The organization of interaction design pattern languages alongside the design process

Abstract

This work explores the possibility of taking the structural characteristics of approaches to interaction design as a basis for the organization of interaction design patterns. The Universal Model of the User Interface ( Baxley, 2003) is seen as well suited to this; however, in order to cover the full range of interaction design patterns the model had to be extended slightly. Four existing collections of interaction design patterns have been selected for an analysis in which the patterns have been mapped onto the extended model. The conclusion from this analysis is that the use of the model supports the process of building a pattern language, because it is predictive and helps to complete the language. If several pattern writers were to adopt the model, a new level of synergy could be attained among these pattern efforts. A concluding vision would be that patterns could be transferred freely between pattern collections to make them as complete as possible.