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Dept. for Math Methods of Economic Decision Analysis (MMEDA)

Few Intro Comments

The prototype application server RGDB was developed by the group of people in Russia who are scientifically related to the department of Mathematical Methods for Economic Decision Analysis (MMEDA). The RGDB server is based on application of the Interactive Decision Maps technique jointly with the REASONABLE GOALS METHOD(RGM). The RGM/IDM technique is a generic approach aimed at visualization of large tables (relational databases). It helps to select preferable items from the tables. Possible items are given by their attributes in the DB rows. Any attribute is associated to a column of the table (a field of the database). In the recent variant of application server we consider numerical attributes.

REASONABLE GOALS METHOD can help user to select one or several preferable rows from hundreds, thousands or even millions of rows in a simple graphic way. The RGM considers the rows as the criterion points, envelops the variety of these points and displays the frontiers of the envelope on-line. By this, reasonable criterion values for the whole variety of rows and proxy criterion tradeoffs are displayed in a colorful form. User has to identify a preferable criterion point (a preferable goal) on a picture by a click of computer mouse. After several minutes, user receives one or several rows that are in line with the identified goal.

It is clear that the RGM for DB differs drastically from standard tools for selecting rows from the databases (say, thresholds). Instead, it helps to identify a preferable goal that defines the result of selection.

Possible applications of RGM for DB include exploration and screening of databases containing

User of RGM for DB has a good chance to be the first in discovering and utilizing a profitable option, say, real estate or security. Though it is supposed herein that data are given in rows of a table, the RGM for DB can be adapted to any OLAP tool.

Though the RGM/IDM technique is based on sophisticated mathematical theory of approximating the convex bodies, its application is extremely simple. After short training one can use it without any difficulty.

The application procedure is as follows. You have first to input your problem. The number of attributes here is restricted to five (all of them are supposed to be selecting criteria). The rows must be typed in, and so in the prototype server the number of rows restricted by 500. Server envelops the criterion points and sends the Java applet that is designed to display the envelope to you. You'll have to identify a preferable combination of criterion values (reasonable goal) on a picture provided by the aplett. The applet will send the goal to the server, and the server will return the related database rows to you.

You can start the resource from the previous page, but we recommend to look through the RGM for DB before you start.


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