Task-oriented parsing - a diagnostic method to be used adaptive systems

In order to be able to show context-dependent responses to the user's actual needs, adaptive systems have to be provided with models of possible task contexts. Existing methods for the representation of tasks in HCI are insufficient for this purpose as they do not support task-oriented parsing (i.e. analysing the input stream in terms of higher level task units). This paper presents a Prolog implementation of a task-oriented parser (+ generator) based on a grammar notation called LEXITAS. As an application, an online coach for a UNIX-like file management system is described. Further applications, such as automated macro detection from given interaction protocols, are discussed.