University of Twente Student Theses
Multi-target user interface design and generation using model-driven engineering
Oude Veldhuis, M. (2013) Multi-target user interface design and generation using model-driven engineering.
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| Abstract: | The rapid development and wide spread adoption of smartphones and tablets creates a desire to deploy applications to multiple platforms without developing the same application for every target platform. Deploying an application to multiple platforms is challenging because of different operating systems, screen sizes, and device capabilities such as the presence or absence of a hardware keyboard. Additionally, the design of user interfaces is often based on experience and intuition, instead of explicit guidelines. In this thesis we explore how a Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) environment can be developed that generates mobile applications for multiple target platforms, based on a single source model, while taking into account a set of user interface design guidelines. The design guidelines were developed based on an extensive literature study, expert interviews, 1eld studies and a lab study. Seven guidelines were developed, of which six focus on design principles and high-level application behavior, and one focuses on navigation through hierarchical lists. We developed a proof-of-concept MDE environment that takes a single source model as input and transforms it to an Android application for both smartphones and tablets. The guidelines that were incorporated were be consistent, provide understandable feedback, and be supportive and minimize manual input. Expert interviews with software architects and developers con- 1rmed that such an approach can be helpful in the development of mobile applications in order to decrease development time and manage complexity. Adopting an MDE environment in an existing development environment was also seen as a challenging task. The 2exibility of MDE is a great advantage, but also creates challenges. Depending on the context of use it can be diZcult to determine the amount and abstraction level of metamodels to create. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | EEMCS: Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science |
| Subject: | 54 computer science |
| Programme: | Interaction Technology MSc (60030) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/63418 |
| Export this item as: | BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager |
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