DOMAIN-SPECIFIC DESIGN OF USER INTERFACES

The use of graphical user interfaces in a computerized work environmen t is often considered to substantially improve the work situation. The outcome can, however, often be the opposite. Inappropriate use of win dowing techniques, scrolling, and colors can result in tedious and con fusing interaction with the computer. Today's standards and style guid es define basic design principles but are insufficient for design of i nterfaces to end-user applications. Here detailed domain knowledge is indeed essential. A domain-specific style guide (DSSG) is an extension of today's standard with domain-specific primitives, interface elemen ts, and forms, together with domain-specific guidelines. Careful dedic ated analysis of information utilization in a domain is the developmen t basis for a DSSG. The development is performed with an object-orient ed approach to facilitate the reuse of interface components and to sup port consistency and structure. Using a DSSG, the development of appli cations can be performed with a simplified information analysis. There fore a more effective design process is possible, one in which end use rs can participate in the design using their own familiar domain-relat ed terminology. Time and costs for the development process can be dras tically reduced if domain-specific style guides, design guidelines, an d development tools are used.