Capitalizing on Experience with Intelligence Gateway Software.
Abstract
The Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) and National Library of Medicine (NLM) both developed gateway software to help users search, retrieve, and analyze information from different data systems, even when hardware and software incompatibilities exist. DTIC has two gateways: Defense Gateway Information System (DGIS) and Search Menu-Aided Easy Searching Through Relevant Options (Search MAESTRO). NLM also has two: Micro-Chemical Substances Information Network (Micro-CSIN) and Grateful MED. Each has strengths and weaknesses; DTIC and NLM experience with them, along with commercial and academic developments, reveal opportunities for improvements. We recommend that: (1) DTIC enhance DGIS to enable all users structure search strategies and select suitable databases, and adapt DGIS so that search terms used for one database can be used in several. Such improvements should enable DTIC to use DGIS to meet all user needs; (2) NLM improve the user-friendliness of Micro-CSIN with online and window prompting techniques and modify Micro-CSIN to incorporate controlled vocabulary terms and names into a search strategy. NLM should decide how to incorporate Micro-CSIN and Grateful MED into ABIDE; (3) DTIC and NLM adopt developments from the commercial and academic sectors such as an object-oriented gateway environment, develop expert systems to aid in creating more effective search strategies, and consider cooperative funding arrangements for future gateway development.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA193362
Entities
People
- Cynthia W. Shockley
Organizations
- LMI