The need for a rational strategy to manage the evolution of user interfaces (UI) during block upgrades in complex tactical weapon systems has been a daunting, and costly, challenge for all services, especially the Navy. The emergence of open and Service-Oriented Architectures has exacerbated this problem. Vendors of these systems and the government agree that design tools are needed which provide UI designers with an environment that semi- or automatically manages these changes. Working with our Phase III transition partner, Raytheon IDS, we plan to design, development, implement, and test TRUIDTM, Toolset for Rational User Interface Design. Developed as a Java plug-in, TRUID consists of a query-based design pattern recognizer, a system analyzer for parsing the UI into chunks, a task decomposer that breaks down system tasks hierarchically, an IF-THEN UI design rule engine that optimizes widget/controller configuration given task and mission context, a document compiler that automatically reconfigures as design changes are made, and a scenario-based training aid for system and UI designers. TRUID will be prototyped in Phase II and field tested in the context of a Navy weapon system of interest, such as the CCS MK2 Weapons Control System or the AN/BYG-1 Advanced Submarine Combat System.
Keywords: User Interface, Service-Oriented Architecture, Virginia Class Submarines, User Interface Design, Total Ship Computing Environment, Submarine Combat We
