Abstract
Business analysis and the associated decision making was once a domain full of built-in advantages and ad hoc methods. With the advent of computers and information networks, the playing field has been leveled somewhat by immediate and ubiquitous access to information. Automated methods for simplistic, mundane tasks are a good start to putting information technology to work for business professionals. Truly far-reaching advances for complex tasks and gargantuan information spaces can be found in human-computer interface software and issues. Prototype systems and novel interaction paradigms have been applied to database query systems and information visualization. The results range from outstanding improvement to revolutionary and qualitative changes to what is now possible.