Exploring Exploratory Querying

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Abstract

We need to rethink how users understand and develop queries. The growing diversity of users, the increasing complexity of query languages and data architectures - now aided by tools like LLMs - are challenging the traditional view of a highly-trained user writing queries in a controlled environment. Query formulation has become a more exploratory endeavor that needs to be researched and supported: an iterative cycle of designing, debugging, and maintaining queries. To ground this vision, we present an empirical analysis of query logs from the Wikidata Query Service, revealing common patterns of iterative query modification. Based on these findings, we propose a concrete research program with hypotheses, user studies, and research questions for query languages, engines, and interfaces. Our contributions include a curated query session dataset, a classification of exploratory-query patterns, and a roadmap for building system-level support for exploratory querying.