Exploiting tag clouds for database browsing and querying

Abstract

Querying and browsing of databases is a task exclusively done by experts that have mastered the query language and are familiar with a database's schema. We show how tag clouds can be used alongside more traditional query languages and data visualisation techniques as a means for browsing and querying databases by both experts and non-expert users. Our approach is based on a general, extensible framework that supports different modes of visualisation as well as different database systems. We have validated our prototype with a user study that has shown how non-experts were able to browse and retrieve data that usually would only be possible by means of queries. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.