Sunday, October 1, 2006

Inventions on auto-configurable GUI-A TRIZ based analysis

Author: Umakant Mishra
Abstract:
A GUI is intended for the end user but designed by the developer. Even the experienced developer cannot realistically anticipate what options will be required by the users at a future point of time. Besides, even a well-designed GUI may not be felt convenient to all categories of users as the skill, expertise and requirement of the users vary from each other.

Although the user can best describe his requirement and therefore can best configure the GUI, it is not advisable for the user to spend time and effort to configure the GUI. The user interface needs to be customized for the user but the user should not bother doing the job. This creates a contradiction.
           
This contradiction is solved by the concept of automatic configuration. In auto-configurable GUI, the elements and features of GUI are automatically configured to meet the requirement of the user. This article analyses eight inventions from US patent database relating to automatic configuration of GUI. The article illustrates how each invention solves different problems involved in automatic configuration and analyzes each solution process using TRIZ methods and principles.

Keywords: TRIZ, Innovation, Invention, Inventive Problem Solving, Software Patents, GUI, Software inventions, Graphical User Interface, GUI design, Menu, Main menu, Submenu, adaptive menu, automatic menu, menu configuration, dynamic menu, user configurable


Umakant Mishra, Inventions on Auto-Configurable GUI a TRIZ Based Analysis (September 7, 2007). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1271450 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1271450

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