SUIDT: A task model based GUI-Builder

User interface design tools use different approaches. Interface builders are easy to use. They elect “presentation” aspects but are not interested in user task analysis. Model Based Systems describe models for building applications but they are often difficult to use. The approach presented in this contribution is the collaboration of these two points of view for interface construction. It co-ordinates the “easy-to-do” interface builders for interface graphics and “hard to use” model based systems for task-based interface design. We present a development tool for end-users called SUIDT (Safe User Interface Design Tool). It uses visual programming techniques (as interface builders use) to build every application model and allows building the final application with respect to all models (as model-based systems). In addition, it enforces the respect of rules, and allows switching from design to test and vice versa, all along the development process.

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