Agents and GUIs from task models

ABSTRACT

This work unifies two important threads of research in intelligent user interfaces which share the common element of explicit task modeling. On the one hand, longstanding research on task-centered GUI design (sometimes called model-based design) has explored the benefits of explicitly modeling the task to be performed by an interface and using this task model as an integral part of the interface design process. More recently, research on collaborative interface agents has shown how an explicit task model can be used to control the behavior of a software agent that helps a user perform tasks using a GUI. This paper describes a collection of tools we have implemented which generate both a GUI and a collaborative interface agent from the same task model. Our task-centered GUI design tool incorporates a number of novel features which help the designer to integrate the task model into the design process without being unduly distracted. Our implementation of collaborative interface agents is built on top of the COLLAGEN middleware for collaborative interface agents.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.3 Group and Organization Interfaces
          Subjects: Collaborative computing

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
      D.2.2 Design Tools and Techniques
          Subjects: User interfaces

  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.2 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
        I.2.11 Distributed Artificial Intelligence
            Subjects: Intelligent agents

General Terms:
Design, Human Factors, Performance, Theory

Keywords:
collaboration, model-based interface design, software agents, task models