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A specification language for direct-manipulation user interfaces

Editor: R. Daniel Bergeron Author:

Robert J. K. JacobAuthors Info & Claims

ACM Transactions on Graphics (TOG), Volume 5, Issue 4

Pages 283 - 317

https://doi.org/10.1145/27623.27624

Published: 01 October 1986 Publication History

Abstract

A direct-manipulation user interface presents a set of visual representations on a display and a repertoire of manipulations that can be performed on any of them. Such representations might include screen buttons, scroll bars, spreadsheet cells, or flowchart boxes. Interaction techniques of this kind were first seen in interactive graphics systems; they are now proving effective in user interfaces for applications that are not inherently graphical. Although they are often easy to learn and use, these interfaces are also typically difficult to specify and program clearly.

Examination of direct-manipulation interfaces reveals that they have a coroutine-like structure and, despite their surface appearance, a peculiar, highly moded dialogue. This paper introduces a specification technique for direct-manipulation interfaces based on these observations. In it, each locus of dialogue is described as a separate object with a single-thread state diagram, which can be suspended and resumed, but retains state. The objects are then combined to define the overall user interface as a set of coroutines, rather than inappropriately as a single highly regular state transition diagram. An inheritance mechanism for the interaction objects is provided to avoid repetitiveness in the specifications. A prototype implementation of a user-interface management system based on this approach is described, and example specifications are given.

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Cited By

Bergström JHornbæk K(2025)DIRA: A model of the user interfaceInternational Journal of Human-Computer Studies10.1016/j.ijhcs.2024.103381193(103381)Online publication date: Jan-2025
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2024.103381
Cao RLiu X(2020)IFML-Based Web Application ModelingProcedia Computer Science10.1016/j.procs.2020.02.034166(129-133)Online publication date: 2020
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2020.02.034
Wang TTowey DJong M(2016)Exploring young students' learning experiences with the iPadUniversal Access in the Information Society10.1007/s10209-014-0395-715:3(359-367)Online publication date: 1-Aug-2016
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/s10209-014-0395-7
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Index Terms

A specification language for direct-manipulation user interfaces

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Reviews

Reviewer: Warren S. Hoffman

Many of us use and benefit daily from computers equipped with direct-manipulation interfaces (such as an Apple Macintosh or an MS-DOS machine equipped with Microsoft Windows). I, for one, have never stopped to think how I would specify the flow of logic of an application being developed for such an environment. The problem, of course, is that with a mouse or the equivalent and a number of windows and pull-down menus, the user can cause a wide variety of actions to take place, far more than the relatively few that exist in a traditional command-oriented application. This research is important and should be of interest to those who select a documentation method for what users refer to as window applications. A system for specifying the user interface is presented. It focuses upon the flow of logic. The language defined is based upon characteristics of direct-manipulation interfaces: :9BThey are usually made up of a number of simple dialogues. The dialogues are related to each other as a set of coroutines. The layout details can be dealt with separately. They seem to have nodes and states (despite appearances). The specification language has been implemented and tested, with some success, for some relatively simple applications. The development of these concepts to the point of generating an applications development environment, perhaps even a standard environment, would be useful.

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Information & Contributors

Information

Published In

cover image ACM Transactions on Graphics

ACM Transactions on Graphics Volume 5, Issue 4

Special issue on user interface software

Oct. 1986

92 pages

ISSN:0730-0301

EISSN:1557-7368

DOI:10.1145/27623

Editor:
R. Daniel Bergeron

Issue’s Table of Contents

Copyright © 1986 ACM.

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Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 01 October 1986

Published in TOG Volume 5, Issue 4

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Cited By

Bergström JHornbæk K(2025)DIRA: A model of the user interfaceInternational Journal of Human-Computer Studies10.1016/j.ijhcs.2024.103381193(103381)Online publication date: Jan-2025
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2024.103381
Cao RLiu X(2020)IFML-Based Web Application ModelingProcedia Computer Science10.1016/j.procs.2020.02.034166(129-133)Online publication date: 2020
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2020.02.034
Wang TTowey DJong M(2016)Exploring young students' learning experiences with the iPadUniversal Access in the Information Society10.1007/s10209-014-0395-715:3(359-367)Online publication date: 1-Aug-2016
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/s10209-014-0395-7
Treacy Solovey EAfergan DPeck EHincks SJacob R(2015)Designing Implicit Interfaces for Physiological ComputingACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction10.1145/268792621:6(1-27)Online publication date: 14-Jan-2015
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2687926
Gupta TVerma HVerma GSahoo L(2015)A Portable & Cost Effective Human Computer Interface Device for Disabled2015 Fifth International Conference on Communication Systems and Network Technologies10.1109/CSNT.2015.130(1268-1273)Online publication date: Apr-2015
https://doi.org/10.1109/CSNT.2015.130
Akiki PBandara AYu Y(2014)Adaptive Model-Driven User Interface Development SystemsACM Computing Surveys10.1145/259799947:1(1-33)Online publication date: 1-May-2014
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2597999
Dumas BSigner BLalanne D(2014)A graphical editor for the SMUIML multimodal user interaction description languageScience of Computer Programming10.1016/j.scico.2013.04.00386(30-42)Online publication date: Jun-2014
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scico.2013.04.003
Barboni EMartinie CNavarre DPalanque PWinckler M(2014)Bridging the gap between a behavioural formal description technique and a user interface description language: Enhancing ICO with a graphical user interface markup languageScience of Computer Programming10.1016/j.scico.2013.04.00186(3-29)Online publication date: Jun-2014
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scico.2013.04.001
Brambilla MMauri AUmuhoza E(2014)Extending the Interaction Flow Modeling Language (IFML) for Model Driven Development of Mobile Applications Front EndMobile Web Information Systems10.1007/978-3-319-10359-4_15(176-191)Online publication date: 2014
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10359-4_15
Hudson SMankoff J(2014)Concepts, Values, and Methods for Technical Human–Computer Interaction ResearchWays of Knowing in HCI10.1007/978-1-4939-0378-8_4(69-93)Online publication date: 20-Mar-2014
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