Workspace Model

From EQUIS Lab Wiki

Recent years have seen the introduction of numerous architectural models and associated tools for the high level design of interactive systems. Interest in architectural models has continued with the advent of new styles of user interface such as include groupware systems that allow users to collaborate asynchronously or in real time, mobile systems allowing users access to a wide variety of devices such as tablet PCs, PIMs and smart phones, and ubiquitous systems which are sensitive to the user’s context.

While many architectural models have been proposed, there is as yet little underlying theory to explain their semantics, to allow comparison of different models or to serve as a guide for implementing tools or applications based on these models. The Workspace Model provides such a theory, formalized via an evolution calculus and a refinement relation.

The novel aspects of the Workspace Model include:

• Its recognition that the structure of interactive systems changes over their run times as the users of the system change, as their intentions change and as the physical run time platform on which the system is running changes.
• Its linkage of a conceptual architectural view to an implementation architecture, allowing high-level design to be mapped in a principled manner to a run time implementation, while avoiding premature commitment to a distributed implementation.
• Its treatment of partial failure as a first-class consideration in architectural models.
• Its ability to represent the use of multiple devices and device types in a single interactive session.

Further Information

• The complete specification of the Workspace Model
• A Visio Stencil File making it easy to draw Workspace models
• C++ Language Binding and Implementation of the Workspace Model