User interface design combining a logical and physical structure-based approach

With the enormous growth in the amount of information and functionality available, it is increasingly important that the desired information and functions can be easily found and made use of through user interface. To enable users to easily find and use the desired information and functions, both user interface content (logical structure) and user interface appearance (physical structure) need to be easily comprehensible for the user. We have addressed this need by developing a system to support user interface designers following a dual approach, that is logical structure design support based on objective and quantitative analysis of languages used by users themselves, and physical structure design support that takes the stages in the design process into account. The proposed system will make it easier for designers to design user interface using the language of users, as well as user interface that reflects their own creativity.