Query previews in networked information systems: the case of EOSDIS

Dynamic queries have been shown to be an effective technique to browse information, and to find patterns and exceptions. Dynamic queries involve the interactive control by a user of visual query parameters that generate rapid (100 ms update), animated, and visual displays of database search results. The data of early implementations was stored in local memory to guarantee optimal speed. Problems arise when the data is very large and distributed over a network. To overcome the problems of slow networks and data volume we propose a two-phase approach to query formulation using query previews and query refinements [1]. Preview mechanisms have been used in the past [2] and we believe that their use will be a major component of successful networked information systems interfaces (e.g. [3]).