A data mapping specification environment using a concrete business form-based metaphor

Many systems require data transformation - the conversion of complex data from one format to another. Most current approaches require programming, scripting or use abstract visual specifications and are targeted to programmers, not business analysts or other end users. We describe a data transformation specification tool that uses a concrete visual metaphor based on the concept of copying data from one business form to another. We describe the visualisation of complex business data in a form that matches the cognitive needs of non-programmer business analysts and the specification of data transformations using our form copying metaphor. A prototype environment is described along with a cognitive dimensions evaluation of our end user visual language.