Beyond interface builders: model-based interface tools

Abstract

Interface builders only support the construction of the menus and dialogue boxes of an application. They do not support the construction of interfaces of many application classes (visualization, simulation, command and control, domain-specific editors) because of the dynamic and complex information that these applications process. HUMANOID is a model-based interface design and construction tool where interfaces are specifkd by building a declarative description (model) of their presentation and behavior. HUMANOID’S modeling language provides simple abstraction, iteration and conditional constructs to model the interface features of these application classes. HUMANOID provides an easy-touse designer’s interface that lets designers build complex interfaces without programming.