Abstract. In this paper we present a formal framework and tool supporting the user in the task of formulating a precise query – which best captures their information needs – even in the case of complete ignorance of the vocabulary of the underlying information system holding the data. Our intelligent interface is driven by means of appropriate automated reasoning techniques over an ontology describing the domain of the data in the information system. We will define what a query is and how it is internally represented, which operations are available to the user in order to modify the query and how contextual feedback is provided about it presenting only relevant pieces of information. We will then describe the elements that constitute the query interface available to the user, providing visual access to the underlying reasoning services and operations for query manipulation. Lastly, we will define a suitable representation in “linear form”, starting from which the query can be more easily expressed in natural language.
