Specification of interface interaction objects

Abstract

User Interface Management Systems have significantly reduced the effort required to build a user interface. However, current systems assume a set of standard 'widgets' and make no provisions for defining new ones. This forces user interface designers to either do without of laboriously build new widgets with code. The Interface Object Graph is presented as a method for specifying and communicating the design of interaction objects or widgets. Two sample specifications are presented, one for a secure switch and the other for a two dimensional graphical browser.