A software engineering perspective to the design of a user interface framework

To guide user interface construction, concepts are needed that provide a conceptual basis for modeling, abstract notation, and implementation of tools and concrete interfaces. The authors discuss how general software engineering principles apply in this context. Following these principles, they have developed an object-oriented user interface framework, called DIWA, which consists of a design model enhanced by a declarative language for the specification of dynamic dialog behavior. The main components of the DIWA framework are addressed, and an extended discussion of the underlying design rationales is presented. The design rationale behind the DIWA system is discussed in depth. A description of the current implementation status and some ideas for future work are included.<>