Demonstrational interfaces : A step beyond direct manipulation

Abstract: "Direct manipulation interfaces, where objects on the screen can be pointed to and manipulated using a mouse and keyboard, are now almost universally accepted. However, some limitations of these interfaces are well known. These include the lack of programmability and the difficulty of providing abstract commands. Demonstrational interfaces can overcome these problems while still providing the benefits of direct manipulation. A "demonstrational interface" watches while the user executes conventional direct manipulation actions, but creates a more general abstraction from the specific example. For instance, the user might drag a file named "v1.ps" to the trash can, and then a file named "v2.ps", and a demonstrational system might automatically create a macro to delete all files that end in ".ps". This paper defines demonstrational interfaces, presents a number of examples, and then discusses some potential application areas."