Supporting online shopping through a combination of ontologies and interface metaphors

Abstract

Abstract. In this paper we describe some results of the Alice project. Alice is an ontology based e-commerce project which aims to support online users in the task of shopping. Ontologies describing customers, products, typical shopping tasks and the external context form the basis for the Alice architecture. We also build upon two novel interface metaphors originally developed for navigating databases: the Guides metaphor and Dynamic Queries. The Guides metaphor was developed at Apple to reduce the cognitive load on learners navigating a large hypermedia database. Within Alice we use the Guides metaphor to allow online shoppers to interact with the system in a variety of ways. In effect, by choosing these options they are classifying themselves for the purpose of customizing system responses. We discuss the link between Alice Guides and Kozinets' notion of e-tribes or Virtual Communities of Consumption. Our second interface metaphor Dynamic Queries (coupled with Starfield displays) allows users to very quickly find relevant items by displaying the results of queries, posed via specialised slider widgets, within 100 milliseconds. We have constructed a tool, Quiver, which constructs Dynamic Query interfaces on-the-fly as the result of queries to knowledge models stored on the Alice server.

Representations for semantic learning webs: Semantic Web technology in learning support

“…Work on the Alice project (Domingue et al 2003) provides an example of how community ontologies can be developed, and work on the IRS‐II/III semantic web service infrastructure (Motta et al 2003) can be used to support the construction and execution of semantic learning web services.…”

Semantic Learning Webs

“…These roles and relations may change over time. These ideas we re developed during the Alice project (Domingue et al, 2003) where they we re applied to a customization s e rvice for ecommerce. They are even better suited to a community oriented appro a c h to eLearning.…”

“…Tools are needed for identifying, creating, support i n g , fostering, and tracking communities and integrating them with knowledge re p re s e ntations into Knowledge Neighbourhoods. While we have begun work on communityoriented customization in the e-shopping arena (Domingue et al, 2003) much more w o rk needs to be done on identifying the characteristics and stru c t u res of communities as well as their dynamics.…”

Knowledge Transfer In Virtual Communities

“…To find these virtual communities on an organization"s web site, links could either be easily found on the homepage, or they could be hidden under one or more web site layers. Some organizations call them simply communities, or community, others call them forums or newsgroups, or even e-tribes (Domingue, Stutt et al 2003). Whatever the name is, these communities are taking an increasingly important role in companies" operations today.…”