Bringing formalism and unification to human-computer interaction design patterns

Abstract

In this paper we describe a concept to formalize and unify Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) design patterns which is currently in a work-in-progress status. The framework, called XPLML (eXtended Pattern Language Markup Language), which we want to provide to the HCI community, should help pattern authors, pattern users and software engineers in their daily work with HCI design patterns. XPLML fills the gap between the prose form of HCI patterns and software applications. The framework provides formal specifications of the content elements, the relationships and user interface (UI) primitives of HCI patterns, where UI primitives are the smallest (atomic) parts of the solution part of an HCI pattern.