OVID to AUIML
User-Oriented Interface Modelling

In the past uidesign.net has been somewhat critical of the OVID initiative from IBM (see book review). However, a new paper submitted to TUPIS from IBM Warwick has changed our opinion. IBM have continued to develop OVID as a potential addition to UML and to integrate it with an XML DTD and generator for auto-generation of UI code from a navigation model, created in Rational Rose. This represents a significant step forward in UI Design technology.

The OVID notation is not yet complete and it does not meet all the criteria presented in the laundry list of necessary attribiutes for a navigation modeling language, by David Anderson, here at uidesign.net.

You can read the latest OVID developments at the IBM Ease of Use site, and the OVID to UIML paper by Azevedo, Merrick and Roberts, at the TUPIS site.

TUPIS 2000 Position Paper
Extending UML for UI purposes

This paper seeks to set out my current position and opinion on how the Unified Modeling Language might be extended to accommodate the modeling of interaction design and user interface design for the purpose of facilitating a user centered design process.

I will be presenting proposals for two distinct levels of abstraction in the development of a user interface design. For the higher level, the Interaction Design, I will seek to layout a laundry list of attributes that would be required by a good modeling language for Interaction Design.

read more...

Form Flexible
The challenge of integrating multi-source content

The growth of business to business integration (B2Bi), syndicated and aggregated content, OEM branding of websites and application service providers (ASPs) is creating a whole new challenge for user interface designers. How do you design a usable interface for web content which is designed merely as a component of something else? [A follow up to WML or XML?]

read more ...

SAP Design Guild

"We created the SAP Design Guild as a stage for UI people: Here they can exchange information and opinions on visual and user interface design issues. In addition, SAP offers its design resources here, be it style guides, methods, or insights on how a user-centered development process should be carried out and institutionalized - or put a bit more "up-to-date", how the mind change within a company towards user-friendly software can be facilitated." said Christine Wiegand of SAP Design Guild Team.

read more...