An Adaptable Interactive System for Medical and Research Data Management^[*)]

The design of interactive information systems that ease the implementation of new applications, and facilitate their use by persons (users and programmers) with varied levels of training remains a problem that has not been satisfactorily solved, although some progress is being made by many investigators. TIRRIS, an interactive data base management system in use at the Texas Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, includes features that permit it to adapt to a variety of applications, users, and terminals. Key features of the system, including capabilities, modes of operation, commands, and system tailoring options are described.

Die Planung interaktiver Informationssysteme zur Erleichterung der Durchführung neuer Anwendungsformen und ihrer Benutzung durch Personen (Benutzer und Programmierer) mit unterschiedlichem Ausbildungsniveau stellt ein bis heute noch nicht zufriedenstellend gelöstes Problem dar, wenn auch eine Anzahl von Forschern einige Fortschritte verzeichnen können. TIRRIS, ein interaktives Datenverwaltungssystem am Texas Institute for Rehabilitation and. Research, weist Charakteristika auf, die seine Anpassung an eine Vielfalt von Anwendungsformen, Benutzern und Datenendgeräten erlauben. Die Hauptcharakteristika des Systems einschließlich Leistungsfähigkeit, Funktionsformen, Befehle und spezielle Systemzusä,tze werden beschrieben.

Key-words

Information Systems - Conversational Data Entry

Schlüssel-Wörter

Informationssysteme - Interaktive Dateneingabe

^*) *) supported, in part, by grants HM—00509 and HS—00088 from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. It is a pleasure to acknowledge Drs. Carlos Vallbona and William A. Spencer for their support and encouragement, William F. Hobbs, whose technical advice contributed much to the structure of TIRRIS, and to thank the users of the system who, during its continuing evolution, show both patience and willingness ot try new, and hopefully, better techniques.

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