 2003-11-13T18:06:04Z
• Authors: Christopher Willi...; Ben Shneiderman
• Keywords: 0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering; 02 engineering and technology

We designed, implemented, and evaluated a new concept for visualizing and searching databases utilizing direct manipulation called dynamic queries. Dynamic queries allow users to formulate queries by adjusting graphical widgets, such as sliders, and see the results immediately. By providing a graphical visualization of the database and search results, users can find trends and exceptions easily. User testing was done with eighteen undergraduate students who performed significantly faster using a dynamic queries interface compared to both a natural language system and paper printouts. The interfaces were used to explore a real-estate database and find homes meeting specific search criteria.