Describes several problems encountered when using the Boolean model of information retrieval, and for each problem offers a nontraditional design principle that overcomes the difficulty. The problems discussed are the unfriendliness of Boolean formulas, null output and output overload, undifferentiated facets, interpreting weights, and term…

Describes the concept of an integrated environment which allows managers to evaluate and measure the performance of computer based information systems. Both system efficiency evaluation and user interaction evaluation are addressed, and MADAM, a system currently operational at the University of Southwestern Louisiana, is briefly described.…