Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) technology meets the challenges of operator interface design in automatic test systems

Abstract

The operator interface is the critical link between a test system and its operator. When a test fails, the operator must quickly process the results and decide whether to troubleshoot, rerun or halt the test based on information displayed by the software. An effective and well-designed operator interface can increase productivity, reduce testing time and operator error as well as improve adoption of the software. Whether the interface displays a simple pass/fail status or offers sophisticated troubleshooting operations, implementing a good user interface experience can be a challenging task. Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) is a user interface framework for building Windows client applications with immersive and intuitive user experiences. WPF combines the application user interface, 2D graphics, 3D graphics, documents and multimedia into one single framework to help developers create rich and interactive applications. This framework was created to help developers meet increasing expectations of the experience and usability of software applications. WPF facilitates the creation of high-quality user interfaces that stand out amongst competitors and help test operators accomplish their tasks faster with less opportunity for error. Windows Presentation Foundation provides developers with the tools needed to more rapidly iterate on the UI and reach a better quality user interface in a shorter amount of time. This paper discusses the fundamental principles behind Windows Presentation Foundation technology and demonstrates the advantages of building test operator interfaces using this modern design framework.