A database schema for constructing visual queries

Visual querying allows a non-technical user the ability to ask complicated questions of a database without being familiar with a query language. This work presents a new approach to building such queries. Not only is the query language abstracted from the user but a visualization model is created to abstract the data infrastructure from the user The user and the user interface are thus separated from the actual data tables. This model serves as an encoding of some of the knowledge a database analyst might use in building queries to answer questions asked by a decision-maker The system described herein uses the model to build a parallel coordinate display as well as to generate queries from selections the user makes. The visualization process uses a simple interface to generate potentially complex queries.