Re: freebase parallax: user interface for browsing graphs of data

Designing user interfaces for "new" ways of exploration is indeed  
difficult. Evaluating these interfaces is even more difficult.
In our current research we have deliberately simplified the tasks that  
we try to support with our designs, so that we are able to do some  
form of evaluation. (Term search from multiple thesauri to support  
annotation).

The nice thing of your previous projects (timeline, exhibit) was that  
they were evaluated by the community. Their success may indicate that  
they are useful. Is this approach your intention? I haven't read your  
thesis yet, maybe the answer to this question is in there.
Do you think a similar process can happen for parallax?
If so, what are the tasks people will perform using this interface?

I like your screencast as it gives a good idea of the functionality,  
but the actual results of the "interactive query building" is not  
something I would need. Who are the users that will need it? Have you  
already had reactions of users that good find (create sets) that they  
really needed?

Michiel


On 17 aug 2008, at 10:54, David Huynh wrote:

>
> Michiel Hildebrand wrote:
>> Great stuff David!
>> Your novel interface designs really bring up the strength of linked  
>> data.
>>
>> In /facet we also explored the idea of making cross relations from  
>> one set to another. Eyal Oren did a similar thing in browseRDF.
>> We were both struggling with an interface design that made this  
>> functionality usable for end users.
>> It looks like you just did that. The "connections from" menu does  
>> the trick very well. And it is very simple to use. I especially  
>> like the extended view were the properties are grouped by type.
>>
>> Of course it is not just that which I admire in this application.  
>> It works really smooth and intuitive too.
> Hi Michiel,
>
> Glad you like it! :) It is a really difficult concept to design UI  
> for, isn't it? I was struggling with it for several months, too, and  
> my earlier design mockups, e.g.,
>   http://people.csail.mit.edu/dfhuynh/research/ideas/nested-queries-in-faceted-browsing/page-05.png
> were embarrassingly complicated. Now when I look at them again, I  
> actually don't know what I was trying to do then :)
>
> David
>
>

Received on Sunday, 17 August 2008 16:52:01 UTC