SPARQL enables users to access and browse knowledge graphs in a precise way. However, using SPARQL requires knowledge that many casual users lack. To counter this, specific tools have been created that enable more casual users to browse and query results. This paper evaluates and compares the most prominent techniques, QueryVOWL, SPARKLIS and the Wikidata Query Service (WQS), through a usability evaluation, using a mixed-method evaluation based on usability metrics and heuristics, containing both quantitative and qualitative data. The findings show that while WQS offered the best results, usability problems were encountered in all tools. Key aspects for usability, extracted from the evaluation serve as important contributions for future query builders.
Dr. Javier D. Fernández, Senior Information Architect at at F. Hoffmann-La Roche,
Roche
http://www.roche.com
Javier D. Fernandez is a Senior Information Architect at Roche in Basel, Switzerland - His work currently focuses on enabling data interoperability and, in general, data FAIRification, facilitating the creation, management and efficient consumption of Knowledge Graphs in the context of clinical data.
