Towards a very large model-based approach for user interface development

This paper introduces the concept of metaphorical structure as a way of conciliating user interface development by demonstration and by generation so that advantages of both approaches are exploited together. It basically consists of substituting part or whole of the contents of a preliminary presentation model by a set of pre-defined specifications attached to a presentation and behavior. This substitution is aimed at forming a new example from results of a previously generated user interface. This example can be reused in a programming by demonstration approach to exploit past experience. This process seems to be particularly helpful and efficient when the models used for specifying a new application become very large and are largely based on previously made designs. Advantages and shortcomings of this technique are analyzed and exemplified within an existing model-based user interface development environment called SEGUIA.