Multiple user interfaces: Towards a task-driven and patterns-oriented design model

Abstract

The convergence of the Internet, mobile telephony, and handheld technologies has led to the emergence of new kinds of internet-based interactive systems. Such systems can allow a single or a group of users to interact with the server-side services using different kinds of devices. In this technological context, a Multiple User Interface (MUI) refers to an interactive system that provides both multiple views of the information and coordinates the services provided to a user. The desired views are made available on different platforms, operating systems, user interface toolkits and on a large array of devices. Each view should take into account the specific capabilities and constraints of the platform. This paper begins by describing a set of constraints and characteristics intrinsic to multiple user interfaces, and then by examining the impacts of these constraints on the specification, design and validation processes. Then, it describes the research opportunities in important topics relevant to MUI development and usability including cross-platform usability, adaptation, task model-based and pattern-oriented design.