Re: Visual representations of complex relationships

Mark McMillan wrote:
>
> We are struggling with how to build a user interface for data which
> has some complex relationships. In particular, the data has a number
> of N:N relationships between business objects (tables). This is an
> insurance application where you have the basic concepts of CLIENTS
> (people or organizations), POLICIES (the insurance product), and
> ROLES (the role that a CLIENT plays in a particular policy).

I use a GUI that would have the policies and client tables listed. Select one, suppose it is Policies. A table opens listing all policies. Select one. A "object view" opens listing all attributes of a policy, and a sub-table of all the clients using it. Select any one client. An object view opens, listing all attributes of the client, and sub-table of all the policies used by her.

The general design consists of 2 types of windows, tables, and object views (or forms). The forms have tables in them to list the many relations.

The design is not good for the standard user. Being able to open so many windows gets confusing. Being able to open a policy and then a client and then a policy from each of the respective sub-tables gets the user lost. I have learnt the hard way that a user is about as smart as your pencil.

Kyle Received on Tue Jan 11 2000 - 00:00:00 CET