Ebook: Critical Issues in User Interface Systems Engineering

This book developed from an IFIP workshop which brought together methods and architecture researchers in Human Computer Interaction and Software Engineering. To an extent this introduction is a little unfair to the authors, as we have distilled the results of the workshop to give the reader a perspective of the problems within integrated approaches to usability engineering. The papers could not hope to address all ofthe issues; however, we hope that a framework will help the reader gainfurther insights into current research andfuture practice. The initial motivation was to bring together researchers and practitioners to exchange their experiences on Graphical User Interface (Gill) design problems. The two groups represented methodological and architecture/tools interests, so the workshop focused on intersection of how methods can support user interface development and vice versa, how tools, architectures and reusable components can empower the design process. There is, we believe, a constructive tension between these two communities. Methodologists tend to approach the design problem with task/domain/organisational analysis while the tool builders suggest design empowerment/envisioning as a means ofimproving the way users work rather than relying on analysis ofcurrent systems. This debate revolves around the questions of whether users' current work is optimal, or whether designers have the insight to empower users by creating effective solutions to their problems. Tool builders typically want to build something, then get the users to try it, while the methodologists want to specify something, validate it and then build it.

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This book discusses the issues arising from the emerging discipline of User Interface Systems Engineering (UISE). It contains contributions from software engineers involved in the development and implementation of systems, systems modellers charged with developing representations for systems, and tool builders developing enhanced software tools for systems developers. By providing different viewpoints this book bridges the gap between these groups of previously distant practitioners. The contributions in this book have been carefully updated and edited to provide a clear review of the current state of the art in this important area. Critical Issues in User Interface SystemsEngineering will be appropriate for a wide range of specialist courses on user interface development, particularly software engineering courses on user interface design and for courses on human-computer interaction which emphasise the need to implement rather than simply discuss interfaces.

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This book discusses the issues arising from the emerging discipline of User Interface Systems Engineering (UISE). It contains contributions from software engineers involved in the development and implementation of systems, systems modellers charged with developing representations for systems, and tool builders developing enhanced software tools for systems developers. By providing different viewpoints this book bridges the gap between these groups of previously distant practitioners. The contributions in this book have been carefully updated and edited to provide a clear review of the current state of the art in this important area. Critical Issues in User Interface SystemsEngineering will be appropriate for a wide range of specialist courses on user interface development, particularly software engineering courses on user interface design and for courses on human-computer interaction which emphasise the need to implement rather than simply discuss interfaces.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-XV
Front Matter....Pages 1-2
Domains Models for User Interface Design....Pages 3-19
Domain Specific Design of User Interfaces - Case Handling and Data Entry Problems....Pages 21-36
A Method for Task-related Information Analysis....Pages 37-61
Front Matter....Pages 63-64
Task Models - System Models: a Formal Bridge over the Gap....Pages 65-79
ETAG-based Design: User Interface Design as User Mental Model Design....Pages 81-92
A Methodology for a Task-driven Modelling of Interactive Systems Architectures....Pages 93-108
Key Activities for a Development Methodology of Interactive Applications....Pages 109-134
Front Matter....Pages 135-135
Design of Workplace-Integrating User Interfaces based on Work Scenario Graphs....Pages 137-149
Methods & Tools for Supporting the User Interface Design Process....Pages 151-167
User Centred Complex System Design: Combining Strategy, Methods and Front End Technology....Pages 169-187
Front Matter....Pages 189-189
Agent-Based Architecture Modelling for Interactive Systems....Pages 191-209
Towards A Flexible Software Architecture of Interactive Systems....Pages 211-223
Front Matter....Pages 225-225
Literate Development: Weaving Human Context into Design Specifications....Pages 227-248
Metaphors in User Interface Development: Methods and Requirements for Effective Support....Pages 249-263
Back Matter....Pages 265-294

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This book discusses the issues arising from the emerging discipline of User Interface Systems Engineering (UISE). It contains contributions from software engineers involved in the development and implementation of systems, systems modellers charged with developing representations for systems, and tool builders developing enhanced software tools for systems developers. By providing different viewpoints this book bridges the gap between these groups of previously distant practitioners. The contributions in this book have been carefully updated and edited to provide a clear review of the current state of the art in this important area. Critical Issues in User Interface SystemsEngineering will be appropriate for a wide range of specialist courses on user interface development, particularly software engineering courses on user interface design and for courses on human-computer interaction which emphasise the need to implement rather than simply discuss interfaces.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-XV
Front Matter....Pages 1-2
Domains Models for User Interface Design....Pages 3-19
Domain Specific Design of User Interfaces - Case Handling and Data Entry Problems....Pages 21-36
A Method for Task-related Information Analysis....Pages 37-61
Front Matter....Pages 63-64
Task Models - System Models: a Formal Bridge over the Gap....Pages 65-79
ETAG-based Design: User Interface Design as User Mental Model Design....Pages 81-92
A Methodology for a Task-driven Modelling of Interactive Systems Architectures....Pages 93-108
Key Activities for a Development Methodology of Interactive Applications....Pages 109-134
Front Matter....Pages 135-135
Design of Workplace-Integrating User Interfaces based on Work Scenario Graphs....Pages 137-149
Methods & Tools for Supporting the User Interface Design Process....Pages 151-167
User Centred Complex System Design: Combining Strategy, Methods and Front End Technology....Pages 169-187
Front Matter....Pages 189-189
Agent-Based Architecture Modelling for Interactive Systems....Pages 191-209
Towards A Flexible Software Architecture of Interactive Systems....Pages 211-223
Front Matter....Pages 225-225
Literate Development: Weaving Human Context into Design Specifications....Pages 227-248
Metaphors in User Interface Development: Methods and Requirements for Effective Support....Pages 249-263
Back Matter....Pages 265-294
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