Topic List for 05-830, User Interface Software, 2013

Here are some topics that I expect will be covered during this course. The exact list will be adapted based on the interests of the attendees in the course.

• How to Evaluate User Interface Software Tools
• Why are user interfaces hard to design and implement?
• Classifications of Types of User Interfaces
• Classifications of User Interface Software Tools
• Basic Computer Graphics
• Output Models: Structured Graphics; Object-Oriented Techniques
• Input Models: Supporting User Actions
  • Event Models
  • Garnet/Amulet Model
  • SubArctic's Input Model
  • Input Recognition from Sensors
• Software Architectures for User Interface Software
  • Model-View-Controller
  • Lexical-Syntax-Semantics
  • Seeheim Model
• Toolkits: intrinsics, callbacks, resources, widget hierarchies, geometry management
• Constraints
• Historical UIMS Techniques: Menu trees, transition networks, grammars, Event Languages, HyperTalk, production systems, Declarative Languages
• Model-based tools: Creating the UI Automatically
• Interactive Tools: Prototypers (HyperCard, Director, Visual Basic, Flash Pro), Interface Builders, Sketching Tools
• Demonstrational Tools
• Component Techniques: Andrew, OLE, OpenDoc, Java Beans, Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)
• Plug-In architectures (Photoshop, Illustrator?, Mozilla, Office, Eclipse, COM, etc.)
• User interface software for particular domains:
  • Mobile Applications (Smartphone & Tablets): Frameworks / SDKs Newton, Palm, Windows Mobile, iPhone and Android
  • Web Architectures: distributed user interfaces, client-side and server-side toolkits
  • Cross platform approaches, various screen resolutions, supporting multiple platforms/devices using the same client code
  • Games & 3D, physics engines (Unity3D, etc.)
  • Gestural Input in 2D, 3D and Multi-Touch, Handwriting recognition
  • Ubiquitous Computing, Context Awareness and CSCW tools
  • Physical objects Toolkits
  • Sound and Speech User interfaces: Input and Output, Multi-Modal architectures