[Sigia-l] multiple search index usability/conceptual model

[Broad, Jonathan]

Tanya,

This sounds like a good task for a technology like RDF or topic maps, if one
were willing to make the development effort.

Ideally one could merge the CVs of the databases, using the neat "scope"
notation of topic maps to note the way different databases refer to the same
concept.  Then just present the user with the normalized set of terms, and
add a layer on the back-end that queries each database with the term in it's
"scope".  That might be too much work, though.

Alternately you could just add a layer on the front-end, presenting a nice
taxonomy of general terms that reflect the content of the databases.
Instead of having to pick through a list of databases and their
explanations, they cruise through a topic list or tree, checking the types
of information they'd like to search.

Mmm...topic maps...

------------
Jonathan Broad
Information Architecture/Content Management
Citizen Portal Project Development Team 
jonathan.broad at deg.state.wi.us

> -----Original Message-----
> From: sigia-l-admin at asis.org 
> [mailto:sigia-l-admin at asis.org]On Behalf Of
> Tanya Rabourn
> Subject: RE: [Sigia-l] multiple search index 
> usability/conceptual model
> 

...

> I know it's technically possible. But you would still need to 
> build some
> sort of crosswalk for all controlled vocabulary that *all* of the
> databases use. Keep in mind most of these are very specialized and one
> term or acronym may be common to several but used very differently. I
> agree that this would be useful to search databases that 
> index material
> for the same or related disciplines -- but having to go 
> through results
> from completely unrelated subjects will just slow you down, 
> not save you
> time. In this case, choosing a particular database (or set of 
> databases)
> to search is actually serving as a refining mechanism.
> 
> A good example of this is Dialog. You can search multiple 
> databases, but
> you first need to know something about each of them so you 
> can select the
> ones that index the subject you're researching.
> 
> So, in this case, I don't think it's especially anti-UCD to have the
> library patrons learn which databases they need to choose for their
> search. An interface that facilitates that would be better than just
> sending their query to all possible databases.