UsiXML

Evaluating the Cognitive Dimensions of FlowiXML

by Juan Manuel Gonzalez Calleros

Co-authored with: Josefina Guerrero García, Jean, Vanderdonckt, Jaime Muñoz
Mathematical Models and ITC: Theory and Applications, Olmos and Ortíz
(Eds), volume1, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla Dirección de
Fomento Editorial, pp: 83-94, ISBN: 978-607-487-353-5.

Supporting business processes through the help of workflow systems is a necessary prerequisite for many companies to... more Supporting business processes through the help of workflow systems is a necessary prerequisite for many companies to stay competitive. An important task is the specification of workflow, i.e. the parts of a business process that can be supported by a computer-based system. We investigated how to close the gap between the organization requirements and the development of information systems to support them. We introduced FlowiXML a methodology for developing user interfaces for a workflow information system in a systematic way. The methodology provides designers with methodological guidance on how to derive user interfaces of workflow information. We have already experienced the benefits of FlowiXML in several real life case studies conducted at the University. In this paper we report on our evaluation of FlowiXML against the cognitive dimension framework.

Model-Driven Engineering of Workflow User Interfaces

by Juan Manuel Gonzalez Calleros

A model-driven engineering method is presented that provides designers
with methodological guidance on how to... more A model-driven engineering method is presented that provides designers
with methodological guidance on how to systematically derive user interfaces of
workflow information systems from a series of models. For this purpose, a workflow
is recursively decomposed into processes that are in turn decomposed into tasks.
Each task gives rise to a task model whose structure, ordering, and connection with
the domain model allows a semi-automated generation of corresponding user inter-
faces by model-to-model transformation. Reshuffling tasks within a same process
or reordering processes within a same workflow is straightforwardly propagated as
a natural consequence of the mapping model used in the model-driven engineering.
The various models involved in the method can be edited in a graphical editor based
on Petri nets and simulated interactively. This editor also contains a set of work-
flow user interface patterns that are ready to use. The output file generated by the
editor can then be exploited by a workflow execution engine to produce a running
workflow system.

A Method for Generating Multiplatform User Interfaces for E-Learning Environments

by Juan Manuel Gonzalez Calleros

In this paper the authors present a structured method for automatically generating User Interfaces for e-learning... more In this paper the authors present a structured method for automatically generating User Interfaces for e-learning environments. The method starts with a definition of the learning scenario where the different goals, jobs (professor-student/trainer-learner), and tasks are described and stored in a template. After, the description is mapped to FlowiXML, a learning process authoring tool, where graphically trainers or content designers draw the overall process. A learning process is viewed as a workflow and modeled using Petri net notation. From each step in the process model more details are added using user task models; user’s activity interacting with a user interface is stored in such diagrams. Then, a transformational method for developing user interfaces of interactive information systems is used that starts from a task model and a domain model to progressively derive a final user interface. This method consists of three steps: deriving one or many abstract user interfaces from the task model, deriving one or many concrete user interfaces from each abstract interface, and producing the code of the final user interfaces corresponding to each concrete interface. The models and the transformations of these models are all expressed in UsiXML (User Interface eXtensible Markup Language) and maintained in a model repository that can be accessed by the suite of tools. Developing user interfaces in this way facilitates its automated generation over multiple computing platforms while maintaining portability and consistency between the multiple versions. Our approach is illustrated on an open Learning environment using a case study.

ECOOL: Generation of Collaborative Multiplatform Scenarios with Interactive Learning Objects

by Juan Manuel Gonzalez Calleros

In this paper we present a method for automatically generating a series of Collaborative Multiplatform Scenarios based... more In this paper we present a method for automatically generating a series of Collaborative Multiplatform Scenarios based on Interactive Learning Objects. The overall learning process of a learner interacting with an eLearning system is interpreted as a workflow that provides tools to guide individual and group learn-ing processes. There is a plethora of learning environments but the collaboration management and definition is only included intrinsically, while in this approach is explicitly included as a first class citizen and spread over the whole process. On top of classical standards used for specifying learning objects, a meta-description of scenarios is defined based on an extension brought to UsiXML, a XML-compliant User Interface Description Language. Describing a user interface in this way facilitates the automated generation of user interfaces over multiple compu-ting platforms while maintaining portability and consistency between the multiple versions. Finally, the extension brought to UsiXML is intended to support the in-teraction description via Learning Objects. This approach is illustrated based on Claroline, an open Source eLearning and eWorking software platform allowing teachers to build effective online courses and to manage learning and collaborative activities on the web for the learners.

How to Describe Workflow Information Systems to Support Business Process

by Josefina Guerrero Garcia

Co-Authored with: Jean Vanderdonckt, Christophe Lemaige, Juan M. González Calleros

This paper addresses a methodology for developing the various user interfaces (UI) of a workflow information system... more This paper addresses a methodology for developing the various user interfaces (UI) of a workflow information system (WIS), which are advocated to automate business processes, following a model-centric approach based on the requirements and processes of the organization. The methodology applies to: 1) integrate human and machines based activities, in particular those involving interaction with IT applications and tools, 2) to identify how tasks are structured, who perform them, what their relative order is, how they are offered or assigned, and how tasks are being tracked.
For this purpose, workflow is recursively decomposed into processes which are in turn decomposed into tasks. Each task gives rise to a task model whose structure,
ordering, and connection with the domain model allows the automated generation of corresponding UIs
in a transformational approach.

Evaluating the cognitive dimmension of FlowiXML

by Josefina Guerrero Garcia

Co-autothed with: Juan Gonzalez-Calleros, Vanderdonckt, J., Muñoz-Arteaga, J.

supporting business processes through the help of workflow systems is a necessary prerequisite for many companies to... more supporting business processes through the help of workflow systems is a necessary prerequisite for many companies to stay competitive. An important task is the specification of workflow, i.e. the parts of a business process that can be supported by a computer-based system. We investigated how to close the gap between the organization requirements and the development of information systems to support them. We introduced FlowiXML a methodology for developing user interfaces for a workflow information system in a systematic way. The methodology provides designers with methodological guidance on how to derive user interfaces of workflow information. We have already experienced the benefits of FlowiXML in several real life case studies conducted at the University. In this paper we report on our evaluation of FlowiXML against the cognitive dimension framework.

A Methodology for Developing User Interfaces to Workflow Information Systems

by Josefina Guerrero Garcia

PhD Thesis Josefina Guerrero García

Supporting business processes through the help of workflow systems is a necessary prerequisite for many companies to... more Supporting business processes through the help of workflow systems is a necessary prerequisite for many companies to stay competitive. An important task is the specification of workflow, i.e. the parts of a business process that can be supported by a computer-based system.
This thesis introduces a methodology for developing user interfaces for a workflow information system in a systematic way. The methodology involves a set of models that capture the various aspects required for this purpose, a user interface description language to specify the corresponding user interface, a method to structure the usage of these models, and software support. The methodology is delineated by a set of requirements that are elicited and motivated by the state of the art and relying on a framework to model workflow. The validation of the proposed methodology is achieved by applying it over different real-world case studies belonging to different domains of human activity. The methodology provides designers with methodological guidance on how to derive user interfaces of workflow information systems from a series of models, which is unprecedented.
For this purpose, a workflow is recursively decomposed into processes that are in turn decomposed into tasks. Each task gives rise to a task model whose structure, ordering, and connection with the domain model allows a semi-automated generation of corresponding user interfaces by model-to-model transformation. Reshuffling tasks within a same process or reordering processes within a same workflow is straightforwardly propagated as a natural consequence of the  mapping model used in the model-driven engineering. The various models involved in the method can be edited in a graphical editor based on Petri Nets and simulated interactively. This editor also contains a set of workflow user interface patterns that are ready to use.

Developing User Interfaces for Community-Oriented Workflow Information Systems

by Juan Manuel Gonzalez Calleros

Technology to support groups is rapidly growing in use. In recent years, the Web has become a privileged platform for... more Technology to support groups is rapidly growing in use. In recent years, the Web has become a privileged platform for implementing community-oriented workflows, giving rise to a new generation of workflow information systems. Specifically, the Web provides ubiquitous access to information, supports explicit distribution of business process across workers, workplaces, and computing platforms. These processes could be all supported by platform-independent user interfaces. This chapter presents a model-driven engineering method that provides designers with methodological guidance on how to systematically derive user interfaces of workflow information systems from a series of models. For this purpose, the workflow is recursively decomposed into processes which are in turn decomposed into tasks. Each task gives rise to a task model whose structure, ordering, and connection with the domain model allows the automated generation of corresponding user interfaces in a transformational approach. The various models involved in the method can be edited in a workflow editor based on Petri nets and simulated interactively.

Towards Model-Based development of 3D User Interfaces for Games

by Juan Manuel Gonzalez Calleros

Video games industry is the leader of the virtual reality (VR) market. Along as any VR reality application they used... more Video games industry is the leader of the virtual reality (VR) market. Along as any VR reality application they used 3D User Interfaces (3DUIs) for the interaction with the user. Even that several games nowadays have very impressive realism and innovative representations, this is not the case of 3DUIs. In this position paper we state that 3DUIs for any 3D application, including video games, should be revised in order to reduce the gap between the innovative representation of VR application and their 3DUIs.

Task-Driven Plasticity: One Step Forward with UbiDraw

by Juan Manuel Gonzalez Calleros

Task-driven plasticity refers to as the capability of a user interface to exhibit plasticity driven by the user’s... more Task-driven plasticity refers to as the capability of a user interface to exhibit plasticity driven by the user’s task, i.e. the capability of a user interface to adapt itself to various contexts of use while preserving some predefined usability properties by performing adaptivity based on some task parameters such as complexity, frequency, and criticality. The predefined usability property con-sidered in task-driven plasticity consists of maximizing the observability of user commands in a system-initiated way driven by the ranking of different tasks and sub-tasks. In order to illustrate this concept, we developed UbiDraw, a vectorial hand drawing application that adapts its user interface by displaying, un-displaying, resizing, and relocating tool bars and icons according to the current user’s task, the task frequency, or the user’s preference for some task. This ap-plication is built on top of a context watcher and a set of ubiquitous widgets. The context watchers probes the context of use by monitoring how the user is carrying out her current tasks (e.g., task preference, task frequency) whose defi-nitions are given in a run-time task model. The context watcher sends this in-formation to the ubiquitous widgets so as to support task-driven plasticity

Open Issues for the development of 3D Multimodal User Interfaces from an MDE perspectiv

by Juan Manuel Gonzalez Calleros

Given its current state of the art, Model-Based UI Development
(MBDUI) is able to fulfill the major requirements... more Given its current state of the art, Model-Based UI Development
(MBDUI) is able to fulfill the major requirements of desktop and
mobile applications, such as form-based user interfaces that adapt
to the actual context of use. More recent research deals with the
development of 3D interactive multimodal environments. Though
user-centered design is more and more driving the design of these
environments, less attention is devoted to the development proc-
esses than to interactive tools supporting isolated phases in the
realization process. In this paper we describe our findings when
considering model-based development of 3D multimodal applica-
tions in the context of model-driven engineering. We concentrate
on the requirements of such a process, the models being used and
the transformations that are able to guide or even automate part of
the development process for the envisioned applications. We con-
clude with some open issues that have been discovered.

A method for developing 3D user interfaces of information systems

by Juan Manuel Gonzalez Calleros

Co-authored with: Jean Vanderdonckt, Jaime Muñoz

A transformational method for developing tri-dimensional user interfaces of
interactive information systems is... more A transformational method for developing tri-dimensional user interfaces of
interactive information systems is presented that starts from a task model and a
domain model to progressively derive a final user interface. This method con-
sists of three steps: deriving one or many abstract user interfaces from a task
model and a domain model, deriving one or many concrete user interfaces
from each abstract interface, and producing the code of the final user interfaces
corresponding to each concrete interface. To ensure the two first steps, trans-
formations are encoded as graph transformations performed on the involved
models expressed in their graph equivalent. In addition, a graph grammar
gathers relevant graph transformations for accomplishing the sub-steps in-
volved in each step. Once a concrete user interface is resulting from these two
first steps, it is converted in a development environment for 3D user interfaces
where it can be edited for fine tuning and personalization. From this environ-
ment, the user interface code is automatically generated. The method is de-
fined by its steps, input/output, and exemplified on a case study. By expressing
the steps of the method through transformations between models, the method
adheres to Model-Driven Engineering paradigm where models and transforma-
tions are explicitly defined and used.

FlowiXML: a step towards designing workflow management systems

by Juan Manuel Gonzalez Calleros

Co-authored with: Josefina Guerrero Garcia, Jean Vanderdonckt

Towards Model-Based AHMI Development

by Juan Manuel Gonzalez Calleros

Aircraft cockpit system design is an activity with several challenges, particularly when new technologies break with... more Aircraft cockpit system design is an activity with several challenges, particularly when new technologies break with previous user experience. This is the case with the design of the advanced human machine interface (AHMI), used for controlling the Advanced Flight Management System (AFMS), which has been developed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Studying this new User Interface (UI) requires a structured approach to evaluate and validate AHMI designs. In this paper, we introduce a model-based development process for AHMI development, based on our research in the EUs 7th framework project “Human”.

A Comparative Analysis of Graph Transforma-tion Engines for User Interface Development

by Juan Manuel Gonzalez Calleros

In software engineering, transformational development aims at developing software systems by transforming a... more In software engineering, transformational development aims at developing software systems by transforming a coarse-grained specification to final code through a sequence of small transformation steps. This transformational development method has followed a long tradition of establishing models and maintaining mappings between them so as to create and maintain accurate specifications of a user interface. User Interface mappings are also relevant to web engineering. We have been working not just User Interface mappings for webbased systems but as well for Information Systems in general. However, we have been confronted to the mapping problem as the use of an appropriate transformation tool it still an issue in our research group. Although several transformation engines support mappings a transformation engine capable of supporting a transformational approach for ensuring model-driven engineering of user interfaces is still an open issue. This paper provides a comparative analysis of transformation engines ranging from publicly or commercially available engines to be adapted to the mapping problem to hand-coded transformation engines that we developed for the sole purpose of supporting the mapping problem. The results of the comparison let authors to identify the type of transformation engine that fits better to their skills, needs and preferences.

Towards a Multi-User Interaction Meta-Model

by Juan Manuel Gonzalez Calleros

Towards canonical task types for user interface design

by Juan Manuel Gonzalez Calleros

Task models are the cornerstone of user-centred design methodologies for user interface design. Therefore, they... more Task models are the cornerstone of user-centred design methodologies for user interface design. Therefore, they deserve attention in order to produce them effectively and efficiently, while guaranteeing the reproducibility of a task model: different persons should in principle obtain the same task model, or a similar one, for the same problem. In order to provide user interface designers with some guidance for task modelling, a list of canonical task types is proposed that offers a unified definition of frequently used tasks types in a consistent way. Each task type consists of a task action coupled with a task object, each of them being written according to design guidelines. This list provides the following benefits: tasks are modelled in a more consistent way, their definition is more communicable and shared, task models can be efficiently used for model-driven engineering of user interfaces.

Towards a Library of Workflow User Interface Patterns

by Juan Manuel Gonzalez Calleros

A structured approach to support 3D User Interface Development

by Juan Manuel Gonzalez Calleros

A haptic rendering engine of web pages for blind users

by Juan Manuel Gonzalez Calleros