Abstract

Data exploration is a visually-driven process that is often used as a first step to decide which aspects of a dataset are worth further investigation and analysis. It serves as an important tool to gain a first understanding of a dataset and to generate hypotheses. While there are many tools for exploring static datasets, dynamic datasets that change over time still lack effective exploration support. To address this shortcoming, we present our innovative tool Database Change Explorer (DBChEx) that enables exploration of data and schema change through a set of exploration primitives. Users gain valuable insights into data generation processes and data or schema evolution over time by a mix of serendipity and guided investigation. The tool is a server-client application with a web front-end and an underlying database that stores the history of changes in the data and schema in a data model called the change-cube. Our demonstration of DBChEx shows how users can interactively explore data and schema change in two real-world datasets, IMDB and Wikipedia infoboxes.