Interface Lab: a case-based interface design assistant

Studies have shown that software developers tend to use existing human-computer interfaces as examples while designing new interfaces. However, if the examples are poorly designed, or the tasks in the example are inconsistent with the tasks of the new interface, then using examples can be detrimental to the design of the interface. To alleviate the problem of using examples inappropriately, and to support good interface design practices, we are developing the concept of a case-based interface design assistant, called Interface Lab. Interface Lab is a design environment which uses user-centered design, an interface design methodology, as the context for retrieval of cases of interface examples.<>