Decision support for conceptual database design based on the evidence theory

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This work presents a database design information system that integrates two key aspects of communication. It features an intelligent dialogue interface for conceptual database design, enhancing the interaction and consistency of design information. Additionally, the system acts as a mediator in human-human communication regarding design. Conceptual database design is complex, and the formalized meta-model serves as the communication context for this application, which is the primary focus of the work. Existing database design tools often fall short, particularly in their inability to collaborate actively with designers over time. This work addresses that issue by tightly coupling the design process with an explicit designer model, emphasizing the importance of understanding the designer's plans and beliefs for a self-adaptable dialogue system. The author proposes a design methodology tailored to the designer, utilizing an explicit representation of their knowledge. An inductive mechanism based on Dempster-Shafer theory calculates the designer's beliefs, providing insights into the next design steps. The necessity for a computer-aided design methodology with graphical notation is underscored, as graphical notations are standard for complex conceptual database specifications. This calls for a well-founded semantic to ensure effective communication and methodological consistency. The new design-by-units methodology is based on a