Intelligent Multi-Media Interface Technology

Current user interfaces cast users into one of two roles: telling a system everything it must do, or answering questions that it poses to them. In neither case is it possible for a dialogue to emerge between user and system. We describe a strategy to bring dialogue-like structure to user-system interaction. This strategy is based on explicitly representing the "plans" of programs, and introducing those plans explicitly into the interface. Both programs and users can conveniently communicate how their actions relate to these plans. A data graphics presentation editor is described as an illustrative example.