ForestQB: Enhancing Linked Data Exploration through Graphical and Conversational UIs Integration

This article introduces the Forest Query Builder (ForestQB), an innovative toolkit designed to enhance the exploration and application of observational Linked Data (LD) within the field of wildlife research and conservation. Addressing the challenges faced by non-experts in navigating Resource Description Framework (RDF) triplestores and executing SPARQL queries, ForestQB employs a novel integrated approach. This approach combines a graphical user interface (GUI) with a conversational user interface (CUI), thereby greatly simplifying the process of query formulation and making observational LD accessible to users without expertise in RDF or SPARQL. Developed through insights derived from a comprehensive ethnographic study involving wildlife researchers, ForestQB is specifically designed to improve the accessibility of SPARQL endpoints and facilitate the exploration of observational LD in wildlife research contexts. To evaluate the effectiveness of our approach, we conducted a user experiment. The results of this evaluation affirm that ForestQB is not only efficient and user-friendly but also plays a crucial role in eliminating barriers for users, facilitating the effective use of observational LD in wildlife conservation and extending its benefits to wider domains. (GitHub Link: github.com/i3omar/ForestQB).