Inventions on User Configurable GUI A TRIZ Based Analysis

The graphic user interface is a revolutionary development over the prior art technique of the command line interface. Using GUI the user can do even complex operations through simple means like clicking buttons or dragging various graphic elements. Ideally the GUI should contain all those buttons (or menu items or other GUI elements) and only those buttons (or menu items or other GUI elements) that the user needs. Besides the GUI elements should not obscure the display of data, should take no time for searching and should create no confusion in any level of user. Generally the GUI elements are all pre-coded and built into the system by the developer. Even the experienced developer cannot realistically anticipate what options will be required by the users at a future point of time. As it is ultimately the user who knows his requirement, it is better that the user himself configures the GUI according to his requirement. The article discusses the problems involved in implementing user-configurability and illustrates twelve inventions from US Patent database on the same issue. Each invention is analyzed from a TRIZ perspective to illustrate the contradictions, Ideal Final Result and Inventive Principles.