The management of ambiguities

This chapter introduces and discusses the classification of methods to resolve ambiguities that arise during the communication process using Visual Languages. Ambiguities arise when the user gives his/her own semantics to the information. Sometimes his/her actions do not represent his/her intentions producing an ambiguous or incorrect interpretation by the system. This chapter deals with ambiguities related to the system's interpretation function and methods to resolve them, which can be grouped in three main classes: prevention of ambiguities, a-posteriori resolution and approximation resolution methods. This chapter distinguishes among different prevention methods: the procedural method, the reduction and the improvement of the expressive power of the Visual Languages. The most used method for the a-posteriori resolution of ambiguities is mediation, that consists of repetition and choice. Finally, approximation resolution methods are presented to resolve ambiguities caused by imprecision of the user's interaction.