Edinburgh Research Archive logo

Edinburgh Research Archive

University of Edinburgh homecrest
View Item 
  •   ERA Home
  • Informatics, School of
  • Informatics Publications
  • View Item
  •   ERA Home
  • Informatics, School of
  • Informatics Publications
  • View Item
  • Login
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

The ECO Program Construction System: Ways of Increasing its Representational Power and their Effects on the User Interface

International Journal of Man-Machine Studies

View/Open
BundyA_The ECO program.pdf (2.180Mb)
Date
07/1989
Author
Robertson, D.
Uschold, M.
Bundy, Alan
Muetzelfeldt, R.
Metadata
Show full item record
Abstract
There is a growing interest in programs which help users with little experience of computing to construct simulation models. Much recent development work on such systems has utilized comparatively simple mathematical methods (such as system Dynamics) to facilitate the development of a friendly user interface. The problem with these simple modelling languages is that they assume that users have preconceived ideas of the simulation models which they want to build. In the ECO project, which involved the construction and testing of programs to help ecologists build simulation models, it became clear that users could not always adapt their ideas to fit into these mathematical frameworks. They required a more expressive input language in which to describe their modelling problems, rather than being forced directly to specify the programs which solved those problems. However, we found that as the input language became more sophisticated the complexity of the user interface became disproportionally larger. We attempt to clarify the reasons for this phenomenon by comparing the various systems which we built to try to solve this problem. This comparison is facilitated by the use of a sorted logic as a lingua franca for the various formalisms used in each system. Our analysis centres around a small number of key characteristics which we use to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of various dialogue techniques.
URI
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WGS-4D70534-46&_user=809099&_coverDate=07/31/1989&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000043939&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=809099&md5=69539df38658f73ec23df36e66154f2b&searchtype=a

http://hdl.handle.net/1842/4545
Collections
  • Informatics Publications

Library & University Collections HomeUniversity of Edinburgh Information Services Home
Privacy & Cookies | Takedown Policy | Accessibility | Contact
Privacy & Cookies
Takedown Policy
Accessibility
Contact
feed RSS Feeds

RSS Feed not available for this page

 

 

All of ERACommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsPublication TypeSponsorSupervisorsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsPublication TypeSponsorSupervisors
LoginRegister

Library & University Collections HomeUniversity of Edinburgh Information Services Home
Privacy & Cookies | Takedown Policy | Accessibility | Contact
Privacy & Cookies
Takedown Policy
Accessibility
Contact
feed RSS Feeds

RSS Feed not available for this page