Data base navigation: an office environment for the professional

Abstract The potential of the computer to assist in the everyday information handling activities of professional people has received little attention. This paper proposes a number of novel facilities to produce, for this purpose, an office environment in which a needed item of information can rapidly be sought and identified. It involves a new display technique which overcomes the classical “windowing” problem, and the use of natural dialogues utilizing simple actions such as pointing, gesturing, touching and spoken commands. The simple dialogue makes the scheme well suited to the professional person, who is most likely unwilling to learn complex command languages. Little disturbances to the appearance of the office need be involved.