Digital control systems, like those controlling the functions of buildings or industrial processes, pose a number of special problems for good user interface design. The general problems of providing usability, common to all systems, include difficulty in accessing and applying principles of good design. In addition, digital control systems can have multiple users, with multiple roles, and each installation has different configurations of systems, controls, and user interface devices. Providing interactions for the users of building control systems is often achieved by manually implementing each required display. This is an expensive solution, which often produces less than optimal results. We address these problems through the automation of user interface design. Our solution, called DIGBE (Dynamic Interface Generation for Building Environments), separates domain knowledge, interaction design, and presentation heuristics into multiple collaborating models. Each model contains knowledge about a particular aspect of interface design, and uses this knowledge to dynamically create each user interface that is needed to support the users of a control system. DIGBE demonstrates that it is possible to automatically and dynamically create consistent and individualized user interfaces from model-based design knowledge. Index Terms-Building management systems, cooperative systems, design automation, user interfaces, user modeling. I. INTRODUCTION I N the day-today operations of a building, digital control systems provide numerous automated and semi-automated distributed functions, including heating, cooling, ventilation, access control, and security. Human users may need to interact with the components of each function. The building manager may interact with the system by setting desired comfort and consumption ranges (room and zone temperatures, electricity usage), entering or modifying occupancy schedules, and managing access codes and user databases. Other users of the building systems, like building engineers, security guards, or occupants, perform some of these management functions, and additionally operate equipment (such as escalators and thermostats). Technicians who install and service the building management system interact with the digital control system to install, setup , fine tune, diagnose, and repair functional components. Other technicians may modify configurations and install replacement parts and systems, or add new functionality. In specialized or complicated buildings, other user roles and tasks might be required, like scheduling operating rooms or maintaining sterile environments.
