Designing the system-user interface using an abstract workstation

A design methodology for user interfaces of complex systems is described. An engineering-oriented approach, based on a task analysis and formal specification of the software system, is proposed. The concept of an abstract workstation (AWS) provides the basis for the design of complex systems in a dynamic, open network environment. The AWS concept is based on identifying and providing support for a set of commonly used computing tasks. Many of the tasks identified for related systems share common semantics and can be usefully incorporated into a general description of a task set for a class of applications. The resultant AWS represents a class of physical workstations which are capable of supporting the interactions considered. The design begins with a formal analysis of the tasks that need to be supported and ends with a complete specification of the tasks in terms of system support, interactions, and dialogue. The impact of the AWS on the design process is presented. Extracts from a specification are provided