Tool support for cooperative object-oriented design: gesture based modelling on an electronic whiteboard

ABSTRACT

Modeling is important in object-oriented software development. Although a number of Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tools are available, and even though some are technically advanced, few developers use them. This paper describes our attempt to examine the requirements needed to provide tool support for the development process, and describes and evaluates a tool, Knight, which has been developed based on these requirements. The tool is based on a direct, whiteboard-like interaction achieved using gesture input on a large electronic whiteboard. So far the evaluations have been successful and the tool shows the potential of greatly enhancing current support for object-oriented modeling.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  D. Software
  D.1 PROGRAMMING TECHNIQUES

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
      D.2.2 Design Tools and Techniques
          Subjects: Computer-aided software engineering (CASE)

  H. Information Systems
  H.1 MODELS AND PRINCIPLES
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)

  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.2 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
      I.2.0 General
          Subjects: Cognitive simulation
        I.2.10 Vision and Scene Understanding
            Subjects: Modeling and recovery of physical attributes

General Terms:
Design, Human Factors, Management, Performance, Theory

Keywords:
CASE tools, cooperative design, electronic whiteboards, gesture input, object-oriented modeling, user study