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paperCHASTE: Supporting design conversations by integrating formal and informal representations

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The aim of this project is to examine the feasibility of integrating requirements validation techniques based on execution of formal specifications, with user-interface design techniques based on informal representations such as storyboards and paper prototypes. The project will extend existing executable specification tools developed at Sheffield Hallam University to enable their use in conjunction with informal representations of user-interaction such as storyboards & paper prototypes.

The project will develop a tool to allow designers to scan and edit paper prototypes, edit representations of the behaviour associated with the paper prototype, and combine these with executable requirements specifications.

The ultimate goal of the work is to enable a design strategy for interactive systems that.

• exploits the idea of incremental formalisation to maximise the benefits of user participation in requirements specification and interaction design;
• permits designers selectively to apply 'high-cost, high-value' techniques to areas of systems design that are identified as involving high risk, without undermining a fundamentally collaborative approach;
• incorporates formal specification within a conversational or dialogical perspective on software design.

Publications

2003 Dearden, A, Siddiqi, J. & Naghsh, A. Using Cognitive Dimensions to Compare Prototyping Techniques. In Proceedings of the 15th Annual Workshop of the Psychology of Programming Interest Group. 8th - 10th April, 2003, Keele University.

paperCHASTE is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council: Grant number GR/R87918